Big Society blogger Gordon Hunter says beating the cuts will take clever manipulation of funding practice. 

The next three-year spending plan will be announced on 20 October 2010. It covers the period to April 2014. Labour set aside £500m last time for the sector for the three-year period to April 2011. How much will we get this time?

“Significantly less,” according to Nick Hurd, “the nation's finances are in dire straits.” Nevertheless, the government vision is of “a stronger society where there's a better balance between state, market and civil society", a sector that is “more resilient and independent” but that can “deliver more public services... (and) more community-led solutions”. Communities will, somehow, be empowered through the so-called “localism” agenda and Lord Hodgson’s flying taskforce of red-tape-scissoring, pin-striped paratroopers.

It’s going to take some nifty manoeuvring to cut the budget, launch a flotilla of flagship projects and increase grassroots activity. Mr Hurd’s initiatives include National Service for 10,000 16-year-old volunteers, the Big Society Bank (based on those nice bankers releasing millions of pounds worth of hidden dormant accounts), a fund for start-up groups (but nothing to sustain existing groups with less council funding but more clients) and fewer Lottery grants but more loans (see social investment bonds).

Does that make you feel empowered?

We are forced towards self-sufficiency, knowing that the state safety net is, at best, being stored away. I anticipate a move from bid writing back to local fundraising. Not just the traditional big breakfasts and pub snail racing but also the new online giving opportunities like localgiving.com.