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Commissioning, the credit crunch and the Third Sector - 24/04/2009

Framework's research on behalf of the Gloucestershire Infrastructure Group has now been published.

John Gray and Moira Halliday of Framework examined the state of the Third Sector in Gloucestershire and made recommendations for how the sector can be best supported to meet the new funding environment.

The report, What's Your Story?, was commissioned by two local infrastructure organisations – the Gloucestershire Infrastructure Group and the Gloucestershire Rural Community Council’s Performance Improvement for All project.

Key messages emerging:

• Evolutionary change in the Third Sector, to adopt the business management skills needed to compete and deliver contracts

• The more ‘hopeful’ organisations are those who a more awake to the changes required, and are adapting accordingly

• Organisations which see Quality Standards as vital are more likely to have increased their income and be more optimistic of increased income over the next three years

• Commissioning and the personalised agenda require structural and attitudinal change; interviewees stressed the need for support in creating consortia

Framework has experience of creating collaborative networks to compete for work – after all, we were created in 1985 as a collective of like-minded consultants. We also have specific experience in facilitating ‘difficult’ conversations, such as those between organisations who see a need for collaborative working but who have had historical competition or conflict with their peers.

John and Moira created a website to support the Gloucestershire research: www.gtsr.org.uk. You can find our published research report, as well as downloadable resources about commissioning and about how the Third Sector is responding to the ‘marketisation’ of service provision.

Author : John Gray

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