Compact Advocacy programme

The Compact Advocacy programme exists to offer support and advice to voluntary and community organisations in their dealings with public bodies. If you think a public body has made a decision that's not compliant with the Compact or public law principles, the dedicated Compact Advocacy team can:

• Identify breaches of the Compact.
• Set and agree objectives.
• Identify key decision makers.
• Represent organisations through communications, including letters, emails, phone calls, meetings and press work.
• Seek policy and practice change.
• Identify best and worst practice and share lessons within the sector.

If you would prefer not to openly challenge a decision made by a public body, we can do so on your behalf anonymously.

What are some common problems?

• Your funding is withdrawn with little notice.
• A consultation period for a new policy or procedure gives you less than 12 weeks to respond.
• Burdensome monitoring requirements are placed on your organisations that are not proportionate.

In some instances, simply reading one of our popular briefings has helped organistions understand and address breaches of the Compact on their own:

• Effective dispute resolution tactics (PDF 72 KB)
• Righting Public Law Wrongs - challenging unfairness (PDF 237 KB)
• Cuts - to challenge or not to challenge (PDF 88 KB)
• Can they cut my funding?

If you need help and support on how to use the Compact, including what principles have been breached and how to best challenge decisions, how to best challenge, contact the Compact team or our helpline on 020 7520 3161. 

Find out more about what the Compact is and how Compact Advocacy works in our FAQs.

Our successes

 "The service was exactly what we needed - clear and calm provision of information when we first made contact, then helpful advice, useful contacts, always did what they said they'd do, and kept in touch. Made a stressful situation so much more manageable, having a knowledgeable person who wasn't in the middle of it, to talk things through with. Many thanks."
Kate Tayler, Chief Executive North Yorkshire and York Forum

The Compact Advocacy programme has helped hundreds of organisations achieve a better relationship with Government and resolve disputes over funding, lack of consultation, poor communication and many other issues. We work closely with the organisation to ensure their objectives are met, and we follow up with Government bodies to ensure the lessons are learnt.

Read more about individual case studies. 

The Compact Advocacy programme, in association with Empowering the Voluntary Sector, produces a quarterly newsletter with tips and advice on public law principles and using the Compact. 

Read past issues and subscribe to the newsletter on NAVCA's website.