April 29 - May 1, 2015

Developing the capacity

of non-profits

Developing the capacity of non-profits

How at LCVS – the United Way in Liverpool - we embarked on developing capacity of local non-profits and built a strategy to deliver support and measure their impact.

Covering:The Where The WhyThe WhatThe HowThe Impact

The Where: about Liverpool

• City 800 years old• Huge heritage as ‘second city of the British Empire’, The

Beatles and Football….but so much more!

• Population of 460,000 in the city• 2.2 million in wider metro area (Merseyside)

• Population in the city declined consistently from 850,000 in 1930s• …… until last 10 years (up 5%)

• City of huge contrasts….and inequality

The Where: Liverpool and inequality

Levels of deprivation and child poverty in Liverpool are extremely high:

•Liverpool is the most deprived local authority area nationally.

•Just over a third of Liverpool children (34.4%) live in poverty and in some areas of the city three fifths of children live in poverty.

•In some schools in the city 73% of children are eligible for Free School Meals.

•More than a third of Liverpool wards have unemployment rates that are twice the national average and Liverpool's incapacity rate is nearly twice the national rate.

•Liverpool has a larger proportion of the working age population with no qualifications than nationally.

The Where: about LCVS

• LCVS established in 1909 to “help charities co-ordinate their efforts”

• At the forefront of social action in Liverpool, and nationally, for over a century

• Diverse range of services and activities with an underpinning, clear, aim:

• Together – for Liverpool – for Good

Slide Example With Medium Photo

The Why: Why focus on capacity building?

• United Way puts lots of focus on raising money – and community impact through programs

• Not enough focus on supporting the organisations that deliver those programs?

• Why?

More effective organisations

= better use of resources

= increased impact in communities

• More focus needed ‘in the middle’ – helping non-profits be more effective = more impact

The United Way model

Bring partners together

Raise money

More focus on Capacity Building = more impact

Bring partners together

Raise money

The What: What is capacity building?

In summary - Providing services to:

•Develop the skills of those frontline non-profits (and people working in them) delivering services

and

•Enabling them to focus on delivering quality services to their communities

The How: What do we do?

A range of activities and services:Funding advice Business planning supportPractical services: managing payroll for their employees, providing financial management services; accounts auditing etcProviding office space (151 Dale Street)– and IT and telephony services to tenants

Assets and resources:151 Dale StreetDedicated team of experts on paid staff – including qualified accountants qualified solicitor, experts in organizational development

The How: What do we do?

Funding capacity building activitiesSome external (government) funding – significantly reducingMajority of services now charged directly to non-profits organisationCharges cover cost, we aim for small surplus, but generally below commercial rates

The Impact and Reach

There are 2,000 not for profits in Liverpool - we will directly work with 500+ annually

151 Dale Street 30 not-for-profit organisations as tenants in 151 Dale Street Good quality office space charged at market rate – hotdesks,

large and small office suites Building purchased using mix of own trust funds, European grant

funds and a small mortgage Building full – because of not for profits wanting to be there, not

because its cheap!

151 Dale Street

The Impact and Reach

130 organisations accessing financial management / payroll services

Support with compliance and legal obligations

250 organisations accessing support and development service

We help not for profits with bid writing, securing them £1.5m of external funding annually

Working with staff and trustees on building effective governance, business plans etc

Training and events programme – building skills and knowledge

The Impact? Positive about Play

Play Simply – children are kept safe and engaged in positive activities which contribute to their social and educational development

Play Healthy – children have access to healthy food and get fed when free school meals are not available to them

Play Advice - provides a dedicated advice helpline for families attending the play schemes

The Impact: Liverpool Homelessness FC

Set up in 2007 –volunteer run

Significant growth in last 3 years

LHFC recognises the power of football (soccer) to bring people together and engage them in a healthy and social activity.

5-a-side league, women’s team etc, teams from local homeless organisations

Matches provide opportunity for health promotion etc, with partners

http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/liverpool-homeless-football-club-changing-6329657

The Impact: Liverpool Homelessness FC

Liverpool Homelessness FC: our role

We gave them their first ‘home’ at 151 Dale Street

A hot desk – and an address gave them legitimacy

Capacity building support helps with funding advice / bids

Major grant from local foundation achieved

Accounts etc

The Impact: Liverpool Homelessness FC

“Without the help of LCVS we would not be where we are today. Getting a home was a huge step for the organisation.

The team have been brilliant in all sorts of ways”.

John Finnigan, Liverpool Homeless Football Club

More information

Tony Okotie

Chief Executive

Liverpool Charity and Voluntary Services (LCVS)

Email: tony.okotie@lcvs.org.uk

Web: www.lcvs.org.uk

Twitter: @lcvsuw / @tonyokotie