Economic Downturn Survey
Impact of Economic Downturn on Herefordshire Voluntary and Community Sector Survey - April - May 2009
Thank you to everyone who responded to the January VSA Surveymonkey exploring impact of economic downturn on local voluntary and community organisations.
To take part in the April - May Survey Click here!
Results of the January 2009 VSA Surveymonkey were used by:
-
Capacity Builders
-
Commission for Rural Communities
-
Advantage West Midlands
-
Herefordshire Partnership
-
Regional Action West Midlands
-
National Association of Voluntary and Community Action
Consequently the situation in Herefordshire was referred to at the recent RAWM AGM.
Herefordshire Council/Partnership Research Team included the findings in an internal report and presentation to key decision makers, (see text below)
“Community/voluntary organisations
Responses to a survey carried out by the Voluntary Sector Assembly in Jan ’09 (to be repeated quarterly) were obtained from 48 voluntary/community organisations. Key findings were as follows:
– Affected by the downturn: 29% ‘yes’, 33% ‘no’
– Increased demand for services: 40% ‘yes’, 44% ‘no’
– 60% can meet increased demand from existing resources
– Additional resources most required: basic funding, volunteers
– Reduced funding most likely due to: trust funds having less money to distribute, public bodies cutting back on spending, smaller donations from general public “
Regional Action West Midlands (RAWM) – sector briefing circulated as part of ‘Responding to the downturn’ series “Sector Briefing No1, February 2009
Herefordshire Voluntary Sector Assembly surveyed Voluntary and community organisation s on the impact of the economic downturn;
• Approximately one third of respondents said that they have been significantly affected by the economic downturn;
• 50% of respondents said the services their organisation provided were affected by the rising costs of overheads, specifically fuel and vehicle costs
• 80% of respondents said their organisation required more basic funding to keep going;
• 65% of respondents said their organisation was experiencing a reduction in the donations from general public; just over half respondents were affected by the cuts being made in public spending.”
