Office of the Third Sector Homepage
Last updated: 23 November 2008
The Office of the Third Sector (OTS) has confirmed that it is extending its strategic funding programme until 2011.
The programme was launched in 2006, with additional social enterprise partners coming on board in 2007. This extension means that organisations will have had between 4 and 5 year funding, offering real stability for our partners and representing our commitment to long-term cooperation and support between government and the sector. It offers long-term funding to key third sector organisations that operate at a national and regional level, and allows the sector to help shape the development of Government policy.
The OTS wants the concerns and priorities of the third sector to be clearly expressed to government, and the strategic partners programme empowers organisations to ensure this happens.
The following strategic partners were keen to recognise the value of the programme to the work they do:
Vivienne Hayes, Chief Executive Women’s resource Centre:
“This is great news for WRC and the women’s sector. This means we can continue to offer timely, targeted support to the women’s sector. We acknowledge the OTS strategic partners programme as an example of best practice in investing in the sector, and hope other departments follow their lead"
Maggie Jones Chief Executive, National Council of Voluntary Child Care Organisations (NCVCCO):
“Thank you very much, to you and other colleagues at OTS for negotiating this extension. Not only will it give us welcome additional time to deepen the involvement of the children and young people’s sector, establish the work and achieve real change; but it is a fabulous example to other Departments. There is nothing like leading by example!”
Kevin Curley, CEO of NAVCA (National Association for Voluntary and Community Action) said:
“This is great news for NAVCA and all our members. As well as being good for NAVCA, the fact that this money is being given as a grant should be seen as good news for all in our sector. The Office of the Third Sector is known as a robust funder, who expects high quality delivery from the organisations they fund.”