**SCVO's policy and public affairs team braced ourselves for a busy start to the year – you may recall [my blog](https://scvo.scot/p/56514/2022/12/22/finding-some-glimmers-of-hope-from-2022-scvo-policy-public-affairs) from December.**

We've needed to continue to [raise the profile](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-64319160) of immediate issues affecting voluntary organisations, such as the escalating energy costs and lingering high inflation reported in the [Scottish Third Sector Tracker.](https://scvo.scot/policy/research/scottish-third-sector-tracker)

Alongside these issues, we've had to respond to various regulatory policies; the Charities Bill and proposals to expand freedom of information to our sector were among those up for scrutiny. 

But that's not all. There were important strategic agendas, too, like economic transformation, community wealth building, and the review of Scotland's National Outcomes. These may not feel pressing but require our sector's involvement from the get-go.

The work has certainly been varied in a period of tremendous pressure and political change, but our activities all link to one clear goal: _**supporting an operating environment where voluntary organisations not only survive but thrive.**_

Here's a glimpse into what we've been up to in the past six months.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jf3BCU0Dq9M

**Making strides towards Fair Funding**
---------------------------------------

"Fair Funding" isn't just a catchphrase for us. We've set out what Fair Funding looks like in practice. Our [recent position paper](https://scvo.scot/p/56732/2023/01/16/%E2%80%8Bfair-funding-for-the-voluntary-sector) details this, resulting from considerable [engagement](https://scvo.scot/p/55084/2022/11/02/fair-funding-its-time-to-abandon-the-spin) with the sector.

Since then, [we have welcomed](https://scvo.scot/p/59273/2023/04/19/scvo-welcomes-scottish-governments-latest-commitment-to-progress-fairer-funding#:~:text=Responding%20to%20the%20Scottish%20Government's,commitment%20to%20multi%2Dyear%20funding.) the Scottish Government's pledge to 'Fairer Funding' by 2026. However, we remain eagle-eyed in ensuring the government fulfils these promises. We understand that progress depends on systemic changes tied to [public service reform](https://scvo.scot/p/59486/2023/05/01/inquiry-into-the-scottish-governments-public-service-reform-programme-scvo-response-to-the-finance-and-public-administration-committee) and [improved Scottish Government decision-making](https://scvo.scot/p/57213/2023/02/16/scvo-response-to-the-inquiry-into-public-administration-effective-scottish-government-decision-making), and we took part in two related inquiries this year.

Recently, we outlined what progress we expect to see in 2023/24, which you can read in our [proposals for the 2023 Programme for Government](https://scvo.scot/p/60303/2023/06/22/programme-for-government-proposal-delivering-fair-funding-by-2026). We have also scheduled discussions with the Scottish Government to discuss expectations, timelines, and the next steps - we know all too well that words do not always equate to action.

Following the UK Government's Spring Statement in March, SCVO saw the Scottish Government reject [our calls](https://scvo.scot/p/58375/2023/03/15/scvo-spring-statement-response) for it to pass onto the sector any Barnett consequentials from the £100m of increased spending on the sector in England. That's despite the line that further funding _'depends on Westminster.'_

However, Fair Funding is about more than just the amount of funding but also its administration. We and partners like the TSI Network have proactively identified [poor funding practices](https://scvo.scot/p/59051/2023/04/03/administration-of-children-young-people-families-and-adult-learning-third-sector-fund-cypfal-tsf-and-predecessor-funds-scvo-and-tsi-scotland-network-letter-to-the-minister). At the same time, we've offered suggestions for improvement.

We've also maintained regular communication with the Scottish Government over implementing new [Fair Work First criteria](https://scvo.scot/p/59575/2023/05/10/organisations-seeking-public-sector-grants-to-pay-real-living-wage-and-provide-effective-workers-voice-from-1-july-2023), securing webinars in May and June to raise awareness.

**Pushing for better regulation** 
----------------------------------

June ended with the passing of the Charities (Regulation and Administration) (Scotland) Bill by MSPs. Many organisations felt disappointed with the narrow changes proposed in 2019. However, we've always supported the regulator's calls for changes that will allow it to fulfil its responsibilities.

We have [briefed the Scottish Parliament](https://scvo.scot/p/56983/2023/02/07/scvo-response-to-the-social-justice-social-security-committee-charities-regulation-administration-scotland-bill) and worked closely with the government, OSCR, the Law Society, and others throughout the process. In doing so, we have secured widespread support for and the Scottish Government's commitment to a [broader review of charity regulation](https://scvo.scot/p/56756/2023/01/17/the-charities-bill-has-been-introduced-help-shape-scvos-response), and we're calling for this to be independent.  

Engaging with consultations from the Scottish Government and Scottish Labour on extending freedom of information coverage to voluntary organisations has been another priority. We've organised webinars, workshops, and meetings to develop [alternative policy proposals](https://scvo.scot/p/58166/2023/03/13/scvo-response-to-foi-reform-bill-consultation) to enhance transparency and accountability proportionately.

We're also teaming up with UK-wide organisations to address [banking issues](https://scvo.scot/p/58231/2023/03/13/to-bank-or-not-to-bank-thats-the-reality-for-some-voluntary-sector-organisations).

**The voluntary sector: a key player in the economy**
-----------------------------------------------------

Assessing and explaining the voluntary sector's impact on Scotland's economy is complex yet crucial. The sector needs to be at the heart of economic development.

Our [thought leadership series](https://scvo.scot/policy/economic-actor/role-of-the-sector) on this topic expanded our understanding and sparked collaborations, including with the Royal Society of Edinburgh (RSE), which hosted an insightful roundtable in June. Discussions will continue in 2023, with others such as the Fraser of Allander Institute and SPICe taking forward important work in this area.

In May, [we responded](https://scvo.scot/p/59630/2023/05/15/scvo-response-to-building-community-wealth-consultation-scottish-government) to the Scottish Government's consultation on community wealth building, supporting our CEO, Anna Fowlie, in her role on the Advisory Steering Group. We also [proposed updates to Scotland's National Outcomes](https://scvo.scot/p/60157/2023/06/12/review-of-national-outcomes-2023-scvo-response-to-call-for-evidence), emphasising the importance of our sector.

Remarkably, the voluntary (or third) sector is not mentioned once throughout the National Outcomes! We suggested that the government partner with us to create indicators to track the sector's economic contribution and new progress indicators for a thriving and sustainable voluntary sector.

Finally, we've held a number of events with SCVO's Policy Network, including with the Scotland Office on the sector's place in the UK Government's Levelling Up agenda.

**In conclusion**
-----------------

As we gear up for the rest of 2023, we're excited to continue our work. With your continued support, we can create a future where voluntary organisations don't just survive—they thrive.

Finally, a huge thanks from me to [the team](https://scvo.scot/policy/about) – **Jason, Sheghley, Rachel, Kyrstie** – and everyone else who has worked with us this year!

[Get in touch with me](https://scvo.scot/policy/about) to discuss any of our work.

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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)