The Early Action Taskforce, which includes NCVO, NPC and Community Links, has called for loan repayments accrued from the Futurebuilders fund to be used to set up a grant and loan fund for early action projects.

The Taskforce also makes a series of recommendations in its new report The Deciding Time, including, a call for a champion within government for early action projects and the publication of ten-year spending plans in each spending review.

The Futurebuilders fund, which was managed by the Social Investment Business on behalf of government, had some £28m in loan repayments in September of this year, according to the Cabinet Office.

The Taskforce also suggests that the assets of the National Fund, a charity set up in 1927 to pay off the national debt, could also fund early action support. The Attorney General  is considering the release of £339m of its assets for the benefit of the nation.

The Early Action Taskforce was originally set up to last 18 months. It will now be a three-year programme.