A group of almost two dozen voluntary sector leaders have urged the Chancellor to provide match-funding for places or causes crucial to the Labour Party’s five key priorities.
The Civil Society Group, a collaboration of more than 80 civil society infrastructure and membership organisations, has written to Rachel Reeves with a raft of suggested low-cost measures that could boost support for the voluntary sector.
The letter, written by the Charity Finance Group on behalf of the CSG, was signed by 22 charity leaders, including the chief executives of the local infrastructure body Navca, the Association of Charitable Foundations, the charity leaders body Acevo, the National Council for Voluntary Organisations and the Chartered Institute of Fundraising.
The letter contains 16 recommendations that the government could introduce at the spending review in June, including a call to provide match-funding for places or causes that are crucial to the government’s mission delivery.
The group has also pushed for a more sustainable funding model for the sector, urging the government to move towards a multi-year funding settlement and to remove competitive funding pots.
It recommends that the government should invest in simplifying and streamlining the Gift Aid process, to help unlock unclaimed Gift Aid.
The letter also pushes for the appointment of a dedicated philanthropy champion in government, to “help drive a national conversation on giving and connect charities, businesses, funders and potential philanthropists”.
Another recommendation suggests a reinstatement of mandatory reporting of corporate charitable giving to encourage companies to increase their contributions to the voluntary sector.
The letter urges the government to ensure the regulator has long-term funding to put it on a “sustainable footing in both supporting and regulating the sector”, while pushing for devolved administrations to extend similar support to the regulators in Scotland and Northern Ireland.
Richard Sagar, head of policy at CFG, said: “This spending review submission is an opportunity to highlight the contribution civil society makes to communities across the country, and to the government’s missions.
“While the Chancellor has been clear that the government wants to maintain its fiscal rules, our recommendations could be implemented for little cost, yet could allow charities to maximise their impact.”
Sagar said the sector continued to face increasing demand for services, while managing lower incomes and increased costs, “forcing charities to do more with less”.
He said: “By offering support for the sector, which delivers around £17bn worth of public services, the government can maximise the positive impact charities can have on the people and causes they serve.”