Developing strong relationships with funders and commissioners is crucial for securing funding and influencing policy. While it demands time and effort alongside your organisation's core activities, it's a vital component of long-term sustainability. This guide offers updated advice on networking, relationship development, and maintenance.

In the past, most government funding for voluntary and community organisations was provided as grants. Now, government bodies commission public services, inviting potential service providers to compete for contracts to deliver specific services (both existing and new). These contracts are open to voluntary, private, and public sector organisations. This shift represents a significant change in how public services are funded.

Read the briefing here