Use of the law by voluntary Organisations Phase 3

Grant: £200,000
August 23, 2018

Strengthening the Voluntary Sector (STVS) is a well-known and highly regarded grants programme in the sector. The focus chosen for the new five-year programme is building on a belief that better use of the law presents opportunities for parts of the voluntary sector to enhance their ability to pursue their charitable purpose. In turn, better use of the law by the voluntary sector will help to amplify the law’s everyday relevance by situating it within a wider framework advocacy and social change. It also offers opportunities to unlock new sources of financial and other support for legal-related activity and to widen ownership and defence of the law at a time when it is under pressure.

Use of the law by voluntary Organisations Phase 2

Grant: £200,000
October 5, 2016

This project is to support the Strengthening the Voluntary Sector (STVS) awards programme. The focus chosen for the new five-year programme is building on a belief that better use of the law presents opportunities for parts of the voluntary sector to enhance their ability to pursue their charitable purpose. In turn, better use of the law by the voluntary sector will help to amplify the law’s everyday relevance by situating it within a wider framework advocacy and social change. It also offers opportunities to unlock new sources of financial and other support for legal-related activity and to widen ownership and defence of the law.

Outside the legal voluntary sector, engagement by voluntary organisations in the law is mixed. The law has not assumed a central place in the thinking of voluntary organisations otherwise involved in individual advocacy or the pursuit of wider change. Strategic engagement and collaboration between the legal and voluntary sectors is also rare.

Use of the Law by Voluntary organisations

Grant: £200,000
October 7, 2015

This is part funding of the Baring Foundations “Strengthening the Voluntary Sector” programme.

The focus chosen for the new five-year programme is building on a belief that better use of the law presents opportunities for parts of the voluntary sector to enhance their ability to pursue their charitable purpose. In turn, better use of the law by the voluntary sector will help to amplify the law’s everyday relevance by situating it within a wider framework advocacy and social change.

Strengthening the Voluntary Sector (STVS) is a well-known and highly regarded grants programme in the sector. It has traditionally sought to examine an issue of strategic significance to the sector as a whole, putting a strong emphasis on learning from grants and using this to influence wider debates and practice. The focus chosen for the new five-year programme is interesting, building on a belief that better use of the law presents opportunities for parts of the voluntary sector to enhance their ability to pursue their charitable purpose. In turn, better use of the law by the voluntary sector will help to amplify the law’s everyday relevance by situating it within a wider framework advocacy and social change. It also offers opportunities to unlock new sources of financial and other support for legal-related activity and to widen ownership and defence of the law at a time when it is under pressure.

There is a clear niche for leadership and new practice in this area. TLEF has already identified this in its own strategic plan but this is one part of our broader agenda. The Baring Foundation’s reputation in relation both to legal advice and to the wider voluntary sector ideally places it to assume a leadership role in this, supported by other funders.

Programme activity

It is proposed that a programme cover three areas:

1. Improving understanding of legal needs and rights-based approaches amongst front-line non-legal voluntary organisations through training and raising awareness.
2. Funding practical collaboration between legal and non-legal voluntary organisations that embed legal advice and wider legal approaches in programmes of advocacy and service delivery.
3. Exploring ways to expand the use of strategic litigation by voluntary organisations in pursuit of their charitable purposes.