Responding to the Scottish Parliament’s endorsement of a new Third Sector Partnership Agreement, David Livey, SCVO Policy & Research Manager, said:

"Too often public bodies overlook the voluntary sector in planning, decision‑making and delivery. Parliamentary backing for a new Third Sector Partnership Agreement marks an important first step towards changing that for good. “We welcome the cross‑party support for a new, formalised relationship with the voluntary sector, alongside a focus on improving the funding environment, delivering shared outcomes, and strengthening the sector’s voice in policy and service design.  

“We also welcome MSPs’ strong endorsement of sector’s independence. A healthy democracy, well‑supported communities and good policymaking all depend on the strong, independent voice that the voluntary sector provides. 

“We particularly welcome the commitment to co‑design the agreement with the sector, and to ensure it is inclusive of the full diversity of organisations across Scotland. That approach will be key to building a partnership that is meaningful and able to stand the test of time. 

“Ahead of the election, SCVO worked with the voluntary sector to develop a shared ask for a new, formalised partnership with the Scottish Government—one that is set in law. We look forward to working together to shape and deliver an agreement that meets those ambitions.” 

**ENDS**

Notes:  

In its 2026 manifesto, Scotland’s Essential Sector – Priorities for the next Scottish Government, the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO) called for the new Scottish Government, its agencies and bodies, to commit to a new, formalised partnership with the voluntary sector. SCVO has been clear that this partnership should be underpinned in statute; accountable for delivery across public bodies; outcomes-focused; protective of the sector’s independence and aligned with Fair Funding principles.

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## About SCVO

SCVO (Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations) is the national membership organisation for Scotland's voluntary sector.

Our role is to champion the role of voluntary organisations in Scotland and to support them to do work that has a positive impact.

SCVO supports members and the wider voluntary sector with all aspects of setting up and running a voluntary organisation. SCVO represents the needs and concerns of the voluntary sector to the Scottish government in Holyrood and UK government and Westminster. Through our learning and events programme SCVO offers training and development opportunities to the sector.

Members access an extensive membership benefits package including specialist, in-depth, 1-to-1 guidance from our Information Services team and from professional service partners.

Access to exclusive membership networks (including comms, employers, governance and policy) supports members to grow their connections, stay up to date, exchange ideas and views with peers, and learn through tailored, learning opportunities.

SCVO members enjoy free access to Funding Scotland Premium to stay on top of funding opportunities to support their organisation’s financial resilience.

Discounts and savings savings on SCVO products and services (including our HR service, managed IT support, payroll service and events and training) and partner offers provide members with support to allow them to focus on delivering their organisation’s goals. Further SCVO products and services include [extensive digital support](https://scvo.scot/support/digital), a climate action resource [Growing Climate Confidence](https://climateconfident.scot), a voluntary sector publication [Third Force News](https://tfn.scot) and a voluntary sector jobs and recruitment service [Goodmoves](https://goodmoves.org).

For more information on SCVO membership, visit [SCVO membership](https://scvo.scot/membership)