Tag: voluntary sector

EIJB funding crisis averted: Third Sector Emergency Resilience Fund opens tomorrow

Charities due to lose funding from the Edinburgh Integration Joint Board (EIJB) will be able to apply for emergency support from the City of Edinburgh Council.

A one-off Third Sector Resilience Fund will launch tomorrow (Friday 28 March) and will remain open for two weeks. It will only be open to organisations in Edinburgh directly impacted by the closure of the EIJB’s third sector grants programme and applications must be made by 12 noon on Friday 11 April.

This package of support will include a funded programme worth £1m to allow third sector advice providers to continue to offer income maximisation, debt, and welfare advice services previously funded by the EIJB grants programme.

Applications will be reviewed and reported to a special meeting of the Policy and Sustainability Committee on Monday 12 May, with the intention of releasing funds in June.

Further work is progressing to review the relationship between the public sector and third sector in Edinburgh, to improve funding certainty in future years.

Council Leader, Jane Meagher, said: “Many of these local charities are at the forefront of helping those in our city with the greatest need. We’ve urgently been working to provide a lifeline to those affected by the closure of the previous grants programme, and I’m really pleased that we’ve found a way forward.

“This fund should provide enough money to potentially support all 64 affected organisations for up to nine months. It must be said that this is a one-off emergency fund – we need to act quickly, and I urge applications to be made as soon as possible.

“Alongside this we must develop a stronger way of supporting the third sector in our city. We recognise that the EIJB, like the Council, is under significant financial pressure and there needs to be longer-term change.

“Tackling poverty and inequality is one of the biggest challenges we’ve set ourselves as a city and this will be a really important piece of work – for us, for our partners and for the whole third sector.”

Benjamin Napier, CEO of Citizens Advice Edinburgh, is a member of the third sector reference group which the Council has set up as it reviews the funding relationship the city has with charities.

Benjamin said: “We welcome this investment in the third sector and hope it will go some way to providing resilience, while we continue our work with colleagues across the Council to find a longer-term solution.

“We recognise the pressures on public funding and thank the Council for their efforts in securing this funding. The third sector in Edinburgh plays a vital and very cost-effective role in supporting some of the most vulnerable people in our communities.

“We look forward to strengthening the relationship between the Council and the third sector. By working together in this way, we can create real and lasting change for our citizens.”

The City of Edinburgh Council Third Sector Resilience Fund is a short term, one off, draw down resource using reserves agreed for use during 2025/26.

The fund aims to:

  • Provide financial support in 2025/26 for Edinburgh based third sector organisations significantly impacted by the closure of the EIJB Grants Programme
  • Ensure that the closure of the EIJB Grants Programme does not affect, disrupt, or delay the delivery of other grant funded or commissioned projects and services in the city during 2025/26.

Towards these aims:

  • The funding is for the period 1 July 2025 to 31 March 2026, whilst the wider review of the Council’s approach to supporting the third sector in Edinburgh is undertaken during 2025/26
  • Is intended to ensure the viability and survival of the third sector organisations whilst a new sustainable long-term approach, aligned with the Council’s Business Plan priorities, is developed for implementation from 2026/27 onwards
  • Not intended to provide costs associated with closure of an organisation because of the loss of EIJB grant funding, and
  • Not intended to be used for delivery of any specific projects or services that would be the direct function of the EIJB(noting that this fund will provide resilience until such time as the EIJB’s Strategic Plan is published and any future procurement processes are confirmed and made available to the 3rd sector).

Please email policyandinsight@edinburgh.gov.uk for the full criteria for the fund and to apply.

MSP Calls for Greater Support and Funding Clarity for Local Community Organisations

Foysol Choudhury MSP Stands with Unsung Community Heroes in Edinburgh

Foysol Choudhury, MSP for Lothian, calls for greater support and funding for local community organisations in Edinburgh, such as the Polish Family Support Centre, following a series of ruthless budget cuts from the Scottish Government.

Foysol Choudhury MSP has issued a heartfelt and urgent appeal for greater support and funding for local community organisations in Edinburgh. During a recent visit to the Polish Family Support Centre, Mr. Choudhury emphasised the critical role these organisations play in encouraging community cohesion and providing essential services to underrepresented groups.

This comes after the Scottish voluntary sector was struck with further budget cuts. The Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO) have revealed that real-term cuts to public funding have surmounted to over £177m since 2021, where more than 76% of third-sector organisations report financial challenges because of inflation and rising costs.

These cuts are not just numbers; they represent the struggles of countless individuals and families who rely on these vital services.

This situation may only worsen with changes to employers’ National Insurance contributions, imposed by Labour Chancellor Rachel Reeves, which could leave the sector with another £75m to find each year.

In his recent visit to the Polish Family Support Centre, Mr. Choudhury witnessed significant challenges due to limited funding and resources.

As a one-stop-shop for all, the Polish Family Support Centre provides a wide range of services, including professional counselling, workshops, and support groups, all aimed at helping Polish families and individuals navigate the complex nature of life in Scotland.

However, the Centre’s ability to expand its reach and impact has been drastically obstructed by financial constraints. According to the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator, the Polish Family Support Centre has lost hundreds of thousands in funding, and with over 4,040 yearly sessions in 2023 – an increase of 2,000 from 2018 – it is clear that the Polish Family Support Centre needs further backing.

Other community organisations such as the Edinburgh Children’s Hospital Charity, Milan SWO, Edinburgh Diwali, the Bihari Community of Scotland, and other third sector organisations are also crying out for support.

Mr. Choudhury’s call to action comes at a time when many third-sector community organisations struggle to secure funding and resources. He has been a vocal advocate for these groups, hosting roundtable discussions at the Scottish Parliament to address the current funding model and barriers to access.

Here, the Scottish Government and other public bodies need to take a fair funding approach, moving to inflation-based settlements of three years or more, which consider costs such as uplifts in the real living wage.

Community organisations, such as the Polish Family Support Centre, continue to exist as a symbol of hope for the people of Edinburgh, driven by a mission to support and empower individuals and families.

Commenting, Foysol Choudhury MSP said: “Community organisations exist as the backbone of our society. They offer vital services, from psychological support to advocacy, yet they remain overlooked and underfunded.

“It is crucial that we recognise their contributions to our community and provide them with the necessary support to continue their work.

“Edinburgh and the rest of Scotland must address the barriers to funding and ensure that smaller community-based organisations have access to the resources they need, as their work is crucial in promoting social inclusion and supporting minority groups.

“I urge everyone from policymakers to residents, to recognise the invaluable work these organisations do. They are not just service providers; they are the heart and soul of our communities.

“By supporting them, we are investing in a more inclusive, compassionate, and resilient society. Let’s come together to ensure that nobody is left behind.”

Scottish voluntary sector dealt £177million real-terms funding cut 

Public sector spending on the third sector in Scotland has frozen

Public sector funding to Scotland’s voluntary sector has dropped by £177million in real terms since 2021, a new report has found.  

Research by the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO) shows the amount of public money provided to third sector organisations froze between 2021 and 2023.  

The SCVO ‘Public Sector Funding’ research report found a 5% cut in real-terms funding, meaning organisations across Scotland are being asked to continue providing vital frontline services with a pot of money now worth less.  

SCVO has consistently called for public bodies to implement a new Fair Funding model to help charities, voluntary groups, and social enterprises to thrive and provide greater security for our people.  

The national membership organisation for the voluntary sector said this must include longer-term funding of three years or more, and sustainable funding that includes inflation-based uplifts, full cost recovery, including core operating costs, and pay uplifts.  

Public sector funding – around half of which comes from local authorities, and a third of which comes from the Scottish Government – should also accommodate paying staff at least the Real Living Wage, which organisations in receipt of public money are required to pay their staff. 

SCVO also continues to push for funding to include provision for the additional costs that medium and large voluntary sector employers will face as a result of increases to Employer National Insurance Contributions.  

The calls for Fair Funding come at a time when voluntary sector organisations are increasingly required to make use of their reserves, with SCVO research showing a decline in cash reserves – particularly in those organisations who deliver public sector contracts.  

These pressures, including the real-terms cut in public sector funding, underline the need for the Scottish Government and other public bodies to implement Fair Funding across the country.  

SCVO Chief Executive, Anna Fowlie, said: “We know the times are tight for the public sector, and we appreciate that in that context even standstill funding is sometimes seen as a win.   

“However, at a time when demand for support from voluntary sector services is rising, including as a result of cuts in public services, it is simply unsustainable to expect the voluntary sector to find the £177million shortfall that these figures tell us our sector is facing. 

“Voluntary organisations do not have ready access to other sources of funding: public fundraising and trading income has also been impacted by the cost of living crisis. That leaves many organisations using their reserves to fund this deficit, which may provide a temporary solution, but over the long term is wholly unsustainable.” 

SCVO Head of Policy and Research, Kirsten Hogg, added: “In addition to rising demand and rising costs, voluntary sector employers face additional pressures going into the new financial year.   

“Medium and large voluntary organisations that employ staff will be hit by changes to employers National Insurance contributions, leaving the sector to find at least an additional £75m annually.   

“Against the backdrop of reduced real terms budgets, and a lack of other sources of income, it is little surprise that nearly one in ten of Scotland’s 46,500 voluntary organisations is unsure whether or not they will still be operating in 12 months’ time.” 

PublicSectorFunding2025Download

https://scvo.scot/research/reports/public-sector-funding

EVOC: The Future’s Looking Brighter

It is the 21 February and the days are getting longer but more importantly, the future is looking brighter (writes EVOC CEO BRUCE CRAWFORD).

EIJB Fund Cuts

On Thursday (yesterday) the City of Edinburgh Council held a full Council meeting. I was in attendance to make a deputation on behalf of the voluntary organisations impacted by the cuts by the EIJB grants programme for social care.

This followed months of work by colleagues from across the sector who have worked tirelessly for the affected organisations. The work was largely done by members of the Third Sector Reference Group that came into existence after the EIJB meeting on 1 November which led to a three month extension to June 2025.

The eventual outcome is that the £4.5m grants programme has been replaced for the next financial year, so services can continue to be delivered to many of the most vulnerable people in our communities.

Further work needs to be done in the coming weeks and months to help the officers to create the mechanism for disbursement of the funds.

I want to thank all the individuals who contributed to this success, it is evidence of the need to work together, focus on the needs of our communities and stand up for what is right.  I hope that we can build on the experience to generate continued investment into the sector as this will not be the last challenge we face.

A key function of EVOC is advocacy and this includes responding to consultations on proposed legislation and strategies. A current example of this is the draft Edinburgh Integrated Joint Board’s strategy 2025-28.

We have published information on our work in this area on our website. It includes a presentation and a video that explains the draft strategy.

 To inform our response we have asked a number of questions through an online survey.  Despite our request for an extension, the deadline from the EIJB is this Sunday (23 Feb 2025) and there is still no easy read version available. 

We encourage everyone who is interested in, or affected by this, to submit a response here.

Looking Forward

On 29 January I attended my first EVOC board meeting and found it to be useful and productive in equal measures. In the spirit of openness and transparency the directors unanimously agreed to my proposal to publish minutes of EVOC board meetings on the website. The minute of that meeting can be found here.

Following the challenges faced by EVOC in 2024 we created a recovery plan and are well on the way to developing a more robust and resilient organisation.

Some key changes are: improved policies and procedures, greater financial scrutiny and forecasting, better communication, along with a new risk management policy and risk register and a new strategic plan that focuses on the core purpose of the organisation to serve the needs of the sector. 

Thank you to everyone who contributed to the survey that we issued last month to inform our understanding of the needs of our members. We received a great deal of useful feedback and it will help our thinking as we develop the strategic plan for EVOC for 2025-2030.

Finally I am looking forward to our AGM on 26 February.

It is being held online to help make attendance as easy as possible. Details of how to register for the meeting are available here.

Scots charities forced to draw from reserves despite funding stabilisation 

New research from SCVO outlines the state of the sector’s finances

Charities across Scotland have continued to draw on their reserves “unsustainably” despite funding from government staying relatively stable, new research shows.  

The Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO) has published its latest research, State of the Sector 2024, which shows the challenges which organisations across Scotland continue to face.  

The paper, which contains key figures and trends from the Scottish voluntary sector, shows funding from government has stayed relatively stable, while income from the public has to a large extent recovered after being hit hard by Covid. 

Unfortunately, for many voluntary organisations inflation and expenditure rises have matched and outpaced these hard-won gains. 

While most organisations were able to stay in the black, the margins are wafer-thin and there has been a steady rise in the numbers of organisations ending the year with a deficit. In 2023, 45% of charities spent more than they managed to generate. 

These narrow margins and rising deficits have seen charities continue to draw on their reserves unsustainably while they try to identify new sources of funding or have to consider reducing services – link to Reserves doc and Tracker. 

SCVO also published a review of Scottish voluntary organisations’ financial reserves, which found the value of the funds looked after by the sector fell by £1billion between 2021 and 2023. 

The average value of funds held by large charities fell by £5million, from £17m in 2021 to £12m in 2023. 

Half of medium and large charities now have less than six months expenditure in reserves and nearly 1 in 3 large charities has less than three months of expenditure in reserves. 

Ilse Mackinnon, SCVO Research Officer, said: “It’s been sobering looking at charities’ accounts this year and seeing just how tight finances are for many. People have been telling us via the Tracker and anecdotally that things are tough, but it’s another thing seeing the figures in black and white.   

“It’s great that many income streams have recovered but we also saw essentials like energy bills, rents and staff costs shoot up, sometimes to double what they were the previous year.  

“We can see the impact of that on reserves, with many charities struggling to meet costs and keep enough cash back for emergencies.” 

EVOC: No Time to Lose

A Third Sector Response to the Draft EIJB Strategic Plan for 2025-28

In response to the EIJB consultation inviting people and organisations to have a say on the draft Strategic Plan for 2025 – 28, the Third Sector Reference Group is working on a contribution on behalf of our sector.

This is another in a series of actions in light of the future funding crisis third sector organisations are facing across the city.

Download the draft Strategic Plan

Take Action

Your input to this response is vital and we would ask any and all third sector groups and organisations to share your hopes, fears and priorities, by answering the 9 questions in this short survey.

You are also encouraged to submit a separate response individually, feeding back on the identified priorities, planned actions and measures of success.

You can find out more and submit a response to the consultation here.

Please be aware that the deadline for the consultation submission is extremely tight – Sunday 23rd Feb 2025. 

This is strongly influencing the actions we are focusing on to deliver the best outcome for the sector.

The Reference Group has pulled together several resources that you might find useful:

EIJB draft Strategic Plan 25-28Download

EVOC: CEO Update

I have now been in post as CEO with EVOC for 25 days (on 22/1), though it sometimes feels like a lot longer! I have had a whirlwind of an introduction, and my feet have hardly touched the ground, which has made it exciting. 

I have met a lot of great people from across the sector and our partner organisations, including the City of Edinburgh Council and the Scottish Government. I have been made to feel welcome and have learned a lot from a diverse mix of individuals.

I have heard of the challenges different organisations are facing right now, and these conversations are shaping my understanding and giving me insights that I will be distilling, with colleagues, into our future planning. 

We are currently seeking the views of members and voluntary organisations in Edinburgh to tell us about their needs and the challenges that they are facing in 2025 and beyond. To increase the number of people who can contribute, we are using a survey that will be circulated to our members.

Please take a few minutes to complete it to ensure we consider the needs of more organisations in shaping how we work in future and what our priorities will be.

This month we are preparing for our Annual General Meeting at 4pm on Wednesday 26 February which will be held on Zoom. We will report on the year 2023/24 and give a flavour of our plans for the future.

We are looking for new individuals with business skills to be elected to the board of EVOC to join a committed group of volunteers who are interested in the development of EVOC as representatives to serve third sector organisations in Edinburgh. You can find how to apply to join the Board of Directors here.

Separately we are seeking a new Convener to chair the board and provide leadership to the organisation and directors. We’re looking for somebody with integrity good governance, leadership, finance and change management experience. If you are interested in this role, please see the details here.

We are spending a great deal of time currently in seeking ways to support those organisations affected by the impending cuts to the Edinburgh Integration Joint Board (EIJB) grants scheme which is a partnership between the NHS and the City of Edinburgh Council. 

In recent months we have increased our engagement across the sector, so that we are better able to represent the views and interests of voluntary organisations in strategic forums such as the EIJB and the Edinburgh Partnership.

We are doing this as we strengthen our culture of service, to our members and to the sector. 

With best wishes  

Bruce Crawford, CEO 

Call for clarity on National Insurance

48 organisations back letter raising concerns

Scottish public sector and voluntary organisations have come together to raise concerns at the impact of the impending increase to employer National Insurance contributions.

Organisations from across civic society in Scotland have backed a letter to the UK Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rachel Reeves, calling for funding to fully cover the additional costs they face.

At present, the estimated cost to organisations delivering public services in Scotland to cover the increase in employer National Insurance contributions could amount to £700 million.

The joint letter from First Minister John Swinney and COSLA President Shona Morrison has been supported by 48 organisations including the Scottish Trades Union Congress, Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations and British Dental Association. 

The First Minister said: “I would like to thank all the public and voluntary sector organisations who have come together to call in a unified voice for this decision to be reconsidered.

“We are disappointed that the UK Government did not engage with the Scottish Government on the change to employers National Insurance Contributions and we are concerned about the additional pressure it places on all employers. The Scottish Budget is expected to pass within weeks, and alongside local authorities, we need clarity.

“We will continue to press the UK Government to raise our deep concern about the implications of the increase to employer National Insurance contributions for organisations across Scotland, and the risk to the vital services they provide if these additional costs are not fully funded.”

SCVO chief executive Anna Fowlie added: “Coming on top of rising costs and fragile funding, this ill-thought-through rise in the cost of employing staff is a body blow to many Scottish charities. 

“Employers, staff and people receiving vital public services will all be hit hard. It’s unusual to see this range of voices in collective agreement and I hope the Chancellor will reconsider her position.”

The letter has been supported by:

  • Roz Foyer, General Secretary, Scottish Trades Union Congress (STUC)
  • Anna Fowlie, Chief Executive, Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO)
  • Martin Green, Chair, Community Pharmacy Scotland
  • Eilidh Thomson, Chair, Optometry Scotland
  • David McColl, Chair of the Scottish Dental Practice Committee, British Dental Association
  • Jacki Smart, Chair, Scottish Hospices Leadership Group
  • Gavin Sinclair, Director of Funding and Partnerships, Venture Trust
  • Wilma Thomson, Manager, Rape Crisis Grampian
  • Sharon Aitchison, Chief Executive, Monklands Women’s Aid
  • Marsha Scott, Chief Executive, Scottish Women’s Aid
  • Lauren McGregor, Children and Young Person’s Team Leader and Independent Domestic Abuse Advocate, Committed to Ending Abuse (CEA Ltd)
  • Susie Stein, Chief Executive, Scottish Borders Rape Crisis Centre
  • Jan Swan, Chief Executive, Fife Rape and Sexual Assault Centre
  • Colin Lee, Chief Executive, Council of Ethnic Minority Voluntary Sector Organisations (CEMVO) Scotland
  • Aaliya Seyal, Chief Executive Officer, Legal Services Agency Ltd
  • Donna Hutchison, Chief Executive, Aberdeen Cyrenians
  • Angela Barron, Chief Executive, Forth Valley Rape Crisis Centre
  • Linda Rodgers, Chief Executive, Edinburgh Women’s Aid
  • Alana Harper, Chief Executive, Tayside Deaf Hub
  • Pam Hunter, Chief Executive, SAY Women
  • Karen Moore, Interim Change Manager, Motherwell District Women’s Aid
  • Shirley Middleditch, Manager, South Ayrshire Women’s Aid
  • Sandy Brindley, Chief Executive, Rape Crisis Scotland
  • Maria Jose Pavez Larrea, Co-General Manager, Grampian Regional Equality Council (GREC)
  • Paul Wilson, Chief Officer, Volunteer Edinburgh
  • Nicola Livingston, Chair, Scottish Council of Jewish Communities
  • Dr Richard Groden, Chair, Jewish Care Scotland
  • Dr Donny Lyons, Co-Chair, Cosgrove Care
  • Sabir Zazai OBE, Chief Executive, Scottish Refugee Council
  • Jane Wood, Chief Executive Officer, Homes for Scotland
  • Catherine Dyer CBE, Chair, Community Justice Scotland
  • Stuart Stevens, Chief Officer, Scottish Fire and Rescue Service
  • Graeme McAlister, Chief Executive, Scottish Childminding Association
  • Jaci Douglas, Chief Executive, Care and Learning Alliance
  • Ben McLeish, Director, 2020 Together
  • Louise Licznerski, Founding Director, Scottish Outdoor Learning Association
  • Irene Audain, Chief Executive, Scottish Out of School Care Network
  • Jonathan Broadbery, Director of Policy and Communications, National Day Nurseries Association
  • Sharon Fairley, Chief Executive, Scottish Private Nursery Association
  • Jane Brumpton, Chief Executive, Early Years Scotland
  • Fraser McKinlay, Chief Executive, The Promise Scotland
  • Francis Scott, Director of Services, St Phillips School
  • Stuart Provan, Chief Executive Officer, Seamab Care and Education
  • Mary Geaney, Chief Executive Officer, Rossie Young Peoples Trust
  • Martin Boyle, Interim Chief Executive, Scottish Funding Council
  • Pauline Radcliffe, Chief Executive, Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework
  • Graeme Jackson, Interim Chief Executive, Colleges Scotland
  • Frank Mitchell, Chair, Skills Development Scotland 
  • Damien Yeates, Chief Executive, Skills Development Scotland 
sg-letterDownload

EIJB funding crisis: The Third Sector relationship with the EIJB

THIRD SECTOR INTERFACE BRIEFING NOTE:

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:

  1. inform governance and city partnerships
  2. assert the value of the Sector
  3. shape investment
  4. support change
  5. 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.

The EIJB Paper is available here: 6.3 Third Sector Commissioning 25-26 Engagement Update.pdf

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.

Dairmaid Lawlor, TSI Chair

EVOC announces new CEO

EVOC (Edinburgh Voluntary Organisations’ Council) is delighted to announce the appointment of a new Chief Executive Officer, Bruce Crawford. 

Following a comprehensive recruitment process, led by EVOC’s Board and involving representatives from the Third Sector and Edinburgh’s Third Sector Interface partners (Edinburgh Social Enterprise Network and Volunteer Edinburgh), Bruce will take up the CEO position today – Monday 9 December 2024. 

Bruce brings a breadth of strategic leadership experience to the role, as a CEO, Trustee and Volunteer. As Director of Grange Associates, he has supported charities and social enterprises to develop and succeed, offering advice in a range of areas including governance, strategy, policy, change management, diversity, risk management, business planning and sustainability.

As Chief Executive for Scottish Curling, Bruce led successful negotiations that secured £2m funding for covid recovery from the Scottish Government and played a key role in developing strategies and campaigns to ensure that the Olympic profile and success were capitalised to maximum effect.

He is also a member of the Sustainability Committee for World Curling and is the chair of the James Gillespie’s Trust. 

Diarmaid Lawlor (EVOC Convenor) said: ““We are delighted to appoint Bruce to lead EVOC. This has been a competitive and thorough recruitment process.

“The core of strong Third Sector organisations is clear purpose, tangible impacts, sustainable finance, and, particularly relevant to this situation, great people.

“Bruce’s appointment completes EVOC’s internal staffing restructure and we look forward to working with him and the wider Third Sector to finalise our strategic priorities, working towards ‘a strong sector for a strong city’.”

Responding to news of his appointment, Bruce said: “I am delighted to be appointed to lead EVOC as its new CEO, working with the staff and board, listening to members and consulting with stakeholders as we support the voluntary organisations that serve our communities.

“I am looking forward to hearing from colleagues across the sector as we develop our new strategy and set priorities, which will help us to make an impact and address the challenges that lie ahead.”