Capacitybuilders - Improving support for a stronger third sector

21/12/2007

Following a highly competitive process, Capacitybuilders today announced details of the lead organisations it will be working with over the next three years to strengthen third sector support services for the benefit of diverse frontline organisations across England.

£11 million awarded across seven priority workstreams

Capacitybuilders’ Grants Committee has taken decisions on the lead organisations for the first seven national support service priority workstreams, awarding a total of £11 million for the three year national investment programme.

Partnership working

The successful lead organisations are all supported in their bids by partnerships with a range of organisations from across the wider Third Sector.

Lead organisations

The lead organisations are : NCVO, the Women’s Resource Centre, ACEVO, Media Trust, Volunteering England and Charities Evaluation Services.

Plugging the gaps in existing sector support

Simon Hebditch, Chief Executive, Capacitybuilders commented; "A range of excellent proposals were assessed in detail and we have sought to award funding to those which presented the clearest analysis of needs in the Third Sector, and identified gaps and weaknesses in existing sector support."

Improving frontline services

"The best proposals have put forward clear priorities and ambitious, but achievable plans, to deliver work that will benefit frontline organisations by improving the services they can access from support providers across England."

Seven workstreams awarded funding

The seven workstreams that have been awarded are as follows:

• Campaigning and Advocacy will be led by the National Council for Voluntary Organisations
• Equalities and Diversity will be led by the Women's Resource Centre
• Income Generation will be led by the Association of Chief Executives of Voluntary Organisations
• Leadership and Governance will be led by the National Council for Voluntary Organisations
• Marketing and Communications will be led by the Media Trust
• Modernising Volunteering will be led by Volunteering England
• Performance Management will be led by Charities Evaluation Services.

Assessment process

The initial assessment of returned proposals was carried out by an advisory team chaired by Board member Julia Kaufmann.

A shortlist of high quality proposals was then presented to Capacitybuilders’ Grants Committee for ratification and decision on Monday 19 November.

Further work to be carried out around remaining two workstreams

The Grants Committee decided not to appoint lead providers for the Collaboration and Responding to Social Change workstreams.

Need for more clarity around focus and priorities

Simon Hebditch went onto comment on these two areas; “The range of proposals coming forward for the Collaboration and Responding to Social Change workstreams suggested the need for more clarity around focus and priorities, ensuring investment delivers tangible outcomes. Further work will now be carried out internally on both of these areas.”

Next steps - business plans to be drafted

Work will now begin on developing detailed business plans with lead organisations with the aim of each workstream being ready to launch from April 2008.