Funding for national umbrellas slashed by OCS

Key national voluntary sector umbrella bodies will have their funding cut by the Office for Civil Society next year.
The budget for the ‘strategic partners programme’ will be reduced from £12.1 million this year to a maximum of £7.5 million in 2010-11. None of the 42 partner organisations – which include NCVO, Volunteering England, NAVCA and Co-operatives UK – will receive more than £500,000 a year or get more than 25 per cent of their funding from the OCS. In addition, the number of partners will be reduced to no more than 15.
In 2009/10, six partner organisations received more than £500,000 and about 10 received more than 25 per cent of their funding from the OCS.
The programme is intended to foster co-operation between the sector and the Government and to enable the organisations it funds to carry out policy work and act as advocates for the sector.