The TSI Scotland Network has responded to an inquiry by the Social Justice and Social Security Committee at the Scottish Parliament into third sector funding.
The Committee is considering third sector funding principles, and the Network’s response outlines the unprecedented challenges facing voluntary and community organisations.
It also provides examples of good funding practice, and examples which demonstrate practice that places additional pressure and risks onto frontline groups and communities.
The network again emphasised the importance of Fair Funding, and the increasing inequality between third sector and public sector employees often doing similar jobs.
And it has asked the Committee to consider the impact of the recent Scottish Government announcement that all but essential expenditure would be halted.
Alan Webb, CEO at Third Sector Dumfries and Galloway, said: “It’s more important than ever we see investment into our sector – full of skills, insights, experience, relationships, impact on a scale that doesn’t exist elsewhere.
“The sector scrabbling for year-to-year funding and reshaping to meet public service demands is just not sustainable and never really was. The Fair Funding Charter commitment is only the start. It’s time for a complete overhaul of community-based development and investment, with our sector at the heart.
A spokesperson for the network added: “We are deeply concerned about what this will mean for the third sector, and what it signals for the Scottish Budget.
“We also highlight the lack of clarity about the future of UK Government funds going into communities across Scotland – UK Shared Prosperity and Levelling up Funds.”
The submission for the network can be viewed here: Response to third sector funding inquiry