Hurd tells charities to expect more private sector investment and ten-year contracts

11 Aug 2010 News

Nick Hurd has told charities involved in public service delivery to expect longer contracts of up to ten years, payment-by-result models funded by the private sector, the end of full cost recovery and less money available for grants.

Nick Hurd has told charities involved in public service delivery to expect longer contracts of up to ten years, payment-by-result models funded by the private sector, the end of full cost recovery and less money available for grants.

The minister for civil society delivered the news to a group of local charities from Brighton and Hove last month, who met Hurd at the Cabinet Office with their local Green Party MP Caroline Lucas.

According to a representative from Brighton and Hove CVS who blogged about the meeting afterwards, Hurd said community and voluntary sector organisations who delivered public services would have ten-year contracts rather than three but lower unit costs and price-based contracting, ending full cost recovery models.

He also said ways of incentivizing private sector investment in the voluntary sector through payment-by-result bonuses and social impact bonds would be encouraged.

For charities who received grants, Hurd said less money would be available but the Office for Civil Society would develop a central website of grants and funding opportunities.

Hurd also said the Office for Civil Society would start a campaign to encourage more "local giving to local charities" which the government may match-fund.

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