A group of voluntary sector bodies have written to ministers calling for an increased role for civil society in the next programme of EU funding.

NCVO has united with Social Enterprise UK, Cooperatives UK, UnLtd, Social Investment Business, CAN Invest and Community Development Finance Association in writing to key ministers at BIS, DWP and DCLG.

The government is currently consulting on how European structural funds will be delivered over the next seven years from 2014, and the letter outlines the role civil society organisations can play in the pursuit of “inclusive and sustainable growth”.

Between 2007 and 2010, £430m of European funds were allocated to sector organisations working in employment, training and skills.

Yet NCVO says its research suggests that large-contract commissioning means smaller organisations are being neglected in this key funding.

Priorities for civil society

The letter, which follows the start last week of a government listening exercise on the funds, suggests priorities for civil society in the next programme.

These include developing a specific programme with smaller grants to enable access for civil society; local community-led approaches that use EU funds according to local needs, and allowing for a blend of funding mechanisms – including grants, contracts and social investment – that can better reach community organisations

Further calls include:

• Innovative approaches to match funding EU grants, including use of volunteer time.
• Simplification and alignment of the EU funds which will allow better accessibility and easier project application.
• A priority objective to improve social inclusion, which features in all four structural funds.
• Support for the creation of community groups, co-operatives and social enterprises to meet local needs and provide employment.
• Recognition of the role that CSOs can play in the mitigation of, and adaptation to, climate change.
• Capacity building to raise awareness of the funds and ensure that community organisations are better able to access these funds.

Current plans 'not sufficiently ambitious'

“We are concerned that the government’s current plans for the future of the funds are not sufficiently ambitious,” said Sir Stuart Etherington, NCVO’s CEO.

“Their aspiration for community-led projects will not be realised unless the funds are accessible for organisations of all sizes. Currently, smaller community organisations are often excluded from structural fund money due to the design of the process.

Jonathan Jenkins, SIB CEO, added: “We see opportunities for structural funds to be used to support the growth of social investment through the supply of both revenue and capital, and crucially to help organisations become investment ready.’

And Peter Holbrook, chief executive of SEUK, said that structural funds can play an important role in growing this impact, “if they are made accessible and appropriate to the local context, and if they are best used to meet those organisations' revenue, capital, capacity-building and investment needs”.