This report sets out NCVO and ACEVO’s findings from the Civil Society Covenant engagement exercise we conducted in 2024, working closely with the Department for Culture Media and Sport (DCMS), as well as our view on the steps needed to ensure the Covenant is effective.
The research and facilitation support provided by Culture Studio was invaluable during the engagement period.
We would like to recognise the time, effort and goodwill from colleagues at DCMS and No. 10 to engage civil society. Since January, ACEVO and NCVO have been members of an advisory group of civil society representatives convened by DCMS to inform the development of the Covenant. We expect the Covenant to be published by DCMS this Summer.
Executive summary
Introduction
The relationship with government at a national and local level is essential for civil society organisations to deliver their mission, whether they are delivering services, building strong communities, or advocating for the people or causes they support. Civil society organisations of all types and sizes are impacted by the decisions government bodies make about the operating environment, whether they are directly engaging with government or not.
The relationship between government and civil society has come under strain in recent years, and has not been sufficiently supported or invested in. The Civil Society Covenant is intended to be a reciprocal principles-based agreement to reset the relationship between civil society and government. It will act as a supportive framework for our relationship with government, so we can offer partnership and challenge for the benefit of the public.
This report sets out the findings from the engagement exercise NCVO and ACEVO ran in collaboration DCMS in 2024 to understand civil society’s experiences and to test high-level principles to inform the development of the Covenant, which is due to be published this Summer. We also set out the steps the Government should take to further develop and implement the Covenant, with a role for civil society infrastructure bodies to support civil society.
