Campaigning Cash Cuts

by Ben Wittenberg, Director of Policy and Research, Directory of Social Change

The Office of the Third Sector is already one of the lowest rated statutory funders on www.governmentfunding.org.uk so the recent decision to cut funding to support campaigning after issuing grant letters this week should not come as a huge surprise. However, it rarely happens that a single decision from government highlights all eight hallmarks of statutory funding. OTS has done it perfectly:

Government funding hallmark 1: Misunderstand the need

In April this year the OTS announced a £750k fund to support research and innovation in campaigning. DSC challenged the underlying assumption that innovation was the problem, instead calling for government to work hard at improving access to decision makers for smaller charities.

Government Funding Hallmark 2: Outsource fund administration to QUANGO

Then the process started, managed by Capacitybuilders.

Government Funding Hallmark 3: Try ever so hard to do the right thing

A four person panel of experts was set up to make final decisions on awards.

Government Funding Hallmark 4: Take a long time to make a decision

In October, 32 organisations were informed that they had been successful and would receive grants.

Government Funding Hallmark 5: Take very little time to change your mind, without consultation

On Friday 13th November Angela Smith announced that funding had been withdrawn, and instead would be allocated to the £16.7m Hardship Fund. This was apparently done without consulting either the applicants to the fund or the panel of experts.

Government Funding Hallmark 6: Communicate your decision as badly as possible

The decision to withdraw offers of funding was “…taken because of the pressing need to support the sector through the recession.” This is perfect as it gives no answer at all, whilst at the same time allowing any number of possible real reasons. Did Angela Smith only just notice we were in a recession? Were OTS unhappy with the shortlisting they had outsourced? Could it be that somewhere, someone had the thought that arming the voluntary sector with greater campaigning skills eight months before a ridiculously tough general election could be politically naïve? Either way, leaving it open for people to assume either conspiracy or incompetence is probably not a sound PR strategy.

Government Funding Hallmark 7: Impeccable timing

No, not announcing it on Friday 13th, but doing all of this in the middle of a consultation on revising the Compact. Priceless.

Government Funding Hallmark 8: Underestimate the sector

Spend six months finding 32 of the best and most innovative campaigners. Offer them funding and then take it away.  They surely can’t expect this to go away can they?