NCVO response to Giving White Paper

The National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO) has responded today to the Government’s Giving White Paper.

Sir Stuart Etherington, Chief Executive of NCVO said: ‘The giving of time and money is an important expression of our values and beliefs as a society. This paper draws together a wealth of intelligence on what can be done to stimulate greater levels of giving and participation in the UK.

‘It is encouraging that the government has considered a range of innovative and varied approaches to remove barriers to the giving of time and money and targeting underrepresented groups.  The Government’s ideas around leading by example – encouraging Ministers and Civil Servants to volunteer and opening up the government estate and websites - are also very positive.
 
‘We are pleased to see that our Funding Commission’s recommendations for an infrastructure fund have been taken on board.  Local support organisations play an essential role in developing the skills, capacity and knowledge of frontline organisations, so this fund will help them to adapt and modernise to best cater for their needs.  Establishing a central online resource bank will also make it easier for frontline organisations to access useful information and resources.

‘The proposal to prioritise impact reporting is also very promising; this echoes our Funding Commission’s first recommendation and will be key to building a sustainable voluntary sector.

‘Despite the difficult financial climate more than half of the population still give to charity every month – this shows the high levels of public trust and confidence that charities enjoy and represents a good base to build on.  We look forward to working in partnership with the Government and the sector to take this activity forward as we work towards the Giving Summit in the Autumn, and hope that it will help to bring about a culture shift in giving and social action.’
 
For more information please go to the NCVO website