Colin Arnold, WCVA’s Treasurer, talks about WCVA’s exciting plans to launch a new fund for the voluntary sector in Wales and why now is the time.
PROVIDING LASTING BENEFIT TO VOLUNTARY ORGANISATIONS
I am delighted to announce WCVA’s intention to establish a new independent fund, with the purpose of providing lasting benefit for the voluntary organisations that work so diligently to make Wales’s communities strong and resilient. We know it is not possible for the sector to achieve impact without accessible and reliable sources of income and that is why WCVA has begun the process to establish a new fund to support this aim.
A NEW NATIONAL ASSET
The fund will initially be established through seed funding provided by WCVA from its reserves. We have given great consideration to the ways in which we convert these reserves, alongside a long-term approach to investment and growth, to create something transformative for the voluntary sector. Myself and colleagues at WCVA are determined this will grow to become a new national asset that will endure for decades to come.
I am acutely aware of the sustained financial pressure experienced by the sector: over-subscribed short-term grants, rising demand on services and complexity of need, and a shortage of locally rooted and long term sustainable funders. This fund is WCVA’s strategic response towards addressing this through the establishment of a new permanent and independent funding resource.
AN OPPORTUNITY TO THINK AND ACT FOR THE LONG-TERM
Over the past decade, voluntary organisations have faced a cumulative series of shocks. Public sector austerity, Brexit, the COVID-19 pandemic, the cost-of-living crisis, and more recently the inflationary impact of rises in the National Living Wage and Employer National Insurance contributions.
Each of these pressures has layered onto the last, leaving many organisations financially stretched, reliant on dwindling reserves, and under increasing pressure to meet gaps left by overstretched public services. The launch of this new fund with a clear aim to grow over the years ahead, aims to provide stability in a landscape dominated by short-term funding to enable organisations to think and act for the long term.
WHAT IT WILL FUND
The fund is built on principles that ensure it delivers lasting value for Wales:
- Community benefit first – every decision is focused on improving well-being across Wales
- Voluntary sector led – every decision is rooted in the experience and voice of the sector
- Long-term stability – every decision is made to ensure the long-term stability of the sector, while growing the fund’s capacity for future generations
- Equity and inclusion – every decision is made to promote equality, diversity, inclusion, anti-racism and the Welsh language
- Transparency and accountability – all donations and funding decisions follow clear, open processes that ensure donor confidence and sector trust
- Future-focused – we will provide stability in a landscape dominated by short-term funding, enabling organisations to think, adapt and act for the long-term
- Purpose-driven – by creating a trusted, enduring source of support for the voluntary sector, the fund plays an important role in enabling WCVA to achieve its vision where voluntary organisations and volunteering thrive across Wales, improving well-being for all.
Funded activity will achieve impact across three interconnected levels to provide long-term benefit for:
- individuals
- communities
- organisations
NEXT STEPS
An application to the Charity Commission is currently pending to establish the fund as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO), within the WCVA group. It will have its own Trustee Board, drawn from across the voluntary sector and wider civic life, and a sector-led Grant Panel, bringing diversity of perspective, expertise, and lived experience to the management and delivery of the fund.
This is a long term commitment starting at a modest level, where WCVA’s seed funding is invested and protected, to ensure the security and longevity of the fund. We will work to grow the fund through philanthropic income to expand it and its grant making capacity. We are aiming to open the fund to applications late 2026 and all details will be shared via WCVA’s communication channels.
THE START OF A NEW ERA
This decision represents a moment of real importance. By using WCVA’s reserves to establish this fund, we are committed to supporting the voluntary sector in Wales by creating and growing a lasting national asset, dedicated to strengthening the voluntary organisations that our communities rely on. In decades to come, the Fund has the potential to grow into a significant, independent funder providing dependable support across Wales year after year.
FURTHER UPDATES
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