There should be a “change in approach” to government funding for the voluntary sector in Northern Ireland, according to a new report, which urges departments to share information to prevent duplication.

Addressing Bureaucracy: A report on tackling bureaucracy in government funding to the voluntary and community sector, was published by the Northern Ireland Executive recently and makes 19 recommendations for government departments that award funding to voluntary organisations.

It concludes that: “A change in approach is required, at every level of central government, to move towards better sharing of information, greater coordination of effort, and – subject to assessment of risk – increased willingness to take assurance from other departmental funders.”

One of the recommendations is that organisations applying for funding should not be required to submit details of their policies and procedures but instead the head of the organisation should sign a declaration when they apply stating that these procedures are up-to-date.

Government departments should also be able to share information that they have collected about an organisation and risk assessments carried out through the Government Funding Database. The Department for Social Development should now work with other departments to increase the use of the online portal.

Once the Charity Commission Northern Ireland has completed the process of registering charities, government funders should review their procedures to make sure that they are not also duplicating the work of the CCNI.

In the foreword to the report, Will Haire Permanent Secretary to the Department for Social Development said the report “forms, I believe, a sound basis for ensuring that bureaucracy in grant administration is proportional, without compromising governance and control”.

The report was welcomed by the Northern Ireland Council for Voluntary Action (Nicva), Seamus McAleavey, chief executive described the report as “real progress”.  

He said: “In response to the frustration felt by so many of our member organisations, this issue has been one of the first things Nicva has raised with every social development minster since devolution. We understand it was very difficult to deal with, as effective financial reporting is essential but needs to be proportionate in cost terms.”