Subject: Tensions between national and local charities

Ian - I wonder if the other dimension here is size?  Isn't the tension more about large and small than national and local?  I don't hear about tensions between small national and small local for example - indeed on courses and workshops they seem to share issues and solutions and have a great deal of empathy and much in common.  Isn't it much more about large national and local, particularly small local. 

Historically we've seen 'small local organisations' as being able to offer niche and bespoke services that large/national just couldn't get on their radar...maybe what we're seeing is these small local elements being squeezed more and more (or feeling like they are)?  One perspective is that the funding is going to large nationals...who have the economies of scale, strong negotiating positions, and who are on regional commissioner agendas... 

Market forces will change the landscape unless we intervene....  It would be good to hear experiences and views.  Maybe it's all a vcs myth!

I think you are right Caroline it probably is big/small but is often percieved as natiional local. I would be interested in hearing from anyone from a larger/national as well as a local org on whether this is a widespread issue. It was brought home to me graphically by the leader of Croydon BME Forum last week around national/big org tendering slickness

The NCVO Third Sector Foresight website contains lots of information about some of the tensions between small and large organisations on its database of over 100 drivers (trends and forces) affecting the voluntary and community sector (VCS). Each driver summarises some of the main implications or opportunities and risks that it presents for the sector.

Ones that people might particularly useful in relation to this discussion are:

• Polarisation of the VCS

http://www.3s4.org.uk/drivers/polarisation-of-the-vcs

• Levels and sources of VCS income

http://www.3s4.org.uk/drivers/level-and-sources-of-vcs-income-

• Value for money and efficiency

http://www.3s4.org.uk/drivers/efficiency-and-value-for-money

• Procurement practice

http://www.3s4.org.uk/drivers/procurement-practice

• Partnership and governance

http://www.3s4.org.uk/drivers/partnership-working-and-governance

Hi Natalie, thks for these really helpful links which I have not used b4. I'm going to pass them on to a colleague and would recommend any viewers following them up especially, the "ways forward section" Ian

Ian,

A few years ago our organization applied for a local piece of work and were

'pipped to the post' but a much larger company. Now, this appears to be the

right thing in that they clearly had more knowledge, resources and

experience? However, the length of time in which it has taken them to have

an impact has been held back through their lack of knowledge of the local

area and communities. Would it have made good business sense to have

tendered for this in partnership?

Bojangles

Hi Bojangles, we are seeing similar issues with national chariites delivering in our local area too ...

Ian, The experience of local national relations in a federation may shed some light, although not perhaps what you meant in your original post. In Age Concern (a federation of 330 independent local charities and a national body - now the merged Age UK) there are some pressures to standardise activity under a single brand. For example, public and user expectations, regulatory framework,  ambitions to achieve national coverage and economies of scale. These factors can create tension with our independent local charities which developed as community based organisations and are supported locally to respond to local needs. This has resulted in a diverse membership which uses a number of mechanisms for negotiation and agreement about the respective roles and boundaries of local and national on issues such as tendering, fundraising, service delivery etc. Paul