It has been six weeks since the decision by the Edinburgh Integrated Joint Board (EIJB) to retain the Third Sector Grants Programme, worth £4.5 million, until the end of this financial year.
While a much-welcomed reversal of the initial proposal to pull the grant from 64 charities from January 2025, the forecasted cuts have left many of these registered charities in Edinburgh in doubt over their long-term future.
Edinburgh Community Health Forum strategic development managerStephanie-Anne Harris,said: “Without the necessary funding, closures are inevitable. These community-led charities cannot afford to exist without long-term public funding, and the threat of this being removed is hanging over their heads, preventing future planning.
“Edinburgh Health Community Forum has heard from many member organisations that are expecting to have to start the process of shutting down in January due to the EIJB’s decision.”
One such organisation is the Murrayfield Dementia Project, which provides lunch clubs and day services for those who are elderly and frail or living with early-stage dementia.
The termination of the EIJB funding will remove this service from the 20 members who attend each week, with repercussions for their carers and families. It will also result in five members of staff being made redundant and eight voluntary opportunities being stopped.
Jenny Rowe, Project Coordinator at Murrayfield Dementia Project, said “The EIJB reprieve has only prolonged the inevitable. As a small, community organisation, we need to know whether future funding will be made available, and if not, we will be forced to close.
“The loss of vital services, such as Murrayfield Dementia Service will not only impact those who directly benefit from them. Without the support offered by Third Sector organisations, we will undoubtedly see an increased pressure on Scotland’s wider health and social care services, which are already at breaking point”.
This is exemplified in the case of Phonelink Edinburgh, a twice-daily check call service for the over 60s that offers social interaction, medication prompts, welfare and safety checks, and eating and drinking prompts.
Kellie Mercer, Manager of Phonelink Edinburgh, commented “Phonelink Edinburgh receives £89,000 in funding from the EIJB grant.
“Among other check-ins, we carry out 128 medication prompts twice daily, 7 days a week. The estimated cost for Edinburgh Health and Social Care Partnership (EHSCP) to do the same would be £256,960 – and that is without considering the other welfare and safety services Phonelink Edinburgh offers.”
A Therapy Assistant Practitioner from the Western General Hospitalgave a real life example of the importance of the Phonelink Service: “A patient was medically fit for discharge but needed medication prompts to allow this to happen.
“So Phonelink was contacted by email for a twice daily medication prompt. The email was received at 3.48pm, the service set up at 4.30pm, with the patient discharged that evening, and the service started at 7.30pm.
With unprecedented budgetary challenges facing the EIJB, and the necessary shifting in strategic priorities, the cessation of the Third Sector Grants Programme may well be unavoidable.
If this is to be the case, Stephanie-Anne Harris argues for a planned transition with interim support made available:
“Sufficient time and planning must be given to avoid devastating consequences for Edinburgh’s most vulnerable citizens.
“This requires a collaborative approach, including Third Sector representatives, NHS Lothian and the City of Edinburgh Council to establish a clear timeline and secure alternative funding to prevent the immediate loss of vital services which currently benefit over 50,000 people across Edinburgh.
“Without Edinburgh charities and Third Sector organisations, the fabric of the community collapses. It is imperative that together we carve out a sustainable future for the City’s Third Sector, one that delivers high-impact services, strengthens community resilience, reduces pressure on statutory services and achieves better outcomes for Edinburgh’s most vulnerable citizens.
“We urge Edinburgh City Council and the EIJB to step up, provide clarity, and commit to funding that ensures these vital organisations can continue their essential work beyond the end of March 2025. ”
The financial situation of the Edinburgh Integration Joint Board (EIJB) is very challenging. In 2025/26, the IJB seek to realise around £51m of savings. Future years will see further savings required, currently estimated to be £76m in 2026/27 and £105m in 2027/28.
These savings will be difficult and their impact will be substantial. So, managing change, and ensuring key services are delivered to communities will require collaboration by the IJB and city partners, including the Third Sector.
Reference Group
On November 1 2024, Third Sector representatives presented deputations to the EIJB challenging proposals around the Third Sector Grants Programme and an in-year cut (2024/2025). The IJB did not approve the proposal for the in-year cut with an alternative proposal being approved.
Following that meeting, the IJB invited Third Sector representatives to talk through concerns and identify areas to work together. To inform those meetings, EVOC and their TSI partners collaborated with the Edinburgh Community Health Forum and representatives of other Third Sector interests across the city to create a Reference Group.
The purpose of the Reference Group is to:
inform governance and city partnerships
assert the value of the Sector
shape investment
support change
distil the voices of the Third Sector to effectively represent the sector on the IJB
EIJB Engagement and Proposals
The Reference Group has rapidly considered the short-term issues around funding, and the longer-term issues of future partnership models, sharing a briefing note with the IJB on issues and options in early December. The engagement with EIJB has been positive given the difficult circumstances, and this positive engagement has resulted in an EIJB paper to the December Board which recommends:
That the Health Inequalities grants programme, due to end on 31 March 2025 should be extended for three months into 2025/26 which will help provide time for the organisations affected to adapt.
The Board support work currently underway to undertake a series of collaborative workshops which will inform some of the savings proposals and invest-to-save opportunities that will be submitted for consideration by the EIJB in March 2025.
In the current landscape this is a positive outcome for the Third Sector, informed directly by the voice, needs and priorities of the Sector.
City of Edinburgh Council Engagement and Proposals
Given the challenges to funding for the Third Sector and the impact cuts will have to the viability of Third Sector Organisations, the Reference Group have also argued the need for a cross city partnership approach to investment.
Following the November 1 EIJB meeting, the TSI wrote to the Chair of the EIJB, the Chief Executive of City of Edinburgh Council and NHS Lothian asserting the need to [a] reset investment [b] reform ways of working [c] repair relationships. In the immediate term, a key priority is to secure a commitment from City of Edinburgh to invest to mitigate the risks to critical and anchor organisations.
On December 10 the Council Policy and Sustainability Committee considered and approved a proposal that recognised that the Council may need to provide core or foundational funding to stabilise vital third sector organisations. The TSI with ECHF collaborated to present a joint deputation, welcoming the Council proposal, and offering support.
Council officers were instructed to:
Work on a briefing paper for the Council’s political groups on what the Third sector needs now, specifically transitional funding, medium term, ahead of the Council setting its budget in February;
Undertake a review of all grant funding, exploring the provision of longer term, sustainable funding;
Work with the Edinburgh Partnership and Third Sector to co-design solutions, and agree terms of reference for a short life group and report back to Policy and Sustainability Committee in March.
Priorities: December EIJB meeting and Future Planning
The Reference Group will continue to meet and shape the next steps. An immediate priority is to agree on Terms of Reference and confirm representatives in the Group. We will be sharing a set of proposals before Christmas for your consideration.
A strong voice is essential to shape the long-term relationship with the EIJB and in particular the workshop series in spring 2025.
The Edinburgh TSI with EVOC and others from the Reference Group will support the paper to the EIJB on December 17 on progress on the Third Sector Grants Programme and the next steps in working collaboratively with the Sector, and also with the City of Edinburgh Council.
If you need any further information in advance of the IJB meeting tomorrow (Tuesday 17 December), please get in touch with us or reach out to any member of the Reference Group.
We will also provide regular briefings on progress, through the fortnightly EVOC E-news and targeted updates on key information as necessary.
COMMUNITY PROJECTS TO LEARN THEIR FATE AT EIJB MEETING
SIXTY-THREE voluntary sector organisations will learn their fate today when Edinburgh Integration Joint Board makes crucial decisions on cost-saving measures.
EIJB is looking to make ‘savings’ (i.e. cuts) of £60 million and the proposal to disinvest in third sector projects would see the EIJB ‘save’ £4.5 million, but the voluntary sector argues that the scale of the cuts in some of the capital’s poorest communities – cuts imposed without any prior consultation – will actually cost the city far more in real terms – and they are urging the EIJB to think again.
If the EIJ Board accepts Chief Officer Pat Togher’s recommendations to disinvest, projects across Edinburgh will be forced to slash services, make staff redundant and, in some cases, close completely.
One of the projects affected is Libertus Services, a charity dedicated to supporting people to live independently. Libertus provides two registered Day Care services to local older people, located in Gracemount and Canalside, alongside a plethora of recreational, educational, cultural and social activities.
Libertus Services is dedicated to empowering its’ Members to make informed choices and to engage with activities which offer a selection of physical activity, reminiscence, games and art as therapy.
Their Positive Futures project supports local people (50+) across Edinburgh to develop and run activity groups in community based settings. The groups take place on a weekly basis, facilitated by a dedicated team of volunteers.
Andrew Farr, General Manager at Libertus, said:“Libertus Services has been established for 43 years and employs 23 staff members to provide services for people at risk of many vulnerabilities, including social isolation, and has provided support to thousands of people.
“The impact of EIJB cuts to Libertus Services will affect at least 300 people aged over 50, and older vulnerable people and their support base who rely on the input and outcomes achieved within our groups.
“The loss of peer support, interaction and professionally led early intervention will inevitably lead to an increase in our vulnerable population of older people becoming more reliant on statutory services now and in the future.
“The potential closure of our Positive Futures over 50’s service and our volunteer service additionally losing 42 volunteers not only increases risks to our Day Services for older people, which will no longer receive the additional social and practical input from our volunteers, but also reduces our financial stability.
“This is due to our premises increasing their reliability on the already reducing contract with the EHSCP, following a 10% in year contract reduction, followed by additional year on year 10% reductions in funding from 2025 onwards.
“A significant number of people would be without our support, leading to social isolation for a significantly higher number of people with social and psychological needs. Service provision would need to be absorbed by adding further pressure within statutory services, including hospital admissions and readmissions, due to the increase in demand resulting from the loss of this preventative service.”
The projects facing cuts today are:
ACE-IT
Art In Healthcare – Room For Art project
Autism Initiatives
Bethany Christian Trust – Passing The Baton project
Bridgend Farmhouse – Community Kitchen
Calton Welfare Services
Care for Carers – Stepping Out residential and short-term breaks for Carers
Caring in Craigmillar – Phonelink
CHAI Community Help and Advice Initiative (Edinburgh Consortium) – Income maximisation, debt and welfare advice
Citizens Advice Edinburgh (Edinburgh Consortium) – Income maximisation, debt and welfare advice
Changeworks – Heat Heroes programme
Community One Stop Shop – COSS
Community Renewal Trust – Health Case Management
Cruse Bereavement Care Scotland – Edinburgh bereavement services
Cyrenians – Golden Years Community Connecting Service
Drake Music Scotland – Musicspace
Edinburgh and Lothians Greenspace Trust – Healthy Lifestyles South Edinburgh
Edinburgh Community Food – Healthier Food, Healthier Lives, Healthier Future
Edinburgh Community Health Forum
Edinburgh Consortium (CHAI, Citizens Advice Edinburgh and Granton Information Centre) – Income maximisation, debt and welfare advice across the city
Edinburgh Garden Partners – Befriending Through Gardening project
Edinburgh Headway Group – ABI Rehabilitation Support Project
Edinburgh Leisure – Steady Steps programme
Edinburgh Rape Crisis Centre – Rape crisis support service
Eric Liddell Centre – Caring for Carers Befriending Service
FAIR – Family Advice and Information resource for people with learning disabilities
FENIKS – Reach Out, Help Within support for Eastern European community
Fresh Start – Helping previously homeless people make a home for themselves
Granton Information Centre (Edinburgh Consortium) – Income maximisation, welfare and debt advice
Hillcrest Futures – Futures Hub
Health All Round – Community health initiative in Sighthill Gorgie
Health in Mind – Counselling in Craigmillar
Home Start Edinburgh West and South West – promoting positive perinatal health
LGBT Health and Wellbeing – Core funding and community programme
Multicultural Family Base MCFB – Syrian mens mental health group
Murrayfield Dementia Project – Day Resorce
Pilmeny Development Project – Older people’s services
Pilton Equalities Project – Mental health and wellbeing support service
Pilton Equalities Project – Day Care services
Portobello Monday Centre – Informal daycare for people with dementia
Portobello Older People’s Project – Lunch and social club for isolated people
Positive Help – HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis C support service for vulnerable adults
Queensferry Churches Care in the Community – support services for older people
Rowan Alba Ltd – CARDS service for people with alcohol-related brain damage
Scottish Huntingdon’s Association – Lothian Huntingdon’s Disease service
Sikh Sanjog – Health and wellbeing group for ethnic minority women
South Edinburgh Amenities Group – community transport service
South Edinburgh Day Centre Volunteer Forum
Support in Mind Scotland – RAISE for Carers project
The Broomhouse Centre – The Beacon Club
The Broomhouse Centre – Vintage Vibes consortium
The Broomhouse Health Strategy Group – B Healthy Together initiative
The Dove Centre – Social day centre
The Health Agency – Community-led health improvement initiative
The Living Memory Association – drop-in facility for isolated older people
The Open Door Senior Men’s Group – tackling social isolation
The Ripple Project – Community hub in Restalrig
The Welcoming Association – Welcoming Health programme for migrants/refugees
Venture Scotland – Outdoor activities and residential experiences
VOCAL – Counselling support for carers
Waverley Care – HIV and Hepatitis C support
The following projects will make deputations to this morning’s meeting:
It’s looking increasingly likely that common sense will prevail today and that recommended funding cuts will NOT be imposed before the end of this current financial year – always an unrealistic ambition given the timescales involved and the lack of prior consultation.
Edinburgh Green Councillor Alys Mumford tweeted yesterday: “I’m sure everyone has been very concerned about news of potential in-year cuts to 3rd sector organisations.
“Here is an update from the Edinburgh Councillor Group, and as a board member of the Integration Joint Board, I’m glad I’ve submitted this joint proposal to reject the cuts:
So a small victory for the voluntary sector IS possible today, maybe, but would this be just a stay of execution, a short reprieve?
The EIJB must balance it’s books, and with the city council, NHS Lothian and the Scottish Government all facing financial challenges of their own, just how does Edinburgh Integration Joint Board fill that black hole?
And what is the future for our community projects – and the hundreds, perhaps thousands. of vulnerable people they support across what is supposed to be an affluent capital city – come the new financial year? Can it be a Happy New Year for them?
Hopefully all will become clearer this afternoon.
Good luck to all of the deputations this morning and here’s hoping Edinburgh Integration Joint Board belatedly sees the real human cost of the cuts being proposed – and rejects them.
The recent announcement by the Integrated Joint Board (IJB) regarding the disinvestment from up to 64 community organisations as part of its recovery plan for 2025/26 has ignited significant outrage among Third Sector, including members of the Edinburgh Community Health Forum (ECHF).
This drastic cut threatens the very fabric of our community support systems and undermines our collective commitment to health and wellbeing in Edinburgh, said ECHF’s Strategic Development Manager, Stephanie-Anne Harris.
Stephanie-Anne vehemently criticised the decision, stating: “This disinvestment will lead to the closure of numerous charities and an increased reliance on statutory services, including the NHS and Council.
“Furthermore, it contradicts the Scottish Government’s and Public Health Scotland’s advocacy for prevention and early intervention strategies.
“Evidence overwhelmingly supports that investing in prevention is one of the most cost-effective methods to improve health outcomes and reduce inequalities.
“This short-term approach to achieving savings is fundamentally misguided.”
Historically, core funding for the Third Sector was managed by the Council before being transferred to the IJB.
The current proposed cuts pose a severe threat to organisations that provide essential services to some of Edinburgh’s most vulnerable residents.
Catriona Windle, Chair of ECHF and CEO of Health All Round, a charity dedicated to supporting residents in Gorgie Dalry, Saughton, Stenhouse, and surrounding areas, added: “We call for an immediate halt to cuts scheduled for 2025 and urge the IJB to engage in meaningful discussions with the sector about sustainable funding solutions.
“While we recognise the need for budgetary considerations, we cannot afford to compromise on the vital support that Third Sector organisations provide. We propose delaying cuts until September 2025 to allow for a proper conversation about the future.
“The IJB must recognise that resourcing for the Third Sector is not non-essential; it is crucial for the wellbeing of our communities.
“We implore Council leaders and the IJB to consider resuming full responsibility for funding these vital services or to engage the Third Sector in developing a strategic funding model that ensures ongoing investment in our collective health.”
EDINBURGH Integration Joint Board meets on Friday 1 November at 10am in the Dean of Guilds Room at the City Chambers.
See belowfor meeting papers – including details of the cuts being recommended:
Community projects across the city are facing financial armageddon following news that Edinburgh Integration Joint Board (EIJB) plans to discontinue funding to 64 community projects across the city.
The EIJB is facing a financial crisis and sees slashing funds to third sector organisations as a way to tackling a massive deficit. If the recommendations are approved by board members at a meeting on Friday, the disinvestment in much-needed community services would save EIJB £4.5 million.
Although rumours of swingeing cuts were circulating for some days, the key papers announcing the plans only appeared online late on Friday afternoon – and they make grim reading for community organisations across the city.
The full papers for Friday’s meeting can be found below – and the Chief Officer’s recommendations make truly awful reading for 64 community organisations and the thousands of citizens they support.
Rubbing salt into the wounds, the EIJB also proposes cutting funding before the end of THIS financial year – two months early – forcing voluntary sector organisations to issue redundancy notices immediately. A fine early Christmas present!
For some projects, cuts on this scale would see a devastating reduction to the services they are able to provide to people living in some of Edinburgh’s most deprived communities. Scores of jobs will be lost if the cuts go ahead, vital services will be slashed and a number of community organisations may even be forced to close completely.
Restalrig’s Ripple Project announced: ‘The Ripple is devastated by the release of proposals to remove a huge proportion of health and social care funding from The Ripple in just 90 days time.
‘Please come to the Ripple next week and join us in our campaign to stop this happening.’ The Ripple provides and hosts a range of services from their busy community hub and they have set up a petition to oppose the cuts.
People Know How have already made the difficult decision to close their doors – and more will undoubtedly follow if the proposed cuts go ahead.
People Know How told service users: “Due to the drastic changes across the fundraising landscape in Scotland, it is with great sadness that we must announce that we are beginning to work towards closing People Know How including the redundancy of all our staff team.”
An online post explains: ‘People Know How was founded in 2013 and has grown to deliver services to thousands of people across Scotland over the past decade. Supporting people to be digitally and socially included through Reconnect, providing help to children as they move from primary to secondary school through Positive Transitions, and enhancing communities with projects including All Aboard, People Know How has always put people at the heart of what we do. ‘
‘A dedicated team of 24 paid staff and around 100 annual volunteers, interns, and placement students (VIPs) make all this work possible, and we collaborate with numerous funders and partners to maximise the reach and impact of the charity. In the last 4 years, People Know How has also expanded its reach to effect social change nationally as well as locally, through research, campaigning, influencing policy and our national Digital Support Helpline.
‘Due to the drastic changes across the funding landscape in Scotland, at the end of September, our Board and Chief Executive were faced with a difficult conversation in light of the lack of funding for the current and forthcoming financial years.
‘In just the last few months, we have seen devastating funding cuts across the sector and a drastic shift in the funding landscape. As a result, we have seen fewer options for long-term funding, with other funders closing entirely and leaving those that remain severely over-subscribed.
‘The Scottish Government is currently examining their approach to funding in the third sector, responding to calls from the sector for longer-term funding, unrestricted core funding, funding to accommodate paying staff a Real Living Wage and more. But as the debate continues, charities like People Know How are dealing with the reality.
‘The decline of available funds is directly at odds with the increasing need of the communities we support. Over the last few months, we have seen attendance to our digital groups and calls on our Digital Support Helpline increase.
‘We also recently partnered with BT to provide information about the digital landline switchover, with many groups across the country eagerly coming forward to work with us on this project. And just 2 months ago, we began our Positive Transitions support in schools for the new academic year, addressing a very real need for support felt by the children, young people and families moving to secondary school.
‘While we have funding for some projects, we will not hear back from our biggest funders until the end of this financial year and cannot move forward without the certainty that we will be able to support our service users and employ our staff beyond Christmas.
‘Since September, People Know How has been undergoing a 30-day collective consultation process to assess its future and options to avoid redundancies, including pausing all new activities to prioritise the support of those using our services.
‘We have also been speaking with our partners and contacts to assess options and opportunities where possible. That consultation process has now come to an end and unfortunately, we have not found a solution to save the 24 jobs and charity and have had to make the extremely difficult decision to work toward closing People Know How.
‘From today, (25 October), we will be working to wind down our projects and identify opportunities for those who use our services to continue being supported by other organisations. Our staff will also be looking for new employment opportunities. We will remain open until December but our capacity will be reducing gradually until then, as our team moves on.
‘Consideration is being made on how we close in the best way possible to value all the work and achievements since 2013. We are proud of what we have achieved over the last 11 years, supporting communities to improve wellbeing across Scotland.
‘The passion we have seen in every single one of our staff members and VIPs during this time has been incredible and we couldn’t be prouder to have been part of their lives and careers. Thank you to all who have been with us on this amazing journey.’
North Edinburgh’s R2 group is a coalition of local projects who united during the Covid pandemic lockdown to support vulnerable local people with food and essential supplies.
Spartans Community Foundation CEO Debbi McCulloch, who chairs R2’s development group, wrote to politicians and members of the EIJB yesterday:
Proposed IJB cuts to third sector organisations
As Chair of R2 Development Group I am writing to express our concern and dismay at the current rumours circulating within the 3rd sector about the IJB cuts to third sector grants, and potential disinvestment from 64 community organisations.
This disinvestment appears to be part of the IJB’s in year recovery plan and savings strategy for 2025/26. We find this particularly surprising given the consultation that the IJB have recently completed on their new strategy which prioritised prevention and closer collaboration with the 3rd sector.
We would also like to acknowledge that the third sector has already taken significant cuts this year from the grant funding and has still achieved (or in many case over achieved) on the targets set, yet the sector is facing the biggest cuts.
In north Edinburgh, it is estimated that this will result in around £1million worth of funding being lost to the area. We are particularly concerned that local income maximisation services could be lost as many of us work in partnership with these services and see the difference they can make in household income for the people we work with. This work is key to our collective contributions to reducing poverty in the City.
While we recognise the significant funding challenges faced by the IJB, disinvesting from the 3rd sector for short term cost savings seems misguided. Such actions are likely to increase pressure on both NHS and Council services, contradicting the Scottish Government, Public Health Scotland, and the Audit Commission’s strong advocacy for enhanced prevention and early intervention strategies which are known to take time and require investment.
Evidence consistently shows that investment in prevention is one of the most cost-effective methods to improve health outcomes and reduce inequalities, ultimately fostering greater sustainability with economic, social, and environmental benefits.
We hope for a constructive discussion with the IJB and other partners on how we can best support our communities together. We would be very grateful if you could investigate on our behalf and advise us accordingly.
We ask that:
• The funding for this year is guaranteed and runs the full length of the contract. • That the 25/ 26 grants are not cut in entirety and that we can be part of a conversation regarding how we maybe able to assist in making savings.
• That there is recognition that is these “savings” are to go through, we are shoring up future impacts.
We’d ask you to explore this matter further and share anything you find out with us. In particular we would like to know:
• What consideration has been made for the Audit Scotland, Chief Medical Officer and Scottish Government guidance to invest in health prevention, health activities in community? • If an equality impact assessment on these proposals has been carried out and what the conclusion of this was?
Finally, we’d ask you to talk your party colleagues, particularly if they sit on the IJB and ask them to do all they can to prevent these cuts.
We know, that when local community sector organisations get cut, it can take years to rebuild projects and relationships with local communities. As the social and health issues in our communities are continuing to increase, we want to continue to do all we can to alleviate the current crisis and build towards a more positive future. Please help us do this.
Edinburgh Community Health Forum (ECHF) has called for an immediate halt to the funding cuts announced by IJB.
ECHF’s Strategic Development Manager, Stephanie-Anne Harris, said: “This drastic cut threatens the very fabric of our community support systems and undermines our collective commitment to health and wellbeing in Edinburgh.
“This disinvestment will lead to the closure of numerous charities and an increased reliance on statutory services, including the NHS and Council.
“Furthermore, it contradicts the Scottish Government’s and Public Health Scotland’s advocacy for prevention and early intervention strategies.
“Evidence overwhelmingly supports that investing in prevention is one of the most cost-effective methods to improve health outcomes and reduce inequalities.
“This short-term approach to achieving savings is fundamentally misguided.”
Historically, core funding for the Third Sector was managed by the Council before being transferred to the IJB.
The current proposed cuts pose a severe threat to organisations that provide essential services to some of Edinburgh’s most vulnerable residents.
Catriona Windle, Chair of ECHF and CEO of Health All Round, a charity dedicated to supporting residents in Gorgie Dalry, Saughton, Stenhouse, and surrounding areas, added: “We call for an immediate halt to cuts scheduled for 2025 and urge the IJB to engage in meaningful discussions with the sector about sustainable funding solutions.
“While we recognise the need for budgetary considerations, we cannot afford to compromise on the vital support that Third Sector organisations provide. We propose delaying cuts until September 2025 to allow for a proper conversation about the future.
“The IJB must recognise that resourcing for the Third Sector is not non-essential; it is crucial for the wellbeing of our communities.
“We implore Council leaders and the IJB to consider resuming full responsibility for funding these vital services or to engage the Third Sector in developing a strategic funding model that ensures ongoing investment in our collective health.”
EVOC, the voice of Edinburgh’s voluntary sector, said: “We are devastated to see the depth of the cuts proposed to the Third Sector in the EIJB Meeting Papers: https://bit.ly/4eZsPXL
“Our sector has an essential role to play in delivering key health and social care services for some of the most vulnerable people in Edinburgh and contributes to the four priorities of the @EdinburghHSCP ‘More Good Days Strategy’.
“Our Board and staff are meeting key colleagues and partners to move quickly on a strategic response and will share more details in the coming days.”
The first option would close the existing programme early, giving grant recipients only three months’ notice and saving £700,000 in this financial year. This would be extremely disruptive for both organisations and people accessing their programmes. Third sector organisations are reasonably entitled to expect to receive funding for the entire grant period. We are especially concerned that this could lead to sudden job losses and financial hardship for affected third sector workers.
The second option would be to end the grants programme entirely in future years, and develop an alternative approach, saving £4.5mn in direct costs next year and beyond. Whilst this would mean existing grants would continue for the remainder of this financial year, it would result in significant uncertainty for the future of some organisations and programmes and for the people who ultimately benefit from these supports and services.
Nevertheless, it is claimed that only one of the funded services represents “value for money”. Our understanding is that this assessment has been made via an additional, retrospective EIJB evaluation, and it is unclear if organisations were given adequate time and direction to monitor and evidence the value of their programmes.
In many cases the impact assessment refers to the availability of statutory services as an alternative, for example in relation to maternal mental health. However, the extreme pressures on statutory services, especially mental health services, are well documented.
Third sector services are in many cases supporting people who have fallen through the gaps in or been unable to access statutory services. The withdrawal of grant funding for third sector services will therefore leave those people with no support at all.
Responding to the proposals, the ALLIANCE Chief Officer of Development, Sara Redmond, said:“Third sector organisations provide a range of invaluable services that help to reduce health inequalities and support a preventative approach to health and wellbeing. We are therefore extremely concerned by the proposals from Edinburgh IJB that could see their entire health inequalities grant programme close.
“The EIJB’s own impact assessment acknowledges that these proposals will negatively impact the health and wellbeing of people in Edinburgh, especially in areas already experiencing higher levels of health and socio-economic inequality. In addition to the risk of job losses, these proposals also risk seriously damaging the relationship between the third sector and statutory sector funders, especially as there has been no public consultation in advance.
“Third sector organisations must be able to trust when bidding for contracts or grants that funding will be provided for the entire contracted period. They must also be consulted as equal partners to find a way forward when circumstances change, and for the responsibility to be shared for evaluating the impact of what are complex social policy agendas.
“We urge the EIJB to reject these proposals and develop a fairer way forward that will ensure people receive the support they need and that the third sector can continue its invaluable work to mitigate and prevent health inequalities.”
Work has urgently been going on behind the scenes since the EIJB papers were released and a number of meetings have taken place with more to follow in the run-up to Friday’s crucial board meeting.
Deputations are being arranged, community support is being harnessed across the city and politicians are being lobbied – and opposition to the draconian proposals has gained political support.
SNP Councillor Vicky Nicholson is a member of the EIJB board and she announced last night that the SNP will oppose the report recommendations:
Labour’s Cammy Day said in a statement on Twitter yesterday: ‘After over a decade of @theSNP cuts& under funding Edinburghs health &social care, proposals to cut the third/voluntary sector are here.
“Edinburgh Labour will propose a way forward to engage the sector, work with them & city partners and stop the in year cuts wherever we can.’
Edinburgh Integration Joint Board meets on Friday 1st November at 10am in the Dean of Guilds Room at the City Chambers.
You can read the full details of the recommendations here:
Tomorrow’s Programme for Government from the Scottish Government must include urgent action to deliver multi-year funding and progress Fair Funding to support voluntary organisations, their staff and their volunteers, and the people and communities our sector works with, says SCVO.
SCVO and colleagues across the voluntary sector welcomed the Scottish Government’s commitment to deliver Fairer Funding for the sector by 2026, including exploring options to implement multi-year funding deals.
Despite this renewed focus, 18 months on from the policy prospectus, there has been little progress.
In the Programme for Government (PfG) action is urgently needed to deliver multi-year funding and progress Fair Funding to support of voluntary organisations, their staff and their volunteers, and the people and communities our sector works with.
Background
For over a decade, the Scottish Government has recognised the need for multi-year funding, committing to longer-term funding for the voluntary sector across multiple government strategies, including within several Scottish Budgets and Programmes for Government, and the Economic Strategy.
In April 2023, the Scottish Government’s policy prospectus, New leadership – A fresh start, renewed these ambitions, committing to delivering Fairer Funding for the sector by 2026, including exploring options to implement multi-year funding deals. This was followed in May 2023 by a commitment in the Medium-Term Financial Strategy to adopt multi-year spending plans.
Despite this renewed focus, 18 months on from the policy prospectus, there has been little progress. The most recent Scottish Budget made no further commitments, deferring action on any multi-year funding to the upcoming Medium-Term Financial Strategy, and making no reference to voluntary sector funding.
The problem
It is widely understood that our sector is facing unprecedented challenges. Years of underfunding and poor funding practices, and crises such as the pandemic, and the cost-of-living crisis have put the sector under increasing pressure, exacerbating financial and operational challenges.
The running costs and cost-of-living crises continue to put pressure on voluntary organisations – with demand for services increasing, costs rising, and financial uncertainty ongoing.
From August 2021 to April 2024, the proportion of voluntary sector organisations reporting financial challenges has increased from 47% to 77%.
Over a third (36%) of organisations have reported having made use of their financial reserves in the 3 months leading into April 2024, a 4% increase compared to the same period in 2023. Depleting reserves for recurring costs is not sustainable, with 60% of the organisations sharing that continuing to use reserves was unsustainable for their organisation.
As costs have risen for voluntary organisations over the past three years, so have demands on the services that they provide for the most vulnerable people in society. In August 2021, 56% of organisations reported an increased demand for core services and activities, rising to 63% by April 2023.
The most recent Third Sector Tracker results were published earlier this month and cover the three months to April 2024.
By April 2024, the Third Sector Tracker found:
62% of organisations believed that rising costs had affected the ability to deliver core services or activities since December 2023.
47% of organisations reported cost increases in their top three challenges.
33% of respondents had not been able to deliver all their planned services in the preceding 3 months.
Only one third (32%) of respondents have been able to meet all of the increased demand for their services in the preceding 3 months. For the organisations who had been unable to meet increased demand, the main difficulties included: staff capacity (54%); raising funds to meet the demand (50%); and volunteer capacity (41%.).
As local councils fund far more voluntary organisations than Scottish government, the fallout from the local government settlement will also have a significant impact on voluntary organisations, further exacerbating these pressures. Similarly, any reduction in local services will result in further increased demand for some voluntary organisations.
The Emergency Budget Response has also left organisations awaiting confirmation of Scottish Government funding vulnerable.
The solution
SCVO and colleagues across the sector welcomed the Scottish Government’s commitment to delivering Fairer Funding for the sector by 2026, including exploring options to implement multi-year funding deals. Without action in the Programme for Government (PfG), achieving this target becomes increasingly unlikely.
A longer-term funding model for the voluntary sector across all Scottish Government departments.
Define multi-year funding for voluntary organisations as a three-year minimum commitment.
Record progress by collecting and publishing what proportion of grants and contracts are delivered on a multi-year basis and accommodate other essential Fair Funding elements.
To be meaningful and support a sustainable sector, multi-year funding must also recognise and incorporate other essential Fair Funding elements including:
Flexible, unrestricted core funding
Inflation-based uplifts
Accommodate at least the Real Living Wage and uplifts on par with those offered to public sector staff.
Full costs recovery, which includes core operating costs.
Long term funding should also be provided to local authorities, to allow them to enter into multi-year agreements with voluntary organisations. Between one quarter and one third of voluntary organisations receive funding from local authorities.
Without these commitments, achieving “Fairer Funding” by 2026 becomes increasingly unlikely.
To make and monitor progress, it is also essential that the PfG takes action on transparent funding, including developing timelines, goals, and actions to both monitor progress, and ensure progress can be scrutinised by the voluntary sector and Parliament.
Testimonials
“Like all voluntary organisations, we have very short-term funding, so while our contracts are on paper secure, everyone knows their job is only as secure as the current piece of short-term funding” – Registered charity
“Everything we do is dependent on funding, and amounts are often not confirmed until very late in the financial year” – Registered charity
“Due to annual funding from Scottish Government, which doesn’t cover our core costs, recruitment is often on short-term contracts or is subject to ongoing funding, of which there is no guarantee” – Voluntary sector intermediary
Conclusion
Scotland’s voluntary sector is an employer, a partner, and a vital social and economic actor central to delivering on the Scottish Government’s three missions of equality, opportunity, and community.
The Programme for Government is an opportunity for the First Minister and the cabinet team to recognise and support the many contributions of voluntary organisations, their staff and their volunteers across Scotland by making progress towards the Fair Funding our sector desperately needs.
To achieve this the Scottish Government must commit to progressing multi-year funding, develop timelines and goals, and make plans to monitor progress. To support a sustainable sector, multi-year funding must also recognise and incorporate essential Fair Funding elements.
Additional information
SCVO’s full proposals for the 2024/2025 Programme for Government cover two areas and can be found here:
Aldi is calling on local charities, community groups and foodbanks in Edinburgh to sign up now to receive surplus food donations over the festive period.
In partnership with community giving platform Neighbourly, the supermarket’s UK stores partner with good causes across the country to donate surplus food year-round.
With all Aldi stores set to close on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day, the holiday season provides an opportunity for even more charities to benefit from the successful partnership.
Local charities will be paired with Aldi stores in Edinburgh this Christmas and can collect fresh and chilled food products nearing the end of their shelf-life – with the supermarket pledging to donate over a million meals over the Christmas period.
This month, Aldi hit its 40 million meals milestone since partnering with Neighbourly back in 2019.
Liz Fox, National Sustainability Director at Aldi UK, said:“We know that many communities up and down the country continue to feel the impact of the rise in living costs. That’s why we are committed to ensuring that the communities we provide for always get the support they need.
“We’re proud to hit our 40 million meal milestone with Neighbourly. This is a huge achievement and motivates us to go further and supply even more meals to local charities.”
Steve Butterworth, Chief Executive Officer at Neighbourly, added:“Christmas can be a challenging time for some families, and we expect many more will depend on the services of local charities this year.
“We’re sure there are lots more groups out there that could use the extra help that businesses like Aldi provide, so we encourage them to sign up.”
Any groups that are interested in collecting unsold food at Christmas that are not currently working with Neighbourly can get in touch with them at:
Customers also have the opportunity to donate any food or household products to local causes all year round through community donation points in all Aldi stores.
The Action Earth campaign, run by national charity Volunteering Matters, has launched to help support communities to participate in outdoor environmental volunteering. Projects can apply now to the campaign, which NatureScot funds.
Nature is in crisis, and we face a climate emergency. Last year, we completed 134 successful projects, helping restore and protect environments to deliver a ‘nature-rich’ future for all.
Volunteering Matters Action Earth offers easy-to-access grants of up to £250 for environmental activities across Scotland. This year, we have 132 nature awards for any group of volunteers carrying out practical environmental improvements or wildlife habitat creation in local urban spaces.
Previous projects have included wildflower meadow and pond creation, woodland and wetland renovations, bird and bat box siting, and creating or improving community gardens.
We are also keen to support projects working with people with disabilities, defined health issues, or barriers to involvement. From last year’s 134 projects to benefit from Action Earth grant funding, over 3,325 volunteers were involved in improving biodiversity in their community – 1,100 of them having disabilities and/or defined health issues.
The campaign is also keen to hear from projects whose work benefits disadvantaged communities, especially in urban areas and in places with reduced local amenities. 45% of volunteers in 2022 were from areas in the lowest 20% of the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation.
2023 Marks the 20th anniversary of Volunteering Matters and NatureScot’s partnership to help communities make positive local change.
NatureScot Chief Executive Francesca Osowska says: “The Action Earth campaign is a brilliant way for communities to make space for nature and protect local greenspaces, native wildlife and habitats – in turn, helping tackle the nature and climate crises. I encourage groups to apply and look forward to lots of exciting projects this year.”
For those looking for inspiration for their projects, the Volunteering Matters Action Earth website has instructions on how to build bird boxes, bat boxes, frog hibernacula, hedgehog boxes, and bee/insect homes. NatureScot also has many tips to help nature this spring through its Make Space for Nature campaign.
More information is available and applications can be made NOW at the Volunteering Matters Action Earth website:
More than 180 projects across rural Scotland will receive grants ranging from £100,000 to several hundred pounds, from the Rural & Island Communities Ideas into Action (RICIA) fund.
The fund encourages and supports not-for-profit community groups with innovative approaches to community-led local development, including work towards net zero and just transition goals, tackling rural poverty and supporting rural communities through the cost of living crisis.
Supported projects include:
building of mountain bike trails to bring in new visitors and provide sports opportunities to the local community
opening up of a community hall as a ‘warm space’ over the winter months and providing suppers to alleviate rising costs
purchase of educational equipment by a community centre to benefit the mental health of children, and
installation of solar thermal panels at a community hub to help manage electricity costs.
The funding is being delivered in partnership between the Scottish Government and Inspiring Scotland.
Rural Affairs Secretary Mairi Gougeon said: “We are working to ensure local communities are empowered to tackle local challenges.
“This investment comes at a critical time for our rural and island communities, who are disproportionately impacted by the cost of living crisis compared to the rest of the country.
“I wish all the successful community groups well as they now look to take forward these projects and make a positive difference to their local areas.”
Inspiring Scotland CEO Celia Tennant said: “We’re delighted to continue to support the Scottish Government to deliver the Rural and Islands Communities Ideas into Action Fund.
“We know local, grassroots groups are best placed to respond to the needs and opportunities most important to their communities. We look forward to working alongside successful applicants and will support them to make meaningful change in their local area.”
Scotland’s community foundation has distributed over £130 million to date
Foundation Scotland, Scotland’s community foundation, is marking the organisation’s silver anniversary this St Andrews Day – also aptly ‘Giving Tuesday’ this year.
Originally established in 1996 as ‘Scotland’s Community Foundation’, the major funder has distributed more than £130 million to charitable organisations, social enterprises, and community groups operating across Scotland since its launch 25 years ago.
Set up with an initial group of three staff, the Edinburgh-based foundation now has over 30, managing around 100 different national and local funding programmes each year.
Earlier this year the foundation began offering investment for social enterprises following the integration with Resilient Scotland, further expanding the breadth of financial support offered to charitable groups and enterprises.
Through the pandemic, Foundation Scotland awarded over £1.1 million in crisis support grants to 268 Edinburgh-based community projects.
Supported groups included The Eric Liddell Centre, East Lothian Roots and Fruits, Sikh Sanjog, Bridgend Farmhouse and The Edinburgh Tool Library (above).
Quite often, groups can be eligible for more than one source of funding from the foundation and some organisations have received ongoing support from Foundation Scotland for many years.
The team pride themselves in getting to know and understand funded groups, supporting them with essential funding and vital advice to help them to develop and sustain their services.
Giles Ruck, Chief Executive at Foundation Scotland, said: “We are proud to be Scotland’s community foundation. For 25 years, we’ve maintained the vision of supporting confident, thriving, resilient communities across Scotland.
“And for every community to thrive, it should be resourced to match its vision and powered by transformative funding. That’s where we come in. Over the last quarter of a century, we have connected the generosity of donors, corporates and individuals, to enable and empower vital projects and grassroot-led change.
“As we look ahead, we will continue to work hard to reach and connect with new donors keen to distribute funds effectively at a local level so that together we can continue to deliver extraordinary support.”
The generosity of local donors
Foundation Scotland is an independent charity. The funds awarded to projects within Scotland’s communities are thanks to the generosity of donors who support the foundation’s work.
The breadth of donors includes individuals, families, companies, community bodies and other charities who distribute funds. The foundation connects donors funds with community organisations working on the ground, ensuring their support stays relevant to local circumstances and delivers real impact.
Even throughout the pandemic, new donors have come on board, and new funds have opened to help support communities through the crisis and beyond.
In the summer of 2020, Edinburgh-based investment company Martin Currie approached Foundation Scotland to design and brand a new fund to help them support charities and community groups in Edinburgh, with consideration for projects across Scotland.
Their priorities were to address inequality and support initiatives that improved social and environmental sustainability. The Martin Currie Community Partnership Programme launched in September, and to date has awarded almost £44,000 between 8 organisations Recent grantees include Edinburgh Remakery, Venchie Children and Youth Project and the Salisbury Centre.
Jennifer Mair, Chief Operating Officer for Martin Currie said: “The Martin Currie Community Partnership Programme (MCCPP) is delighted to partner with Foundation Scotland to support local charities that promote diversity and inclusion, or social and environmental sustainability.
“The MCCPP was established in 2020 and focusses on the communities where we live and work by partnering with and building deep and lasting relationships with organisations who are well placed to help us deliver Martin Currie’s goal to improve lives.”
Case Study: The Melting Pot
The Melting Pot is Scotland’s Centre for Social Innovation. Based in Edinburgh’s city centre on Carlton Road, the organisation runs a large coworking hub, meeting venue and events programme for charities, social businesses, campaigners and freelancers.
Foundation Scotland has supported The Melting Pot for over 15 years. The organisation received its first award from the funder back in 2006 and has received £120,000 from a number of different funds to support their growth and development since 2006.
Claire Carpenter, Founder and CEO of The Melting Pot said: “Foundation Scotland have been an instrumental investor for me and The Melting Pot. They’ve been part of the birthing story – twice now!
“Back in the 00’s when “Coworking” wasn’t a thing you could Google, they saw the potential in my big, novel and very practical idea to better support our sector, in all its diversity. Then, due to Covid, the landscape changed once again – for good.
“We’ve been able to play to each other’s strengths to help #BuildBackBetter. I’m looking forward to seeing how together we co-create the conditions for social innovators to thrive in the years ahead.”
More Info:
From grantmaking to social investment opportunities, legacies to bursaries, Foundation Scotland is continually developing innovative and effective ways for donors to help Scotland’s communities thrive.
Anyone interested in finding out more can contact:
