Think-piece: Grant making with the voluntary sector

The Centre for Local Economic Strategies (CLES) is currently undertaking research with Voluntary Sector North West (VSNW) exploring the economic and social value of grant-making with the voluntary and community sector.

In a policy era categorised by the move from ‘grants’ to ‘contracts’ the importance of grant-making as both a funding source and a shaper of resilient economies and communities has sometimes been forgotten. This research project therefore seeks to promote the value of the grant.

We are undertaking three key activities as part of the research. A think-piece has been produced which explores some of the key theoretical values of grant-making with the voluntary and community sector. This will be followed with a mapping exercise exploring the available grants in the North West and types of organisations and activities which they are funding. The final activity will be the development of 10 organisational cases studies demonstrating the local economic and social value of grant-making with the voluntary and community sector.