Issue - meetings

 Advantages

 Disadvantages

Risks

Option 1

Funding to secure support core services and facilities for wider group of organisations  (Infrastructure)

A significant multiplier effect with benefits for many organisations

Efficiencies achieved by providing some support services centrally

Reduces reliance on other external funds for a period of time

Infrastructure costs are ongoing and SH funds are limited to the amounts available in the current year

Current infrastructure arrangements significantly at risk following funding cuts

Option 2

Investment in premises and accommodation

Potential to reduce management costs of small organisations

Supports more collaboration between organisations

Achieves a one off investment for a longer term return

Match funding may be required for a capital scheme

Need has been identified in the district but other potential solutions also need to be considered and these are still emerging

Option 3

Investment in volunteering co-ordination arrangements

Economic contribution of volunteering is significant

Protection of important  services by increasing levels and quality of volunteering in the district

Opportunities for skills development for volunteers

Supports better engagement of communities in their local areas

Sustainability model needs to be developed but potentially there may be some costs that are unrecoverable

Volunteer bureau now closed and no current co-ordination arrangement of this type – likely to have a negative impact on levels and services supported by volunteering

Option 4

Investment in small grants via existing schemes

Positive impact from existing schemes suggest these grants are useful

Low administration costs

Current schemes funded for 2012 -13 and any further investment would roll into 2013 -14 but requires county council agreement

Expectations around the future of schemes need to be managed

Option 5

Investment in limited number of larger grants to achieve long term benefits

Potential to achieve impacts that may not occur otherwise

Longer term legacy achieved and improved sustainability of operations and services

Promotes collaboration between partners

Management arrangements required within the council

Innovative projects may carry some risk but appraisal processes should identify this.

Option 6

A combination of the above options

Could present an opportunity to provide benefit widely across VCF and arts sectors

May dilute the impact of funding and make it more difficult to achieve higher impact from a limited number of investments

Risk would be relevant to the preferred options