Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-dk4vv Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-23T06:59:27.684Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

‘Hoovering up the Money’? Delivering Government-Funded Capacity-Building Programmes to Voluntary and Community Organisations

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 April 2008

Margaret Harris
Affiliation:
Aston Centre for Voluntary Action Research, Aston Business School, Aston University, Aston Triangle, Birmingham B4 7ET E-mail: m.e.harris@aston.ac.uk
Hans Schlappa
Affiliation:
Aston Centre for Voluntary Action Research, Aston Business School

Abstract

The ‘ChangeUp’ and ‘FutureBuilders initiatives have provided substantial funding to support and facilitate ‘capacity building’ in voluntary and community organisations and so enable them to contribute to the achievement of public and social policy goals. This paper builds on findings from a study of an early ‘capacity-building’ programme delivered between 1998 and 2005. We explore the challenges of implementing such initiatives for voluntary sector intermediary bodies involved in delivering them and for the voluntary and community organisations intended as the main beneficiaries. We conclude with a discussion about the implications for policy implementation.

Type
Articles
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2007

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Active Community Unit (2004), ChangeUp – Capacity Building and Infrastructure Framework for the Voluntary and Community Sector, London: Home Office.Google Scholar
Alcock, P., Harrow, J., Macmillan, R., Vincent, J. & Pearson, S. (1999), Making Funding Work: Funding Regimes and Local Voluntary Organisations, York: Joseph Rowntree Foundation.Google Scholar
Backer, T. E. (2001), ‘Strengthening NPOs: foundation initiatives for NPOs’, in De Vita, C. J. and Fleming, C. (eds), Building Capacity in NPOs, Washington, DC: The Urban Institute.Google Scholar
Banks, S. and Shenton, F. (2001), ‘Regenerating neighbourhoods: a critical look at the role of community capacity building’, Local Economy, 16, 4, 286298.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Big Lottery Fund (2006), ‘Big BASIS for voluntary support with lottery multi-million backing’, at http://www.biglotteryfund.org.uk [accessed 30 October 2006].Google Scholar
Boeck, T. and Fleming, J. (2005), ‘Social policy – a help or a hindrance to social capital?’, Social Policy and Society, 4, 3, 259270.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Brown, D.L. and Kalegaonkar, A. (1998), ‘Challenges of civil society and the emergence of support organizations’, Institutional Development, 5, 1, 2037.Google Scholar
Brown, D.L. and Kalegaonkar, A. (2002), ‘Support organizations and the evolution of the NGO Sector’, Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly, 31, 2, 231258.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Brown, D. L. and Moore, M.H. (2001) ‘Accountability, strategy and international nongovernmental organizations’, Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly, 30, 3, 569587.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cairns, B., Harris, M. and Young, P. (2005)a, ‘Building the capacity of the voluntary nonprofit sector: challenges of theory and practice’, International Journal of Public Adminstration, 28, 869885.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cairns, B., Harris, M., Hutchison, R. and Tricker, M. (2005)b, ‘Improving performance? The adoption and implementation of quality systems in UK nonprofits’, Nonprofit Management and Leadership, 16, 2, 135151.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cairns, B., Brier, S., Harris, J., Harris, M. and Hughes, H. (2006), Making It Real: A Report of the Partnership Improvement Programme with Voluntary and Community Organisations and Local Government, London: Improvement and Development Agency.Google Scholar
Capacity Builders (2006)a, ‘National hubs: improving support for the voluntary and community sector’, at http://www.hubs.org.ukGoogle Scholar
Capacity Builders (2006)b, Destination 2014: Investing in Change, Birmingham: Capacity Buliders.Google Scholar
ChangeUp (2006), ‘Investment programmes’, at http://www.changeup.org.uk/overview/investment [accessed 30 October 2006].Google Scholar
Durning, J. (2006), ‘Review of changeup national hubs final report’, at http://www.capacity.builders.org.uk [accessed 30 October 2006].Google Scholar
Eade, D. (1997), Capacity Building: An Approach to People Centred Development, London: Oxfam.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Futurebuilders England (2006), ‘Investment plan 2006–7’, at http://www.futurebuilders-england.org.uk [accessed 21 January 2007].Google Scholar
Gibbon, M., Labonte, R. and Laverack, G. (2002), ‘Evaluating community capacity’, Health and Care in the Community, 10, 6, 485491.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Glendinning, C., Powell, M. and Rummery, K. (eds) (2002), Partnerships, New Labour and the Governance of Welfare, Bristol: Policy Press.Google Scholar
Government Offices for the English Regions (2006), ‘Faith communities capacity building fund – further funding available’, at http://www.gos.gov.uk/news/436728 [accessed 21 January 2007].Google Scholar
Harris, M., Cairns, B. and Hutchinson, R. (2004), ‘So many tiers, so many agendas, so many pots of money: the challenge of English regionalisation for voluntary and community organisations’, Social Policy and Adminstration, 38, 5, 525540.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Harrow, J. (2001), ‘Capacity building as a new public management tool: myth, magic or the main change’, Public Management Review, 3, 2, 209230.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Treasury, HM (2002), The Role of the Voluntary and Community Sector in Service Delivery – A Cross-cutting review, London: HM Treasury.Google Scholar
Treasury, HM (2003), Futurebuilders – An Investment Fund for Voluntary and Community Sector Public Service Delivery, London: HM Treasury.Google Scholar
Home Office (2004)a, Active Citizens, Strong Communities: Progressing Civil Renewal, London: Home Office.Google Scholar
Home Office (2004)b, ChangeUp: Capacity Building and Infrastructure Framework for the Voluntary and Community Sector, London: Home OfficeGoogle Scholar
IDeA (2006), ‘Capacity building toolkit’, at http://www.idea-knowledge.gov.uk/idk [accessed 30 October 2006].Google Scholar
James, R.. (ed.) (2002), People and Change: Exploring capacity building in NGOs, Oxford: Intrac.Google Scholar
Jones, M.L. (2001), ‘Sustainable organizational capacity building: is organizational learning a key?’, International Journal of Human Resources, 12, 1, 9198.Google Scholar
Judge, H., Martinos, H. and Campbell, M. (1999), Capacity Building in ESF: Evaluation of Objective 3 Priority 4, Leeds: Policy Research Institute, Leeds Metropolitan University.Google Scholar
Knauft, E.B., Berger, R.A. and Gray, S.T. (1991), Profiles of Excellence: Achieving Success in the Nonprofit Sector, San Francisco: Josey Bass.Google Scholar
Letts, C.W., Ryan, W.P. and Grossman, A. (1999), High Performance Nonprofit Organizations: Managing Upstream for Greater Impact, London: John Wiley & Sons.Google Scholar
Lewis, J. (2005), ‘New Labour's approach to the voluntary sector: independence and the meaning of partnership’, Social Policy and Society, 4, 2, 121131.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mengers, H.A. (2002), ‘Making urban sector lending work: lessons from a capacity building programme in Karnataka, India’, Habitat International, 24, 4, 375390.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Milligan, C. and Fyfe, N. (2004), ‘Putting the voluntary sector in its place: geographical perspectives on voluntary activity and social welfare’, Journal of Social Policy, 33, 1, 7393.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Murray, M. and Dunn, L. (1995), ‘Capacity building for rural development in the United States’, Journal of Rural Studies, 11, 1, 8997.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
National Audit Office (2005), Working with the Third Sector, London: National Audit Office.Google Scholar
NCVO (2005)a, Civil Renewal and Active Citizenship: A Guide to the Debate, London: National Council for Voluntary Organisations.Google Scholar
NCVO (2005)b), The Reform of Public Services: The Role of the Voluntary Sector, London: National Council for Voluntary Organisations.Google Scholar
NCVO (2005)c, Action Points for Public Services, London: National Council for Voluntary Organisations.Google Scholar
Newman, J. (2002), ‘Putting the “policy” back into social policy’, Social Policy and Society, 1, 4, 347354.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Nye, N. and Glickman, N.J. (2000), ‘Working together: building capacity for community development’, Housing Policy Debate, 11, 1, 163198.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (2005), Citizen Engagement and Public Services: Why Neighbourhoods Matter, London: Office of the Deputy Prime Minister.Google Scholar
Osborne, S.P. and Tricker, M. (1994), ‘Local development agencies: supporting voluntary action’, Nonprofit Management and Leadership, 5, 1, 3751.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Peltenburg, M., de Wit, J. and Davidson, G. (2000), ‘Capacity building for urban management: learning from recent experiences’, Habitat International, 24, 4, 363373.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Pharoah, C. (1998), Achieving the Double Bottom Line, Kent: Charities Aid Foundation.Google Scholar
Rummery, K. (2006), ‘Partnerships and colloborative governance in welfare: the citizenship challenge’, Social Policy and Society, 5, 2, 293304.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Skinner, S. (1997), Building Community Strengths: A Resource Book on Capacity Building, London: Community Development Foundation.Google Scholar
Smillie, I. (2001), Patronage or Partnership: Local Capacity Building in Humanitarian Crisis, London: Kumarian Press.Google Scholar
Taylor, M., Craig, G. and Wilkinson, M. (2002), ‘Co-option or empowerment? The changing relationship between the state and the voluntary and community sectors’, Local Governance, 28, 1, 111.Google Scholar
Twigg, J. (2001), Capacity Building and Its Challenges: A Review of the Baring Foundation's International Grants Programme 1997–1999, London: Baring Foundation.Google Scholar
Yeatman, H. R. and Nove, T. (2002), ‘Reorienting health services with capacity building: a case stduy of the core skills in health promotion project’, Health Promotion International, 17, 4, 341350.CrossRefGoogle Scholar