About
This report gives an overview of CVS support in London and their overall impact in 2022-23. It is based on research with 28 CVS’s, who contributed data, case studies and impact reports.
We tell the story of how a CVS makes a difference to local voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) organisations. We also highlight how they strive to create a better and fairer London for all.
A report by London Plus
What is a CVS?
A Councils for Voluntary Services (CVS) is an organisation that supports, connects, promotes and brings together local charities and community groups.
Watch the video to find out more.
A report by London Plus
CVSs in London
In London there are 30 CVSs, which are based in 27 of the 33 London boroughs.
There are 5 boroughs that do not have a CVS (although other CVSs may deliver work there. These are Hillingdon, Hounslow, Havering, Enfield and the City of London.
Data notes
- 2 boroughs are missing data about reach (Lambeth, Hammersmith and Fulham)
- Some CVS’s work across more than one borough
- Some boroughs have more than one CVS
A report by London Plus
What does an ‘average’ CVS do?
CVSs provide advice, and support, capacity building, training, networking opportunities to a huge number of VCSE organisations.
They link the VCSE sector to local authorities, the NHS, funders and other public and private sector organisations.
They support the local voluntary and community sector crisis or emergency responses.
In addition, some deliver social prescribing services, fundraising and grant distribution, as well as community development work with local residents.
Some also deliver volunteering services including volunteer brokerage and Community Champion programmes, with just under half of London’s CVSs hosting the local volunteer centre.
A report by London Plus
In 2022-23, an average CVS had:
750
VCSE organisations on their database
3450
subscribers to their regular bulletin
24
training sessions delivered
430
people attended training sessions
£945,000
leveraged in to the sector
400
Stakeholders on their database
4335
followers on social media
330
VCSEs actively engage with support
50
Networking and forum events held
340
Volunteers placed by those with a volunteer centre
Data notes
- All CVSs are different and have wide ranging incomes and staffing levels
- These averages are based on data contributions from 28 CVSs in London
A report by London Plus
A story
The following slides tell the story of a fictional organisation (it does not exist).
It is based on real case studies, quotes and evaluation reports provided by 28 CVSs. It draws on common themes about why organisations benefit from CVS support
Nourish and Care
Provides food to over 400 vulnerable households in their local community
Data notes
- This is a fictional organisation and story, based on case studies and evaluation reports submitted by 28 CVSs in 22-23.
Their journey
Set up by a group of volunteers during Covid-19, they have grown from an income of £10k (local crowdfunding) to £220k and now employ a member of staff and a volunteer co-ordinator.
Their local CVS helped them to get there.
Data notes
- This is a fictional organisation and story, based on case studies and evaluation reports submitted by 28 CVSs in 22-23.
They seek advice
Nourish & Care realise there is an ongoing need for their work. They decide to register as a charity. They find out about their local CVS and join as a member to get support with completing their Charity Commission registration.
Data notes
- This is a fictional organisation and story, based on case studies and evaluation reports submitted by 28 CVSs in 22-23.
They connect
The CVS hosts a local Small Groups Network. Nourish & Care find out through the newsletter and join. When they attend the meeting they learn of funding opportunities and decide to apply for them.
They look for funding
Nourish & Care are rejected for a number of funding applications, despite being eligible.
They sign up to a CVS training session on applying for grant funding. Their next application is successful.
“The way we applied for funding before wasn’t good.
We know how to give the answers to questions in funder application forms now”
They look to grow
Nourish & Care are starting to see growing demand for their support with rising energy bills and cost of living. They look to apply for a larger grant of £50,000 for a member of staff to coordinate more volunteers. However, they are unsuccessful.
“We are feeling disheartened and disillusioned with the funding process.
We know people in our community desperately need our support, but funders are not seeing that.”
They inform change
Nourish & Care share their frustrations with the CVS, as do other groups. The CVS convenes a Food Network meeting, which highlights shared issues with local funding. The CVS organises a ‘meet the funder’ event to share these directly. The funder makes helpful changes.
“All the events we have attended by the CVS have been impactful on a number of levels for us.
They are a true community support organisation and I know we can always turn to them when we need them.”
They access funding
The CVS encourages Nourish & Care to reapply for funding and offers one to one advice. Nourish & Care attend further training and develop their safeguarding policies, governance and business plan.
Their funding application is successful.
“We spoke to the team at the CVS and realised we needed to improve things right across the organisation.
They gave us valuable advice on what we were missing in terms of our governance and financial processes.”
They face new challenges
As Nourish & Care expand their delivery, they need better systems to manage their complex operations. They ask members of the Food Network (convened by the CVS) to ask what they use. They find out about a specialist digital support organisation in the CVS e-bulletin and reach out for help.
“The extra funding has put a lot of strain on our basic systems and processes.
How are we going to manage all this on Excel. It’s keeping me awake at night worrying. We just have that feeling of being in poverty at work.”
They recruit volunteers
The CVS develops a digital platform to recruit volunteers. Nourish & Care start to use this and find it much quicker to bring new volunteers on board at key times of year when demand rises.
“The CVS volunteering platform has changed the way we do our outreach for volunteers.
It’s much quicker and easier than finding them ourselves like we used to.”
They shape local plans
Nourish & Care attend a series of workshops organised by the CVS. on behalf of the council. They contribute their ideas about what practical action needs to be taken to address the problem of food insecurity. These inform the development of a new Food Action Plan.
“The CVS volunteering platform has changed the way we do our outreach for volunteers.
It’s much quicker and easier than finding them ourselves like we used to.”
Section header tbc
About VCSE organisations in London and why they need support
28,000
Registered charities work locally in London. There are also hundreds of other voluntary and community support organisations that are not registered charities.
Just like Nourish and Care, when they need support to develop their organisation, grow, network, access funding or influence change, they can turn to their local CVS.
Organisations that are so small and informal have a more holistic approach and are very much community driven. I see person centred services by communities and for communities.
CVS CEO interview
Supporting small organisations
54%
No paid staff
67%
Annual turnover of less than 100k per year
9,000 +
Local organisations actively engaged with CVS support
NAVCA report
London Plus survey
Section header tbc
The impact of the CVS network
Connection and information
In 2022-2023, London CVSs connected with:
21,000+
VCSE organisations (listed in their databases)
120,000+
Followers on social media accounts managed by CVS staff, often as part of other roles
95,000+
Individuals who receive CVS bulletins
10,000+
Other organisations on CVS databases such as universities, statutory organisations and local businesses
I think one of our biggest strengths as infrastructure bodies is convening and facilitating a lot of networks and special interest groups. That's really valuable because it means the voluntary sector is able to understand what's happening outside of their own four walls. Organisations can connect and build bridges with each other, but also with the statutory sector.
CVS CEO interview
Offering a range of support
NAVCA’s Four Functions of Infrastructure
100%
Represent and advocate for their local VCSE on strategic bodies
5+
Key partners sector voice raised with: the Local Authority, NHS & Integrated Care Systems, Police, Universities, Funders
Offering a range of support
NAVCA’s Four Functions of Infrastructure
£24.6 million
Funding leveragered into the sector including direct grant distribution and funder collaborations
1,483
Networks and forum events held during the year
Offering a range of support
NAVCA’s Four Functions of Infrastructure
646
Training sessions delivered this year by London’s Infrastructure organisations
11,000
People trained in a range of topics to help their organisation thrive
Offering a range of support
NAVCA’s Four Functions of Infrastructure
5,000+
Volunteers placed by the 15 CVS who also run a Volunteer Centre, or provide volunteer projects and services
977
Volunteers directly volunteering for 22 CVS alongside paid staff teams
93% offer specialist services in addition to core functions
Social Prescribing (46%)
Community Accountancy
Tech, Digital & Data
Direct Community Development (71%)
Redistribution of grants (79%)
Frontline services
Next steps?
Growing demands on local infrastructure organisations
Thriving infrastructure?
Downward and flatlining trends temporarily revsersed by Covid and Cost of Living crisis funding and grant distribution.
But Infrastructure Organisations across London are by no means stable.
A varied sector
CVSs range in staff size, income and expenditure.
Some run Volunteer Centres as well as their core functions.
Others host a local Healthwatch or Local Giving initiatives.
Data notes
- Source: Analysis of Charity Commission Data for 2022-2023
- This uses latest available spending figures (either for 2023 or for 2022)
- Spending figures were not available for Voluntary Action Harrow and Barnet Together Allience (not included in visual)
Increasing need for infrastructure support
More local charities like Nourish & Care are looking for support as they evolve to continue meeting the needs of their communities.
London Plus
Report compiled by Superhighways, Think Social Tech & David Kane
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holding archive to delete
A critical friend on the journey
Attends training
Apply for funds
Refused funds!
One to one advice
Invaluable guidance for developing a Business Plan
Submits a proposal for longer term core funding
Typical experience of smaller organisations as they look to scale
CVS Development Worker advises on proposal including policies required
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Learning and reflection
“The way we applied for funding before wasn’t good. We know how to give the answers to the questions now”
Four core functions of a CVS
NAVCA outlines ‘four functions of local infrastructure’
Leadership and advocacy
Partnership and collaboration
Capacity building
Volunteering
A report by London Plus
The reach of an ‘average’ CVS
Intro blurb - Every CVS is different.
750
VCSE organisations on their database
400
Stakeholders on their database
3450
subscribe to their regular bulletin
4335
followers on social media
330
VCSEs actively engage with support
A report by London Plus
Typical delivery for a CVS
24
training sessions delivered
430
people attended training sessions
340
Volunteers placed by those with a volunteer centre
£945,000
leveraged in to the sector
50
Networking and forum events held
A report by London Plus
28
Local Infrastructure Organisations in London support their local sector, with some working across more than one borough.
4 boroughs have no local support organisation.
(Data missing for 2 boroughs)
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28
Local Infrastructure Organisations in London support their local sector, with some working across more than one borough.
4 boroughs have no local support organisation.
(Data missing for 2 boroughs)
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30
Local Infrastructure Organisations in London.
Click on the map to learn more.
Notes
- 4 boroughs do not have a CVS (Hillingdon, Hounslow, Havering, Enfield)
- 2 boroughs are missing data about reach (Lambeth, Hammersmith and Fulham)
- Some CVS’s work across more than one borough
- Some boroughs have more than one CVS
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The CVS brokers a new beginning
CVS have a vital role to play....
Networking
It offers peer learning and equity of voice via the. Foodbanks & Soup Kitchens Network. Groups raise issues about the application process..
Meet the Funder
A CVS event helps groups talk about their experiences and the funder makes helpful changes. The CVS encourages Nourish & Care to re-apply.
Funding agreed
Nourish and Care are successful in securing new project funding to help reach more marginalised local people.
Convening and mobilising social action
“The Council has been working with the Food Network to better understand the practical action that needs to be taken to address the problem of food insecurity.
The CVS held a series of workshops with food charities and community groups and bring their recommendations and their expertise into a new Food Action Plan”
Holistic support for organisational development
“We needed to improve things right across the organisation.
We spoke to the team at the CVS and their contribution was so valuable in terms of developing our safeguarding policy and giving us advice on what we were missing in terms of our governance and finances.”