There were two key drivers behind the establishment of IVAR in 2000 as a self–funding research centre at Aston Business School (then known as the Centre for Voluntary Action Research, CVAR). 

First, the interest of the founders in social change and, within that, the role and contribution of smaller charities and voluntary action. That was our world – and the importance of being of, with and for the voluntary sector remains a constant.

The importance of being of, with and for the voluntary sector remains a constant. 

Second, a view that these organisations were often poorly served by researchers, evaluators and consultancies. Interventions lacked the sensitivity and finesse required to secure engagement from practitioners. There was too little emphasis on ‘usable theory’ within academia. Expectations around impact, for example, often resulted in quality being compromised and values being eroded as organisations felt forced to concentrate on meeting targets and surviving at any cost.  

Our commitment to balancing relevance with rigour led us, in 2006, to become a charity in our own right. While the physical move away from a university home was a significant moment, it did not represent a dilution of the importance that we attach to the importance of study, attention to detail, and quality of thought and expression. However, it did mark a shift in our sense of what mattered most which, above all, was the idea of producing practically useful research. Insights and ideas that practitioners could reflect on and use. Not so much a break with academia, as a re-imagining of how concepts and theories can be brought to life for truly diverse audiences – across the voluntary, public and funding sectors. 

We are committed to balancing relevance with rigour. 

The multiple and varied preoccupations of these core audiences, alongside our deep commitment to being responsive, prompted the idea of a ‘mixed portfolio’ that remains one of our key organising principles. In practice, it means that we operate at different levels – from working directly with individuals and small groups in communities through to influencing the systems that charities work in. So, we are as interested in supporting discrete efforts to relieve poverty in a specific locality as we are in working collaboratively to facilitate change across the whole sector. While the focus and setting of our work may vary, the principles that govern how we work are constant: problem-solving, collaborative, practical and useful for all.  

Problem-solving, collaborative, practical and useful for all. 

We have been active in this space for over 20 years now, and we recognise that we occupy a privileged position – working at the interface between charities, foundations and public agencies.  We believe that we have a role to play in shaping a better operating environment for charities and better lives for the communities that they serve. So, we are beginning to evolve from observer and sense-maker to commentator, speaking with authority and passion about things that we care about and understand:  

• Sharing the incredible, inspiring work charities are doing in challenging contexts 
• Making the case for open and trusting grant-making – because charities and the communities they work with need equitable funding to flourish and thrive 
• Demonstrating the value of charities’ contributions to the design and delivery of local health and care

Shaping a better operating environment for charities. 

In many ways, today’s IVAR doesn’t look or feel so very different from CVAR in 2000. We do face in a slightly different direction – more now to practice than academia. While we communicate more directly, we still strive to avoid shouting or lecturing. And although we perhaps act with greater urgency, many of our research interests – the things that keep charity leaders up at night – remain the same. Above all, our commitment to being relevant, useful and usable to charities and their funders continues to shape and permeate all we do.