Background: Capacitybuilders and the ChangeUp framework
In 2002 the cross-cutting review of the role of the voluntary and community sector in service delivery recognised that the sector and Government have a mutual interest in building the capacity of voluntary and community organisations.
To respond to this review, Government and the third sector together developed the ChangeUp framework, published in 2004. ChangeUp is the cross-government framework on capacity building and infrastructure in the third sector.
ChangeUp's aim is that by 2014 the needs of front-line voluntary and community organisations will be met by support which is:
- available nationwide
- structured for maximum efficiency
- offering excellent provision
- accessible to all
- truly reflecting and promoting diversity
- sustainably funded
Government invested £80 million during 2004-2006 to achieve the aims of ChangeUp. To deliver the framework in the sector, the Government supported the development of six national hubs, designed around specific themes, and over 100 local and regional consortia.
In June 2005, the Home Secretary announced that a new national agency would be created to build on early successes. Capacitybuilders was launched in April 2006 to take over the management of ChangeUp and to work with other funders to build the capacity of the Third Sector. It was backed by a further £70 million for 2006-2008, to enable it to deliver high-quality, collaborative and sustainable sector support services and representation.
Capacitybuilders inherited a range of programmes for 2006-8, and distributed £63 million across the programmes by March 2008, including a new Improving Reach pilot programme focusing on excluded organisations. Through a new Learning and Innovation fund, Capacitybuilders also supported projects exploring new ways of delivering support to the Third Sector and influencing the public sector.
From December 2006 to March 2007 Capacitybuilders ran a consultation to indicate the way forward for the ChangeUp framework as a whole. As a result, the National Support Services programme replaced the earlier programme of investing in Hubs; this aims to ensure better links between the national programmes, consortia, and support providers. The response to this consultation is set out in the Destination 2014 strategy. This continues to inform the development of Capacitybuilders’ programmes for 2008-11, and forms the context for Capacitybuilders’ current strategic objectives.
These objectives are to:
- improve the quality of infrastructure support for voluntary and community organisations
- demonstrating to key stakeholders the benefits of support services to frontline organisations
- ensuring equal access for all third sector organisations to mainstream support services, and targeting resources where necessary
- developing and influencing funding practice to sustain support for third sector organisations
- engaging with the public sector
For more information, visit the Capacitybuilders website [External website].
