State of the Sector 2021

On Thursday 29 July 2021 10GM launched the Greater Manchester State of the Voluntary, Community, Faith and Social Enterprise Sector 2021 reports. 

The reports analyse the significant social and economic contribution the VCFSE sector makes in each of the city-region’s 10 local authority areas and across the whole of Greater Manchester and follows on from previous research conducted in 2010 in Salford and in 2013 and 2017 across Greater Manchester.

We are coming together to launch this research to promote a better understanding of the VCFSE sector in GM, explore how we can work together to strengthen its impact, and its ability to realise the significant role it plays in supporting people living in all parts of Greater Manchester, across communities of geography and identity / experience.

The State of the Sector research has been commissioned through a collaboration led by Salford CVS. This collaboration has included: Action Together in Oldham, Rochdale and Tameside, Bolton CVS, Macc in Manchester and Salford CVS (as the 10GM partnership); other local infrastructure partners (Sector3 in Stockport and Bury VCFA); GMCVO; and Trafford and Wigan local authorities.  The research was undertaken by the Centre for Social and Health Research at the University of Salford. 

In this report, when we talk about the VCSE sector in Greater Manchester, we mean voluntary organisations, community groups, the community work of faith groups, and those social enterprises where there is wider accountability to the public via a board of trustees or a membership and all profits will be reinvested in their social purpose.

Our thanks to everyone who completed the 2021 State of the Sector Survey.

The report illustrates the amazing size, reach, spread, scale and diversity of the VCFSE sector, with key findings including:

• There are 17,494 voluntary organisations, community groups and social enterprises making a difference in Greater Manchester
• 71% are micro organisations, with an annual income under £10,000
• 19% of the sector identify as being a social enterprise 
• £1.2 billion is the total income of the sector (2019/2020)
• 75% of organisations have at least one source of non-public sector funds, bringing significant value to the city-region’s economy
• 32% of organisations have used their reserves in the past 12 months
• 496,609 volunteers (including committee/board members), giving 1.4 million hours each week, a 7% increase from 2017. This bounce is largely due to COVID-19 and we would expect this to slowly drop away in the future
• Volunteer time in Greater Manchester is conservatively valued at £692 million per annum (based on the real Living Wage £9.50 per hour) but in reality is likely to be much higher.
• 74% of organisations who employ staff indicated that they paid the real Living Wage to their employees
• 85% of VCFSE organisations have had some direct dealings with other VCSE organisations across Greater Manchester. This includes 70% with local VCFSE organisations, 51% with local Councils, and 63% with private businesses