Collette Stevenson MSP calls for Scotland’s third sector to share views on funding processes

One of the most uplifting aspects to convening the Scottish Parliament’s Social Justice and Social Security Committee is hearing about the third sector and what it delivers for Scotland.

Last year, Paul Bradley, in one of his final acts as policy & public affairs manager with SCVO, highlighted the critical importance of the third sector: “voluntary organisations are at the heart of our communities, whether that is through delivering community care or employability programmes or through overseeing and maintaining programmes for village halls, museums and galleries.”

This has always been true, however, as Paul and many others have told us, in recent years, the scale of the task facing the third sector has unquestionably grown.

The Covid-19 pandemic and the cost of living crisis have led to an unprecedented surge in demand for third sector services and support. More individuals and families are seeking help, and our third sector organisations are feeling the pressure.

Inflation hasn’t made things any easier. With prices on the rise, organisations are having to spend more on running costs.

Over the years, we’ve heard from many of you about the need for longer term funding, unrestricted core funding, and a more consistent approach to funding applications and reporting.

That’s why we’ve launched a new consultation on third sector funding principles.

We appreciate that there is not a limitless amount of money available to the Scottish Government, so we want to understand what the government can do in its budget process to make the public funding aspect of this more efficient for third sector organisations.

The more effectively we use the available funding, the more Scotland’s third sector can achieve.

We’re inviting all charities, third sector organisations and their funders to share their views. Your insights will help us examine the public funding landscape and make recommendations to the Scottish Government about exactly how things could be improved ahead of the next Scottish budget.

A significant amount of the third sector’s funding comes from contracts and grants issued by local authorities, the Scottish Government, and other statutory funders. We want to understand what these public bodies could do to ensure their processes and funding are fair and efficient.

Our consultation looks for your views on issues like longer term funding, unrestricted core funding and sustainable funding.

Please share your views with us so that we can hear from you about what needs to be changed or improved. Our call for views closes on 16 August.

The consultation is now open. Third sector organisations and their funders can view the questions in the consultation and respond here: https://yourviews.parliament.scot/sjssc/third-sector-funding-principles/

Collette Stevenson is the convener of the Scottish Parliament’s Social Justice and Social Security Committee and MSP for East Kilbride.