# New guide to defending local grants in the recession

- Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2009/01/26/new-guide-defending-local-grants-recession/
- Published: 2009-01-26T12:58:09+00:00
- Author: Howard Lake

**The Local Grants Forum, a partnership of national organisations which campaign
to protect grants for local third sector organisations and community groups, has
published a guide to show them how they can defend the local grants still available
to them.**

The amount of grant funding made available by local authorities has fallen since
2001 and the economic recession threatens to exacerbate this problem. Already in
Gloucester and Hastings, the local authority has proposed cuts to the local third
sector.

‘Defending Local Grants’ is designed to help local groups convince councillors, 
commissioning officers and procurement professionals that grants should continue
to be used to fund local organisations and groups.

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It wiill enable local groups to quote government guidance which supports use of 
grants; challenge the myth that grants are no longer possible because of competition
law and European regulations; and explain what grants can achieve for local communities
that contracts cannot.

Kevin Curley, Chief Executive of NAVCA and a member of the Local Grants Forum said:“
Research from the Finance Hub last year showed that local authority grant funding
fell by 13% in just three years.

“With an economic recession and tighter budgets we are worried that grant funding
will suffer even more as local authorities make budget cuts, even though grant funding
is vital to many of the groups that support communities who suffer most in a downturn.
This includes groups providing debt advice, credit unions and organisations that
help get people get back into employment.

“That’s why the [Local Grants Forum](http://www.navca.org.uk/stratwork/natpolicy/localgrants/home.htm)
has produced this guide now. We want to equip local groups with the resources and
evidence they need to argue the case for grant funding. Local grants are vital for
a healthy third sector and we must defend them.”

The four-page document can be downloaded at no charge as a 2.3Mb PDF.

www.navca.org.uk/publications/defendinggrants/Home.htm

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