Hats off to the Philanthropy Review, says Tania Mason, for doing in a few short weeks what others have been unable to achieve in a lot longer.

The Funding Commission must be peeved.  It spent more than a whole year researching problems with funding in the sector and published a 90-page report outlining its detailed findings and recommendations, including several ideas for how the government can help the sector.

The Philanthropy Review was set up five minutes ago, has made a single recommendation and two days later it’s found its way into Osborne's Budget.  And this despite a public bashing of the Big Society Bank by the chair of the Review, Thomas Hughes-Hallett (pictured) a few weeks back.

Good contacts - or just a good idea?