An NCVO platform which directs charities to funding and finance opportunities has been granted an 18-month extension, worth £500,000.
The Office for Civil Society has granted Funding Central, a free service managed by NCVO, an extension which means it will now run until at least March 2014.
This comes at a time when the site, created in 2009 for organisations from across the voluntary, community and social enterprise sectors, is celebrating reaching over 50,000 registered users across England.
Successful multi-sector partnerships
Sir Stuart Etherington, chief executive of NCVO, said: “I am delighted that we have had the green light to continue providing this important service, and passing 50,000 users gives further cause for celebration.
“Funding Central is a shining example of a successful partnership between the public, private and voluntary sectors. In its lifespan the service has added real value and connected a diverse range of organisations with opportunities to grow and diversify their income.”
Minister for civil society Nick Hurd added: “Last week I published a progress update outlining how the government intends to work with civil society to deliver better regulation, better support, and better skills.
“Our agreement with NCVO to extend Funding Central until March 2014 is a practical and meaningful demonstration of our commitment to the sector and a vote of confidence in a proven and valuable resource.”
Most commonly-used web resource
The Cabinet Office added in a statement that Funding Central is “valuable for small frontline charities seeking to secure low-level grants and contracts”.
It revealed that the decision to extend the website for a further 18 months was taken on the basis of information which showed that Funding Central is the most commonly-used web resource for civil society organisations to find information on funding.
Over £100m was secured through the service last year, according to NCVO estimates, and users who successfully bid for funding last year secured an average of £35,068 per organisation.
