Project Director: Chris Dayson
Project Duration: 2016-2018
The project was an in-depth study of the role and value of small and medium-sized[1] charities in four case study localities, which aimed to build on earlier data analysis and an evidence review commissioned by the Foundation.
At the heart of the study were a series of over-arching questions that were posed by the Foundation which aimed to provide evidence about the contribution made by small and medium-sized charities operating at a local level:
- Do locally-based small and medium-sized charities play a distinctive role in tackling disadvantage as part of a local ecosystem of providers?
- Are the distinctive features of locally-based small and medium-sized charities recognised by the people who use their services? How does the service they receive compare to those of other providers?
- What is the value for money and wider social value that a locally-based small and medium-sized charity provides?
- Have public funding approaches helped or hindered the work of locally-based small and medium-sized charities? What are the most effective ways of funding small and medium-sized charities to deliver services to those facing disadvantage?
[1] For the purposes of the study the Foundation classified small/medium charities as those whose annual income fell in the range of £25,000-£1million. This was the size range within which the Foundation made grants.
The project team also included Tracey Coule and Beth Patmore (Sheffield Hallam University); James Rees, Vita Terry, Carol Jacklin-Jarvis (Open University); Leila Baker, Katie Turner, Marilyn Taylor, Helen Garforth (IVAR).
