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Mapping the Gaps

6/2/2010

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With funding from Capacitybuilders’ National Support Service programme, the Association of Chief Executives of Voluntary Organisations (ACEVO), the leading voice for Chief Executives in the charity sector, has launched a major piece of research called ‘Mapping the Gaps’.

The report explores the gaps that currently exist between the income generation needs of frontline organisations and the support available to them.

Traditional models used most

The research shows that frontline organisations mainly use ‘traditional’ forms of income generation, with 93 per cent of respondents saying they use grants to a ‘great’ or ‘some’ extent. There is currently only moderate use of social enterprise, trading and partnership models, with 35 to 60 per cent of respondents using these forms of income generation to some extent. The report concludes that this may be evidence of an appetite within the sector for more commercial income generation activities.

A need for support

The research also reveals that the majority (65%) of frontline organisations encounter obstacles when undertaking income generating activities. Typically these include the availability of additional income and a lack of clarity around income generation.

Despite there being a clear need and demand for support with income generation, both frontline organisations and support providers perceive the quality of support available to be ‘patchy’. ‘Limited’ and ‘inaccessible’ were also words regularly used to describe provision.

Recommendations

‘Mapping the Gaps’ identifies some areas for improvement to address this and puts forward clear recommendations for ACEVO and support providers working across the sector. These include to:

  • Consolidate the language of income generation to increase understanding
  • Raise the profile of support providers and the help they can offer frontline organisations
  • Encourage uptake of innovative and more commercial forms of income generation

Long term stability

Daniel Hooper, Income Generation Executive at ACEVO, who managed the development of the report, says:

“‘Mapping the Gaps’ shows that support providers are on the right track. However, in the current economic climate, and with further cuts looming, it is now more important than ever to be able to provide high quality income generation support so organisations can diversify their income streams and ensure their long term stability. ‘Mapping the Gaps’ shows that the demand for high quality support, provided by solid and inventive infrastructure organisations, is as strong as ever.

“By looking at the many different ways charities can generate income and highlighting where we are getting it right and areas we need to improve, this piece of research establishes the needs of charities and voluntary groups and what income generation support should look like in the future.”

Matt Leach, Chief Executive of Capacitybuilders adds:

“We are working with ACEVO on this and other initiatives to improve income generation support available to frontline organisations. It is vital for the sector to ensure it remains innovative and sustainable in the future.”

 

The full report is available on the ACEVO website