Nora Smith, Chief Executive, CO3
The body representing Northern Ireland’s charity and voluntary sector has accused the NI Executive of acting dangerously slow in the release of vital funding as local charities and voluntary organisations inch closer to financial meltdown.
CO3 Chief Executive Nora Smith today blasted the Department for Communities for delaying a scheme meant to alleviate some immediate pressures within the third sector. The Department for Communities Covid-19 Charities Fund was announced on 7 May but, so far, no further information, eligibility criteria, or application process has been published.
A recent survey by CO3 and the Institute of Fundraising illustrated the dire straits that charities and voluntary organisations have found themselves in due to the coronavirus pandemic. Over three-quarters of charities have reported serious financial difficulties and they have been cut off from many previously announced government support schemes.
Nora Smith, CO3 Chief Executive, said:
“Charities and voluntary groups in Northern Ireland have been the afterthought throughout this crisis and they feel increasingly left behind. While hundreds of millions of pounds have been committed and released to businesses across Northern Ireland, the third sector has been left to fend for itself. Continuing to prioritise business over people will be absolutely disastrous for our society.
“We are now ten weeks into this pandemic with no clarity about how groups in our sector can get help. There are over 45,000 third sector jobs in Northern Ireland and a lot of them are at stake. We need to see details and eligibility criteria for the £15.5m Charities Covid Fund as soon as possible.
“Jobs are being lost. Key services which help the most vulnerable in our society are being lost. And, ultimately, lives could be lost, if significant funding and support isn’t directed towards our charities immediately.
“We have proposed simple and straightforward support measures to save our charity sector – releasing funds that have been set aside to help those charities facing the biggest funding threats, amending the furlough scheme to allow charity staff to volunteer back into their organisations, establishing a Stabilisation Fund as has been done in Scotland, and setting up a Third Sector Resilience Fund.
“We have been in regular contact with departmental officials on these issues and proposed solutions, but now is the time for action or many charities face imminent collapse.”