Camden Giving’s Response to the Government’s Civil Society Covenant

The government have finished consulting on the Civil Society Covenant, Camden Giving’s responses are below.

What supports an effective relationship between civil society organisations and public bodies?

Local and national government should embrace civil society's ability to hold trust and it’s ability to hold a mirror up to government. For example in Camden, Camden Giving (a local charity) coordinated community-research into structural racism and presented these at a Community Assembly, that local government were present at. This allowed elected members and officers to hear from citizens how well services were being received and meant the views of those who did not trust local government were center stage. 

What actions should civil society organisations take to improve the relationship with public bodies? 

Supporting Government Missions: Civil society can align its work with government missions, many of which overlap with the long-standing goals of charities and funders. By participating in cross-sector efforts, like those in Camden where civil society helped drive local missions, organizations can contribute to achieving broader societal goals. Civil society is well-placed to attract private sector funding and in-kind support, strengthening partnerships with public bodies and businesses. 

Measuring Impact: Civil society should develop impact measurement frameworks that go beyond numbers to capture the qualitative value of their work. This includes demonstrating how they address systemic barriers and engage communities that are often excluded from statutory support. By highlighting the unique role civil society plays, organizations can show public bodies the importance of their contributions to achieving government objectives. 

What actions should public bodies take to improve the relationship with civil society organisations? Convening Businesses: Public bodies, including national government, local authorities, and regional mayors, should facilitate collaboration between businesses and civil society. Many businesses want to support social causes but lack direction. By working with civil society to align business interests with government missions, public bodies can create opportunities for joint action. For example, local governments can bring together women's safety charities and local businesses to tackle safety issues. 

Communicating the Role of Civil Society: The government should better demonstrate the impact of civil society organizations in policy development. This can help protect the trust that charities have built with their communities and ensure their contributions are visible and valued. 

Supporting Local Government as Conveners: Local councils and MPs' constituency offices should serve as key enablers, connecting grassroots charities with central government. Local governments can fund collaborative efforts and unlock business support, as seen in Camden, where such initiatives led to additional funding. 

Encouraging Participation: Simplify compensation for citizens involved in participatory programs, such as tax exemptions for small payments. This will increase diversity and engagement. Additionally, the government should relaunch and extend DCMS funding for place-based giving so that country has the infrastructure needed for participatory approaches. 

What supports civil society to innovate and find solutions to societal problems? 

Ensuring Adequate Funding: Civil society organisations need sustainable funding to innovate. While the responsibility does not lie solely with government, public bodies should ensure that contracts with civil society fully cover the costs of delivering programmes. Additionally, maintaining financial support measures like Gift Aid and charitable exemptions from business rates is crucial for the financial health of civil society. 

Encouraging Diversity of Thought: Innovation thrives on diverse perspectives. Government should actively promote and support diverse leadership within charities. Many larger organisations are at risk of groupthink, and fostering diversity—both in leadership and across all levels—will drive more creative and effective solutions to societal challenges. Public bodies can encourage this through funding requirements, policies, and public statements that prioritise diverse voices in leadership roles within civil society. 

To what extent do these four principles support an effective relationship between civil society and public bodies? 

Recognition - Charities are already recognised in law, but government should protect the trust in charities by recognising it in words. 

Partnership - This is welcome, but government should acknowledge that it is often the more powerful partner in this relationship.

Participation - In Camden we've seen the impact of participation through our participatory grantmaking model. Camden Giving’s participatory grantmaking involves diverse panels, with 73% from racially diverse backgrounds, 52% aged 16-25, and 13% disabled. This diversity is reflected in the projects funded, with 70-80% led by racialised groups. Participatory decision-making builds trust, empowering marginalised communities. Many panellists, often unemployed, gain confidence, skills, and paid opportunities through this process. Around 15% secure employment, and many initiate social action in their communities. Panellists also signpost funding to others, increasing applications from underrepresented groups. This model fosters community-led change, building networks, and increasing civic engagement, empowering individuals to positively impact their communities. 

Transparency - Government should ensure this doesn't lead to civil society being required to overshare data, for example extracting data from organisations doing sensitive youth violence work, or setting unachievable numerical targets for stretched charities.

What changes or additions, if any, would you make to the draft principles? 

We'd remove transparency, because it means little without further context.