Live projects
Facilitation
Covid-19 Response Work
Topline timings: March 2020- March 2021
Live project
Commissioned by:
IVAR-initiated, supported by Esmée Fairbairn Foundation, John Lyon’s Charity, Paul Hamlyn Foundation, Pears Foundation and The Tudor Trust
Are you a VCSE leader? We’re running 90 minute peer support sessions to share and explore the challenges you are currently facing.
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Open OD | Inspiring radically better organisational development
In partnership with: SHIFT, NPC, and NCVO
Topline timings: July 2020 - March 2021
Methodology & process: Research
Live project
Open OD is an enquiry into what works and what needs to work better in the field of nonprofit sector organisational development. It is delivered by a partnership of charities: SHIFT, NPC, IVAR and NCVO, and funded by Lloyds Bank Foundation and The National Lottery Community Fund.
Valuing the VCSE Sector in East Sussex
In partnership with: East Sussex County Council
Topline timings: May 2020- Jan 2021
Live project
East Sussex County Council has commissioned IVAR to carry out research on the voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) sector’s social, economic and environmental value and impact across East Sussex.
Small Voluntary Organisations’ adoption and use of tech: Phase Two
In partnership with: CAST (Centre for Acceleration of Social Technology)
Topline timings: September 2019- February 2021
Live project
Commissioned by:
Comic Relief, Esmee Fairbairn Foundation, Lloyds Bank Foundation for England and Wales, Paul Hamlyn Foundation, Tudor Trust
The purpose of a second phase of this research is to enhance and improve support and funding practices for the use of tech by small voluntary organisations (SVOs). In partnership with CAST, this follow-up piece of work will build on Start Somewhere. We are researching the key moments in the process of adoption and use of tech within SVOs.
Sustaining simplified funding beyond the Covid-19 crisis
In partnership with: City Bridge Trust, Comic Relief, Community Foundation for Northern Ireland, Corra Foundation, Esmée Fairbairn Foundation, IVAR, London Funders, the Mercers’ Company as Corporate Trustee of the Mercers’ Charitable Foundation, The Tudor Trust and United St Saviour’s
Topline timings: Until March 2021
Methodology & process: Research
Live project
In partnership with London Funders, a group of eight foundations, and VCSE organisations from across the UK, IVAR is launching a Learning Review to identify opportunities for sustainable adaptations and innovations to funding processes and practices. We will be capturing and distilling the key features and aspects of funder responses to the Covid-19 crisis, before turning our attention to options for longer-term adaptations and innovations to funding behaviours and processes, and supporting funders with implementation - paying particular attention to the needs of VCSE organisations adversely affected by systemic barriers and burdensome practices.
Learning Partner to the Test, Learn & Review Initiative – exploring voluntary and faith sector relationships with Primary Care Networks (PCNs) in neighbourhoods
In partnership with: Lancashire & South Cumbria Integrated Care system
Live project
IVAR will work as a Learning Partner to the Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Care System, alongside voluntary, community, faith and social enterprise sector (VCFSE) partners and Primary Care Networks (PCNs) in five areas, namely Central Lancashire, Pennine, Blackpool Wyre & Fylde, West Lancashire and Morecombe Bay/South Cumbria to facilitate emerging learning across a range of partners as part of the Test, Learn & Review initiative.
Learning and Evaluation
Changing Lives has commissioned IVAR to work with the STAGE Project partnership to look at what can be learnt from its approach to partnership within this project.
Evaluation of the Tech for Good Programme
Topline timings: October 2019- November 2020
Live project
Commissioned by:
Comic Relief and Paul Hamlyn Foundation
The Tech for Good programme started in 2016 and aimed at ‘enabling not-for-profits in the UK to make the best use of digital technologies to deliver more effective, sustainable and scalable services’.
Legacy of the Big Lunch
Topline timings: May 2020
Live project
Commissioned by:
Eden Project Communities
Eden Project Communities recently appointed IVAR to carry out research that explores the long-term impact of The Big Lunch on both individuals and communities.
Evaluation and Learning Partner to the Community Leadership Academy
In partnership with: Local Trust
Live project
Local Trust has funded Just Ideas and IVAR to work alongside the new three year Community Leadership Academy in a collaborative and creative way throughout its lifetime. The Community Leadership Academy provides a unique mix of support, training and personal development to Big Local residents making their neighbourhoods better places to live.
Learning partner for Comic Relief intermediary funding
Topline timings: July 2019 - August 2020
Methodology & process: Facilitation
Live project
IVAR will work with Comic Relief as the Learning Partner for their work with intermediary funders in the UK to support reflection and learning of their processes and experiences.
The Evaluation Roundtable is a network of foundation leaders in the UK, the U.S. and Canada. The Roundtable aims to improve evaluative practice in foundations by infusing it with cutting-edge ideas, and by providing foundation staff with an opportunity to refine and deepen their thinking and practice.
Connecting for Change
Topline timings: April 2019 - December 2022
Methodology & process: Learning/Evaluation
Live project
Commissioned by:
Help on your doorstep
Help on Your Doorstep aims to improve the health and wellbeing of people in Islington, especially those who are vulnerable and isolated. The programme aims to work with residents to find solutions to the issues which make life difficult, strengthen communities to do more for themselves and enable people to improve their life chances. IVAR has been appointed to conduct a four year evaluation on the Connecting for Change programme to assess its effectiveness. The approach will be formative, collaborative and aimed at informing Help on Your Doorstep’s future activity, as well as generating learning for relevant partners in Islington and the broader social sector.
Learning Partner to Pears #iwill Fund: Young Volunteers in Hospitals
Topline timings: January 2018 - June 2021
Methodology & process: Learning Partner
Live project
Commissioned by:
Pears #iwill Fund
Pears Foundation, in partnership with the National Lottery Community Fund and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, is leading a dedicated strand of the #iwill Fund focused on supporting the growth of inclusive, high-quality, youth social action opportunities through NHS Trusts and their respective charities. We have been appointed as learning partner to the fund and will be working with Pears Foundation, the #iwill campaign, volunteer coordinators in funded NHS Trusts and partners.
We provide bespoke organisational reviews to support grantees of the Tudor Trust. These reviews take place across England and involve working with trustees and staff of smaller community-based social welfare organisations.
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