NCVO is to take over the core services of the Mentoring and Befriending Foundation, which will close later this year.
MBF currently has seven staff, three of whom will transfer to NCVO's volunteering and development department. The others, including chief executive Steve Matthews, will remain in post until the organisation closes later this year.
NCVO will take on responsibility for MBF's Approved Provider Standard for mentoring and befriending projects and its National Training Programme of short courses, which is designed to help organisations develop good practice in mentoring and befriending.
MBF resources and relevant website content will be transferred to the umbrella body at the end of this month.
A statement today said: “MBF has worked hard to build up its core services in recent years, but last year its trustees decided to pursue a collaborative approach in order to ensure the sustainability of their services. They approached NCVO as a potential partner and the organisations have come to an agreement to secure the future of these important services.”
MBF will remain in existence for a short period of time to close down its remaining activities and any reserves will be donated to NCVO.
Under an NCVO arrangement with Greater Manchester Council for Voluntary Organisations MBF staff will move into GMCVO offices so that they can continue to work in Manchester.
Steve Matthews, chief executive of MBF told Civil Society News: "As a specialist infrastructure organisation we felt that NCVO would be the best partner. There is a lot of synergy between what we both do."
He added: "The organisation will continue for a few months to finish off various projects and will then be wound up and the remaining staff made redundant."
Sir Stuart Etherington, chief executive of NCVO, said: “’We are very pleased to make sure that MBF’s services can continue into the future. Their accreditation scheme will complement our own highly regarded quality standards work, and further strengthen our offer to the sector.”
MBF’s income has more than halved over the past four years. In 2010 its total income was over £2m and included a £1m grant from the Cabinet Office. For the year ending 31 March 2014 MBF had a total income of £880,644 and incurred a deficit of £27,900 on its general fund, although this was lower than the previous year when it was £84,520.
Until 2011 MBF was a strategic partner of the Office for Civil Society but was one of several organisations to have their funding as part of the government decision to have fewer strategic partners.
