Funding changes could marginalise smaller charities

Funding changes for voluntary organisations introduced by Every
Child Matters could marginalise smaller charities, delegates at
Community Care Live heard today, reports Sally Gillen
from the conference.

Dr Sally McNamee, acting director of the Centre for the Study of
Childhood at Hull University, said many smaller groups would not
have the capacity to bid for cash from the £20 million
children, young people and families grant programme.

Grants are available to organisations to build infrastructure
but there will also be project grants of £50,000.

Bids for the money are expected to show that work could be
replicated elsewhere in the country.

McNamee said the “implication” was that large
voluntary organisations would be able to bid but smaller groups
would “not have the capacity to show their work has national
significance”.

She also said that smaller groups would not be able to put a bid
together within the eight-week deadline.

“Through these funding changes we are starting to see the
limits for the voluntary sector,” she said, warning that the
changes could lead to a “two-tier voluntary
sector”.