# DSC pamphlet argues for continued government grant funding

- Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2007/09/09/dsc-pamphlet-argues-continued-government-grant-funding/
- Published: 2007-09-09T23:00:00+01:00
- Author: Howard Lake

The Directory of Social Change has published a pamphlet that urges statutory funders
to protect the grant funding of the voluntary and community sector. 
‘Sustaining
Grants’ includes 11 case studies that highlight the essential role of grants in 
sustaining the work of the smaller voluntary and community organisations. It is 
designed as a tool to help charities persuade local authorities of the urgent need
to keep funding in the form of grants, rather than contracts.

Phil Hope, Minister for the Third Sector, who attended the launch of the pamphlet,
expressed his support for its message. “I agree 100%”, he said, “that the role of
grants made it all possible, allowing groups to take risks, innovate and act, offering
organisations independence.”

Commenting on the launch, Debra Allcock Tyler, DSC Chief Executive, acknowledged
the government’s official line in supporting grants, as well as their actions in
releasing grant funding. However, she said that the Office of the Third Sector were
not the biggest players: “the reality on the ground is that local authorities are
taking a drastic and dangerous shift away from grants towards contract funding”,
she added.

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She called on the Office of the Third Sector to act as “a sector champion” to protect
the grant portion of local authority budgets.

‘Sustaining Grants’ can be downloaded from DSC’s website.

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