The Cabinet Office has launched a feedback process for charities who feel like government department funders are limiting their ability to campaign or are otherwise dissatisfied with a government contract they have been asked to sign.
The measure was first announced with the Civil Society Covenant in July this year but has now been formally introduced, effective last week.
Among the key aspects of the covenant was a recognition of and respect for the independence and legitimacy of the charity sector to advocate and campaign.
This included protecting the right to engage in peaceful protest, and to hold the government to account to make better laws, regulations and decisions.
The Cabinet Office’s Model Grant Funding Agreement has therefore been updated in support of the covenant’s principles, “to ensure that government grant agreements are designed to deliver the specified outcomes and best value for money”.
Its guidance advises government departments to avoid “unfairly impinging on each recipient’s freedom to manage their activities”.
Alongside this, the Cabinet Office’s grants function has introduced the feedback process to allow charities to report instances “where they consider that a grant agreement they have been asked to sign as part of a funding offer, is inconsistent with the principles of the covenant and the guidance in this document, without a clear and communicated justification for the inconsistency”.
Any dissatisfied charities are now able to email [email protected] to report their concerns. All reports will be followed up with the funding organisation, the Cabinet Office has said.
‘Important step’
Reacting to the news, Roberta Fusco, head of influencing at ACEVO, said: “The introduction of the Model Grant Funding Agreement and the introduction of the ‘help line’ feedback process for civil society organisations is an important step in the right direction towards demonstrating the tangible difference that the Civil Society Covenant can deliver in practice in the relationship and partnership working between government and civil society.
“Through continued open dialogue and review, it is hoped that further improvements can be made in the interests of better public policy making, recognising civil society’s expertise and insight.
“We look forward to seeing more examples of the covenant’s principles in practice across adopted across government over the coming months.”
