BID: VCSFE Funding and Engagement

About the project

Summary of project idea

City-wide partners in Manchester are collaborating on a programme of public service reform. Two projects within this are VCSFE Engagement and VCSFE Funding. The objective for these is to:

1. Develop a shared good practice approach to funding the VCFSE sector
2. Develop a shared good practice approach to the inclusive and sustainable engagement of VCFSE organisations in governance structures and an approach to Funded Engagement.

Stakeholder feedback underlines a new way of collaborating which is more VCFSE sector informed and led. Our aim is to develop a shared action plan which is produced by a cross-sector group working under the Reform programme, chaired and driven by the VCFSE sector (with the chair resourced to do this work) and which can hold partners to account for progress.

What are the three key outcomes the project will achieve?

1. Establish a cross-sector group working under the Reform Programme, chaired by the VCFSE sector (with the chair and admin support resourced to do this work) and which can hold partners to account for progress.

2. Utilise this group, alongside other existing networks to extend the reform of engagement into further areas, to establish a more representative VCFSE sector voice in strategic citywide decision-making structures.

We have a solid understanding of VCSFE representation in citywide governance structures, thanks to a comprehensive mapping piece produced by Macc. Efforts are ongoing to boost VCSFE participation in strategic boards, as attendance in these spaces heavily declined following the COVID-19 pandemic. It is crucial not only to restore but also to foster meaningful engagement in these spaces, ensuring the co-design and delivery of services that reflect the needs of Manchester’s diverse populations. We are updating this through the Citywide Reform Programme and will work closely with the VCSFE organisations involved to gather feedback and drive improvements in practice.

3. Update existing good practice measures to create a refreshed guiding framework for Manchester, which includes new codes of practice on VCFSE sector involvement, not just consultation, funding, fundraising and community engagement.

There will be a long-term delivery phase for the Funding and Engagement projects. During this we aim to:
– Cultivate and nurture deeper, less transactional and more trust-based relationships between system-wide partners and the VCFSE sector
– Secure and allocate longer-term funding that covers core expenses, including the true costs of delivery
– Share funding data intelligence between organisations to inform evidence-based decision making and targeted investments aimed at addressing identified need, amongst other things.