Snapshot of a sector operating under "sustained and intensifying" strain

If you spend any time talking to people across the voluntary sector right now, a pattern starts to emerge. It doesn’t really matter where they’re based or what their area of focus is — the same themes keep coming up. Financial pressure and a wider feeling of uncertainty. There’s also a growing sense that the systems meant to support their work are, in some cases, making it more difficult. 

Looking at the latest publications from the Scottish third sector tracker project, what stands out isn’t just that things are difficult — it’s how those difficulties compound. 

On one hand, there’s the funding landscape. Organisations describe it as uneven, overly competitive, and weighed down by bureaucracy — all compounded by poor relationships with funders. Funding often feels short-term and narrowly project based, while the needs organisations are trying to meet require long-term collaborative solutions. The result is a constant juggling act: chasing funding, reporting, redesigning services to fit criteria, and trying to plan with very little certainty. It’s not just inefficient — it actively undermines the stability of organisations. 

On the other hand, the wider environment is becoming more challenging too. Political polarisation, shifting priorities, and a tougher social climate are all feeding into increased demand for support. People are coming to charities and community groups with more complex needs, and often with fewer alternatives. That pressure doesn’t exist in a vacuum — it lands on organisations that are already stretched. 

Put these two things together, and you start to see a pattern forming. 

Short-term funding leads to instability. Instability makes it harder to build relationships, retain staff, or plan effectively. At the same time, demand continues to rise, and external conditions become more challenging. Organisations are asked to do more, with less, in a system that doesn’t always support them. 

Perhaps most frustratingly, many of these issues aren’t new. What comes through strongly in both sets of findings is that the sector knows what would help. The solutions aren’t especially radical (see Fair Funding) — but they do require a shift in approach. 

There’s a clear call for longer-term, core funding that allows organisations to focus on delivering for their communities rather than constantly firefighting. There’s a need for more transparency and clearer communication from funders and statutory partners, so organisations aren’t left second-guessing decisions or navigating opaque processes. Finally, and crucially, there’s a desire for relationships that feel genuinely collaborative — where the expertise within the sector is recognised and valued, not treated as an afterthought or worse.  

That expertise matters, a lot. These organisations aren’t only service providers; they’re often the first point of contact for people who have nowhere else to turn. They understand their communities, they adapt quickly, and they hold things together when other systems fall short.  

The risk, if things continue as they are, is that we keep relying on that organisational resilience without adequately supporting it.  

To end on a positive note, if I can. None of this is inevitable. But it does require acknowledging that the current model isn’t quite working — and being willing to do things a bit differently. SCVO’s 2026 Scottish Parliament election manifesto sets out what the new Scottish Government needs to do differently in order to support a strong, sustainable voluntary sector. A sector that is respected and adequately resourced to support the people and communities across Scotland.