ChangeUp History

ChangeUp is the governments’ Voluntary and Community Sector (VCS) infrastructure capacity building programme that was first unveiled by the Active Communities Unit in September 2004.

As an investment programme ChangeUp had its origins in the Cross Cutting Review of the Role of Voluntary and Community Organisations in Service Delivery published by HM Treasury in 2002. In broad terms the review concluded that there were lots of opportunities for voluntary and community organisations to become more involved in delivering services to both communities of interest and geographical communities. It was soon recognised that to be able to take full advantage of these opportunities frontline organisations would have to be able to satisfy a whole range of expectations; expectations of commissioners, of service users, of the public in general; and that additional support in meeting those expectations would be vital.

In an unprecedented public acknowledgement of the role played by infrastructure bodies in providing services to frontline organisations, the Home Office put forward its ideas for a one off programme of investment in the development of universally high quality, accessible, fit for purpose support services which became ChangeUp.Early phases of ChangeUp were administered nationally by the Active Communities Unit and regionally by Government Office. In April 2006 Capacitybuilders, a non departmental public body, was set up to look after ChangeUp. It is the job of Capacitybuilders to manage the funding awarded by Government from 2007/08 onwards and to look towards other funding opportunities in the future and to provide advice, information, commission research and provide evidence to others about how investment can improve support services.

What exactly is ChangeUp setting out to achieve?

A “bold but achievable” high level outcome has been set by the Home Office for ChangeUp namely that: “by 2014 the needs of frontline voluntary and community organisations will be met by support nationwide, structured for maximum efficiency, offering excellent provision which is accessible to all while reflecting and promoting diversity, and is sustainably funded”

By 2014 the intention is that, every frontline organisation; where ever it is based, what ever it exists to do and whom ever it exists to serve; will be able to access what ever support it needs either to maintain itself or to grow sustainably. ChangeUp also intends that infrastructure organisations will be providing universally excellent services and will be sustainably funded themselves.

Who can ChangeUp fund?

Infrastructure or support organisations. Initially ChangeUp talked about infrastructure as being “organisations whose primary purpose is the provision of infrastructure functions – support and development, co-ordination, representation and promotion – to frontline organisations.

Capacitybuilders talks about support organisations that “provide information, facilities and other kinds of support to help third sector organisations become stronger”.In essence an infrastructure or support organisation is one whose work is focussed upon enabling other organisations, who exist for charitable or social benefit purposes, to do better.

For more information about what ChangeUp has funded see Past Projects.