The CEOs of a number of sector infrastructure bodies and their respective policy and comms teams have been working in close partnership during the Covid-19 crisis to lobby government for recognition of the value of the sector and the services it provides, and to push for funding and support. This scope has widened to include working strands looking at different areas of activity that have been affected by the pandemic, including regulation, contracting and commissioning, volunteering, grants & foundations, comms and equalities issues.
The level of cooperation and collaboration has been – to use the word of the moment – unprecedented. However, the challenges for charities are far from over and many would like to see this partnership continue, enabling infrastructure CEOs to support each other and address sector wide challenges through the period of the pandemic and beyond.
Every collaboration at some point experiences stresses and challenges, and this one has been no different. We are moving into a new phase of this crisis, and as a result need to both strengthen the partnership and allow it to evolve. In June, Lloyds Bank Foundation funded a review project to allow members of the collaboration to step back and take stock.
This report captures the group’s reflections on key lessons learned from the collaboration so far.
Thanks for this review report – it is good to hear some of what has gone in to making the collaboration work to get this far – well done all