Big Lottery Fund

'Wherever there is money there is influence': exploring BIG's impact on the third sector

BIG is a major funder of the voluntary and community sector. But our influence on the sector goes beyond simply investing funds in organisations – it includes the way that we fund and the requirements we place on applicants and grant-holders.

The Third Sector Research Centre has explored the wider effect that BIG and our predecessor organisations have had on the sector over the last fifteen years, noting how our relationship with the sector has evolved over time.

The study found a range of impacts and perceptions. Beyond the direct influence of funding decisions and our relationship with grant-holders, BIG's size and approach has helped the sector to move more towards focusing on outcomes and to promoting the principle of full-cost recovery. At the same time, BIG has had to balance a wide range of stakeholder priorities.

The report This report considers the effect BIG has had on the voluntary and community sector and highlights areas for further discussion and consideration. - 947KB identifies five specific areas that BIG -- and our many stakeholders -- might usefully consider further:

• How could we do more to widen and deepen our engagement with the sector?
• How could we and the groups we deal with be more transparent in the ways we deal with each other?
• How can we work further towards becoming a truly intelligent funder?
• What can we do to reinforce our independence from government, while acknowledging the limits of that independence?
• Should we take a more active and strategic role in influencing the sector, and if so how?

Reports

• The full report: Wherever there is money there is influence This report considers the effect BIG has had on the voluntary and community sector and highlights areas for further discussion and consideration. - 947KB
• Briefing paper This document summarises the full report into our wider impact on the voluntary and community sector. - 173KB
• Initial scoping study This early report sets out some of the issues about our impact on the voluntary and community sector. Those themes are developed in the later full report. - 441KB

Please contact us if you have any comments or questions.