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Capacitybuilders - Impact of the economic downturn on third sector support providers
Capacitybuilders is a non-departmental public body set up in 2006 to take over the management of the ChangeUp Programme and to work with other funders to build the capacity of the third sector.
In May 2009 Capacitybuilders commissioned Research by Design to conduct research into the effects of the economic downturn on third sector support providers. The brief contained two elements:
1) A review of the surveys that have been undertaken or are currently being undertaken relating to the effects of the recession.
2) The design and provision of a regular online survey to gauge the effects of the recession amongst third sector support providers.
Drawing on its in-house knowledge of the third sector, Research by Design identified and reviewed a range of studies that have been undertaken or commissioned by third sector organisations, either amongst their own stakeholder groups or a wider audience, to establish what is already known about the effects of the recession.
Equipped with this understanding, Research by Design and Capacitybuilders worked closely together to develop a questionnaire that comprehensively measures the effect of the recession on demand for third sector support services and the ability of third sector support providers to meet any increases in service needs. The questionnaire also seeks to measure changes in income and costs as a consequence of the recession.
The information collected is enabling Capacitybuilders to build a national picture of how the economic downturn is affecting the sector and to track its effects over time, informing its delivery priorities.
Two of five proposed surveys have been completed during 2009 with the third available during April 2010. Support providers are sent an email to participate in the study which contains a URL directing them to their own dedicated survey area. Automated reminder emails are then sent to non-respondents at pre-determined intervals. Use of these reminder emails typically boosts completion rates by over 100%.
Capacitybuilders has been provided with real time access to the survey data through Research by Design’s client portal and a full set of custom built tabulations at the end of the fieldwork to assist in the analysis and reporting of the findings.
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