Navca members fear sector finances will worsen in the next 12 months, says survey

01 Jun 2015 News

The financial position of local voluntary and community organisations “will get worse” in the next year, according to 19 of 20 respondents to a surveyed published by Navca this morning.

The financial position of local voluntary and community organisations “will get worse” in the next year, according to 19 of 20 respondents to a surveyed published by Navca this morning.

Navca conducts quarterly surveys among its members, mostly councils for voluntary service. The panel is intended to be a representative sample of all members. The latest was in April 2015.

The survey, published today, represents the most negative level of opinion yet seen in the annual series, which has been conducted every three months since July 2012.

Not a single respondent felt that central government will have a positive influence on the success of the sector in the next 12 months. 

Conversely, respondents to the survey felt far more positive about dealing with their local councils. Twelve out the 20 respondents felt that their local authority will have a positive influence on the sector in the next 12 months, more than in any previous survey.

Survey respondents also felt surprisingly positive about providing services, with nine out of 20 respondents saying they would increasing the extent of services provided in the next 12 months. Only three said they would be reducing services.

Neil Cleevely, chief executive of Navca (pictured), said that the level of pessimism over finances was worrying. 

“The level of pessimism about the finances of local charities and community worries me. The way funding is changing, particularly the failure to maintain grant funding, is hurting smaller organisations.

"Funders should remember that these smaller organisations are how so much of the volunteering and community action we all want to see is made possible.”

The three ‘biggest issues’ to face over the next quarter

The final question of the survey asked respondents what they feel the three biggest issues the sector will face over the next quarter will be. Increased workload was, for the 12th survey in a row, the number one answer.

However, for the first time in the survey’s history, ‘national political change’ entered the top three.