GUARANTEED three-year government funding cycles would give charities “much-needed stability” – but “wider reforms” are needed address the structural funding challenges facing the third sector, according to the chair of the Association of Jersey Charities.
Marcus Liddiard welcomed the publication of a recent report into the government’s procurement process.
In the document, the Public Accounts Committee – the panel of politicians responsible for scrutinising how public money is spent and saved – made 30 key findings and 19 recommendations.
Among these was the recommendation that the government should review the current funding cycles for charities, with a view to moving towards a guaranteed three-year cycles.
Mr Liddiard said: “Moving to three-year funding would give charities much-needed stability.
“It would allow them to plan services, retain staff, and invest in long-term improvements instead of focusing on short-term survival.”
He pointed to a damning report published by the AJC earlier this year that revealed some charities had been left teetering on the edge of financial collapse while waiting for government support.
The ‘Power of Partnership’ report found that “short-term funding cycles place unnecessary strain on charities, forcing them to focus on securing their next grant rather than delivering core services”.
Mr Liddiard added: “Longer funding commitments would mean less time spent on repeated applications and more time supporting the community.”
The AJC chair also said that plans to introduce a single point of contact for charities working with several government department would make a “big difference”.
“It could simplify communications, reduce duplication and help government see the bigger picture of a charity’s work,” he said.
“As our report said: ‘Charities often find themselves pulled in different directions by different departments, creating inefficiencies and frustration.’
“A single liaison could help charities navigate these complexities and build stronger, more joined-up partnerships.”
But while Mr Liddiard welcomed the PAC’s recommendations as a “strong first step”, he said that “more change is needed” to address the structural funding challenges outlined in the AJC’s report.
“Three-year funding alone won’t solve issues like underfunding or the administrative burden of managing multiple grants,” he said.
“Wider reforms such as properly assessing social value and impact, fairer funding levels, and more flexible grants would be needed to truly strengthen the current position.”
