Bond’s response to the Office for Civil Society consultation on the Civil Society Strategy

In May 2018 Bond submitted a response to the Office for Civil Society as part of their consultation on the Civil Society Strategy.

Read the full report at the link below. Our priorities for the Civil Society Strategy are as follows:

• The Civil Society Strategy should seek to create a more supportive regulatory and political environment for civil society, which protects and promotes their independence and voice, recognises and respects their insights and expertise, and supports their participation in the policy- and decision-making process.
• Related to this, the Civil Society Strategy must support the creation of an enabling environment for advocacy and campaigning. This means recognising the social value and the positive and lasting impact of civil society campaigning, and making a commitment to: introducing primary legislation that revises the Lobbying Act; ensuring all government grants support the right of civil society organisations to engage in advocacy and campaigning; promoting CC9, and ensure future guidance for charities is consistent with its principles; and improving Electoral Commission guidance for non-party campaigners at elections
• The Civil Society Strategy must outline how the government will use funds strategically. We would like the government to invest in strategic and sustainable funding mechanisms for civil society that are flexible and support organisations both to deliver their missions, and to function sustainably. This means recognising the critical role civil society organisations play in helping those most in need and contributing to a fair and equal society. It may include providing core and programme funding through grants, rather than large-scale contracts which favour private sector contactors with greater access to capital.