NCVO have published their annual data on the size and scope of the voluntary sector in their Civil Society Almanac.
The 2015 Civil Society Almanac uses the latest data available to provide a comprehensive and accessible overview of what’s happening to the voluntary sector.
The Almanac reveals that the voluntary sector continues to play a vital role in society – reinforced by a population who continue to give large amounts of time and money – even though both its income and expenditure has become largely stagnant.
Despite the economy slowly growing for the past few years, the Almanac reveals that the sector is yet to feel any positive impact in terms of its income and continues to face a challenging financial environment. This has not been helped by the value of grants and contracts from government falling by £1.7 billion in recent years.
The Almanac also reveals that the sector is evolving to reflect wider political and economic changes. For example, driven by the economic challenges facing many communities in recent times, the number of foodbanks has increased exponentially.
The Almanac concludes that these trends point to an uncertain future with many organisations facing serious financial challenges as they seek to continue meeting their charitable objectives.
To read The 2015 Civil Society Almanac in full, please visit the website.
