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

February 2012

TSRC worked in partnership Big Lottery Fund (BIG) to explore the role and impact of BIG in the third sector. Although only representing a small proportion of charities’ overall income, BIG has been recognised as an important source of funding for the sector. The report offers questions and potential strategies for BIG and the third sector to address - about engagement, transparency, intelligence, independence, and the extent to which BIG is or could be an active policy actor.

More details
Research contact: Angela Ellis Paine

Migrant and minority community organisations: funding, sustainability and ways forward

June 2010

TSRC and Middlesex University have been working with MODA (Migrant Organisations’ Development Agency) on a research project about funding and resources available to migrant and minority organisations in London.

The project has gathered information about the role of minority and migrant organisations, including details about the services they provide, the community needs they address, the financial and organisational challenges they face and the creative ways they are finding to cope.

Read report (PDF, 656KB)
Research contact: Fergus Lyon

Close neighbourhoods not distant friends

March 2010

How can larger housing associations become more dependable, accountable and engaged with neighbourhoods? The Close Neighbours project worked with eight housing associations, four of them based in England, who agreed to implement two-year programmes of organisational change with tangible outcomes for the neighbourhoods in which they worked. Following an agenda set by Dutch and English academics, they developed their own projects to become ‘close neighbours’ - i.e. more dependable, accountable and aware of what is going on. The research report highlights some key actions taken by the four English ‘close neighbour associations’

More information and report
Research contact: David Mullins

BIG and small: Capacity building, small organisations and the Big Lottery Fund

July 2010

This study aimed to provide evidence to the Big Lottery Fund (BIG) on how best to target its efforts to support or build capacity in the small groups that apply to it for funding. The research took place between March 2009 and March 2010 and was carried out by a team led by the Institute for Voluntary Action Research (IVAR), in collaboration with the Third Sector Research Centre, the University of the West of England and Cordis Bright.
The report brings together the findings of a review of relevant literature, an analysis of information from Merlin (BIG’s grant-making database), interviews with 13 BIG staff and 24 applicant organisations, and an online survey completed by 122 applicants

Executive Summary (PDF, 288KB) | Full Report (PDF, 1.22MB)
Research contact: Rob Macmillan