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'Racism' blamed for decline in funding for ethnic minority charities
By Mathew Little, Third Sector, 9 March 2010
Survey shows that forty-five per cent have had funding cut since recession began
Ethnic minority charities are "under attack" as a result of underfunding, according to the foreword of a new report.
The report, by the Council of Ethnic Minority Voluntary Sector Organisations, says that 45 per cent of 173 black and minority ethnic groups surveyed have suffered cuts by local authority and other funders since the recession began.
Gary Craig, a visiting professor in the school of social sciences at Durham University, says in the foreword to the report that failure to ensure proper resourcing of BME charities is a consequence of racism.
"Cemvo's study of the BME sector shows a sector not just under pressure but under attack," he writes.
Of the charities that have had cuts, more than four out of 10 have incomes of less than £10,000 a year, according to the report.
Thirty-nine per cent have suffered cuts from local councils alone, and the remainder have had funding withdrawn by councils, government departments and grant-making trusts.
One organisation, Reach Africa, which runs training and mentoring programmes, said its income had halved since the recession began.
"People have been coming to us asking for places on courses and we've had to tell them we're not doing them any more," said Alfred Komeh, director of the charity.
Hashmukh Pankhania, chief executive of Cemvo, said: "That nearly half of all BME charities are now struggling is a scandal. BME charities should be benefiting from increased funding in 2010, not facing cuts that will marginalise them and limit further the inadequate help already on offer."
The report asks the Government to give ring-fenced emergency funding to BME organisations and interim payments to help them meet their obligations. It also says the help available to the sector needs better marketing.
A Cabinet Office spokesman said the Government was committed to supporting all third sector organisations, including BME groups.
"The Office of the Third Sector funds Cemvo to work specifically with BME organisations in England to build their capacity and to represent the voice of BME third sector organisations to government," he said. In 2009/10, Cemvo received £269,000 to carry out this work, including specific activities to monitor and help BME groups in the recession."
ALSO ...
The Government has a "schizophrenic" attitude towards BME organisations, according to a new book. The Pied Piper, co-written by Joy Warmington, chief executive of equalities and human rights charity Brap, argues that BME organisations are seen as niche suppliers to particular communities but have to compete in a commissioning marketplace against large charities. "Faced with this environment, the real challenge is to help BME organisations better define their role," it says.
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Femi Adeyemi, 9 March 2010, 11:33
While we should not expect specific 'ring fencing' of funds for BME organisations. it is a reality that BME communities are disproportionally affected by the recession. The fact is that increasingly standalone BME organisations are perceived as less effective and politically relevant, than mainstream organisations. This change in funding and support emphasises did well for Boris Johnson and continues to play well with a large section of the electorate. It can be and indeed is negative and racist, creating a false and misrepresentative stereotype. However, BME organisational and indeed BME professionals remains an effective way of tackling poverty and social exclusion.
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D Marph, 9 March 2010, 12:22
It is too true recession bandwagon and pickle-brained contributed towards cuts in funding towards the most unpopular causes in our society, such as small grass root groups and charities who supports vulnerable members of our society, particularly ethnic communities and refugees. I am not naive, but look at the Lottery grants, under the Freedom of Information Act, their data confirms that hardly you will see refugee community groups recipients. I think we need to see a fair and balance funding policies in action.
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John Wilks, 9 March 2010, 13:44
I suppose that the quotes in the article are taken from various parts of documents and speeches made by those who have been quoted.
Why should an organisation receive an increase in funding just because they exist? The organisation that I represent is having its funding reduced in this coming financial year. Yes, BME groups in our neck of the woods are very small and the cuts affect them more - particularly when the cut is a set % across the board.
It was some years back that I heard Simon Hughes being interviewed and in essence he said that there were too many small organisations doing the same work.
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Ade Fashade, 9 March 2010, 16:57
This is a timely article and a reminder that BME organisations do indeed get a raw deal in the competitive funding environment. The recession has hit groups really hard, and unfortunately local authorities can easily find a million excuses to cut funding, without really consulting properly and understanding the realities and specific challenges faced by many small under-resourced BME communities. The other problem is the quite negative press that issues that impact on BME communities get, such as social exclusion, the equality Bill, Human Rights, and of course, the big 'I' word- Immigration. Funders, especially LA's are reluctinat, in these days of economic austerity, to commit much funding in tackling the inequalities that affect BME communities around these issues. This then affects the work many small groups do, particularly at local level, in dealing with the challenges for their communities.
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Phil Cooper, 11 March 2010, 11:29
After some future outbreak of serious racial tension the good and the great will hold a public inquiry which, after months of deliberation, will conclude that community cohesion began to suffer when myriad small groups that had been quietly working away on shoestring budgets to assist the integration of local ethnic minorities were forced to pack up because their funding was progressively reduced during the recession.
Politicians, both local and national, with foresight plus sufficient guts to ignore the Mail's and Express's anti-migrant tirades could prevent this from occuring.
The importance of second-tier organisations should also be recognised as they can go a long way towards bringing individual small groups, such as refugee community organisations in a particular area together to encourage co-operative working. They can then apply for funds on a partnership basis that so many funders now demand without considering the practicalities.
Phil Cooper
Hammersmith and Fulham Refugee Forum
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S Rodgers, 11 March 2010, 13:12
It is of great interest to me that CEMVO feel so strongly about this issue having failed to financially support any ethnic minority voluntary organisations other than with Millennium funding for a one off project and the long ago ditched plan for an endowment fund under the guise of the 'Ethnic Minority Foundation.' As a self styled umbrella organisation it is incumbent on CEMVO to assist and support rather than state the obvious and walk away whistling with its hands in its pockets. The real scandal is that they continue to comment on these issues without any mandate or actual contribution to demonstrate the value of their existence.
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