Overview
Greater Manchester Voluntary Sector Support (GMVSS) is a high-level strategic partnership that is made up of 38 voluntary and community organisations across Greater Manchester and otherwise known as a consortium. These organisations are brought together through a common vision, which is to ensure that "high quality and relevant support to the voluntary and community (third) sector in Greater Manchester is available and accessible to all, structured and organised for maximum efficiency and effectiveness, and sustainably funded". One key way in which GMVSS will strengthen and build the capacity of the voluntary and community sector (VCS) and achieve its vision, is through the Development Strategy and Business Plan (2008-14). As the lead body for the consortium, GMCVO takes overall responsibility for GMVSS and helps drive it forward to achieve its ‘vision’ with GMVSS members.

Background
GMVSS was formed in 2005 in response to a national government programme called ChangeUp, which was a 10-year vision for the voluntary and community sector up to 2014. The idea was to embed high quality, accessible and sustainable support to empower the frontline, so that by 2014, we would see a fully transformed and thriving third sector across the country.
Members
GMVSS members provide support to the voluntary and community sector (VCS) across Greater Manchester and are known as local infrastructure organisation’s (LIOs). In other words, they work behind the scenes to ensure that local VCS groups and organisations get the support they need. This support may include: advice in setting up a VCS group, support in developing a group or organisation, help to find the right type of funding, specialist advice, and in general help to develop and strengthen VCS groups and organisations to be the best that they can. GMVSS members include:
• Councils for Voluntary Service (eg Salford CVS),
• Organisations that provide specialist support services (eg Community Accountancy), and
• Organisations that focus on a specialist theme (eg disability, race or volunteering).

National support
As well as tying in locally through its members, GMVSS links into regional and national support mechanisms such as the online Improving Support resource for support providers (www.improvingsupport.org.uk) and it is funded through CapacityBuilders(www.capacitybuilders.org.uk)

For more information about GMVSS please visit www.gmvss.net