Government halves funding to NGO network

Bond, the UK network of aid organisations, has been told by government ministers that the funding it receives from the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) will be cut in half.

The cuts impact on two programmes the government had supported as part of the Aid Connect programme.

Bond’s Learning for Consortia programme was due to run from April to last year to December this year to promote collective learning among 13 consortia as well as donors. However, it has now closed completely.

Meanwhile, the remaining programme, Bond’s Civil Society Collective initiative, has been cut by nearly 50% This seeks to strengthen charities’ ability to adapt, including adapting programmes to the Covid-19 pandemic.

It also supported Bond’s advocacy and lobbying as well as encouraging collaboration among NGOs. In addition, the programme funded work around safeguarding.

In total the cuts amount to £895,000.

Government cuts 50% of its funding to Bond, the UK network for organisations working in humanitarian assistance and international development.

For more information and for an accessible quote from our CEO @SDStephDraper click here: https://t.co/9ufcLu6hjl pic.twitter.com/Scx9wIKXzG
— Bond (@bondngo) May 6, 2021

“UK Aid Connect allowed Bond to help make UK civil society better coordinated and more effective and has helped us maintain a strong and thriving network,” said Bond CEO Stephanie Draper.

“Over the years, Bond has brought the sector together to provide a united voice and delivered support and services to NGOs, big and small, in areas such as safeguarding, advocacy and fundraising. We will now need to weigh up how we will continue to deliver these important areas of work.”

She added: “However, the reality is, the government's cuts to Bond's work are nowhere near as devastating as the cuts many NGOs are facing to programmes around the world that keep girls safe and in school, deliver healthcare, as well as food and clean water to people facing war or global pandemics in countries like Yemen and India.

“Regardless of the government's cuts to Bond, with support from our members and our other donors, we will continue to support the humanitarian and development sector in their crucial efforts to help make the world a fairer, safer, healthier and more sustainable place.”