Creating efficiencies and value for money

Imminent and substantial public spending cuts will require all our creativity and resourcefulness.  We need to identify new ways of working that will reduce our costs of operation whilst demonstrating value.

There are a variety of ways in which we can create organisational efficiencies, for example:

• limiting our impact on the environment
• outsourcing or consolidating back office or support services
• new business models
• marketing and communications on a shoestring

Resources in this section

Environmental efficiencies

• Greening the Third Sector - a report by City Bridge Trust on the impact of 'going green.'
• Using resources efficiently in your business - a Business Link guide

• Green Officiency Challenge Toolkit:  a free guide takes you through the relevant steps that are needed to ensure the biggest impact possible

 Outsourcing support services

• Real People from Broadway - HR and personnel support solutions for small or medium sized charities.  Try them out for free. 
• Free support for small charities from the Small Charities Coalition

New business models

• Social return on investment (SROI) - an approach to understanding and managing the impacts of a project, organisation or policy. It is based on stakeholders and puts financial value on the important impacts identified by stakeholders that do not have market values. Download a Guide to SROI developed as part of the work of the Measuring Social Value consortium for the Cabinet Office in the UK.
• Secure essential goods at a fraction of the usual cost through Inkind Direct - free up funds for other purposes and help the environment

Understanding the costs of homelessness

•  Summary of recent literature on assessing the costs of homelessness and benefits of providing homelessness services on Homeless Link website