Co-designing a new third sector funding scheme in Argyll and Bute

Introduction

In 2011, the Children and Families Service Department of Argyll and Bute Council was tasked with ensuring savings of 15% of its budget (£1.86 million of its £12.4 million budget) over the next three years. The Council provided over £650,000 in funding to third sector organisations in 2010-2011. In this uncertain climate the Council was keen on turning a crisis into an opportunity to change the way it works with its third sector partners.

Early in 2012 the Children and Families Service Department took the decision to co-design a new funding scheme together with third sector organisations in the local area, rather than just asking the views of service providers when the new funding scheme had been determined by the Council. Even though this dialogue took place in a context of cuts, it was framed in a positive way – not “How should we make the cuts?” but rather “How can we make the funding scheme better?”