New research suggests that Scottish voluntary organisations saw their income drop by almost £100 million last year.
According to the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO), some groups were having to dip into reserves to keep services open. While many charities were facing budget cuts, they also had to cope with an increase in demand for their services.
More than 270 voluntary groups responded to the survey. Four out of 10 said they had used their reserves to maintain services because they were spending more than they received. At the same time, three-quarters expected demand for their services to continue to grow over the next year.
The SCVO called on the government and the other public sector bodies which provide money to make longer-term commitments to help provide some stability. It also called on ministers to commit to longer-term funding agreements.
Martin Sime, SCVO chief executive, described confidence in the third sector as “low despite the fact that politically [it] is becoming more prominent and its role in public services is being promoted. The sector can't perform without a degree of stability, so in this difficult climate the case for three- to five-year funding agreements is even stronger.
“Voluntary organisations need a new and better deal from the public sector which delivers on the high level of rhetorical support. Local government in particular needs to start doing things differently.”
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