VCOSS Clearinghouse Funding Case Supported by Independent Evaluation
8 December 2009 at 11:56 am
The KPMG report points to three key areas of success.
That is, the Clearinghouse has produced a 3:1 ratio leverage of value delivered to dollars invested; it is meeting independently verified needs of the sector, and satisfaction with the service is high.
As well the evaluation found that the Clearinghouse has delivered strongly on all up-front project objectives the Clearinghouse meets clearly identified needs for sector development and capacity building that the Clearinghouse is a unique intermediary service enabling the magnification of impact of corporate, pro bono and philanthropic money across a wide range of sector organisations that there are potential sources of income for the Clearinghouse to work towards developing with a view to becoming partially self-funding.
VCOSS says a key reason for stakeholders accessing the Clearinghouse, as opposed to other services, is that it is considered ‘more than a website’ by having a responsive and accessible staff.
Adding more weight to the case is the Productivity Commission’s Interim Report which cites the Clearinghouse as an example of a ‘useful method of delivering support and training’ and goes on to recommend that ‘Australian Governments should provide support to develop and promote training for (Not for Profit) management and boards in governance and related areas’.
VCOSS CEO, Cath Smith says the organisation now has a strong case for recurrent funding of the program from 2010-11 budget and VCOSS is committed to pursuing the options for developing a hybrid funding model as proposed by KPMG.
VCOSS is seeking State Budget funding of $3 million over three years.
Funding for the VCOSS Clearinghouse ran out at the end of June and the organisation is now operating on bridging funds from the Department of Human Services and the Department of Planning and Community Development until the end of December.
Cath Smith has called on the Minister for Community Development, Peter Batchelor, to continue bridging funding from January to June 2010 and to support an ERC bid for a recurrent budget allocation for the Clearinghouse from July 1, 2010.
VCOSS has also urged supporters of the Clearinghouse to contact the Minister to urge for the ongoing financial support.
