Why we’re backing SCVO’s call for Fair Funding

Greener Kirkcaldy is supporting the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO) in its call for Fair Funding for Scotland’s voluntary sector.

We contributed a case study sharing our experience of funding community-led work to tackle the climate emergency and support people through fuel poverty and food insecurity.

Like many voluntary organisations, we receive funding from a wide range of sources to deliver our work. We’ve worked hard over many years to diversify our income and become more financially resilient. This includes growing our social enterprise activities and fundraising from different sources.

However, much of the funding available to voluntary organisations remains short term and restricted to particular projects or activities. Funding decisions can also come very close to the start of a new financial year, making it difficult to plan ahead. This creates uncertainty for organisations and their staff. Often there is limited funding available for the core costs that make good work possible. From management, finance and administration, to buildings, IT, governance and staff development.

Long term work is necessary for tackling the climate emergency and creating lasting change in our communities. It also relies on strong relationships and experienced staff. It doesn’t fit neatly into short funding cycles.

That’s why we support SCVO’s call for a fairer approach. This includes longer-term funding, inflationary uplifts, timely decisions and proper support for organisations’ core costs.

Flexible, multi-year funding gives organisations the confidence to plan ahead. It helps to retain and develop skilled staff and respond to changing needs. It also means we can spend less time managing funding uncertainty. It give us more time to support people, strengthen communities and take action on the climate emergency.

We’re grateful to SCVO for continuing to champion Fair Funding and representing the experiences of voluntary organisations across Scotland. We appreciate the opportunity to contribute our experience to this work and help make the case for a funding system that gives voluntary organisations the stability and flexibility they need to make a lasting difference.

Read more about SCVO’s Fair Funding campaign and Greener Kirkcaldy’s case study

Lauren Brook,

Chief Executive