The 'Building the capacity of the Third Sector' report was published on 6th February 2009 and examines ChangeUp and Futurebuilders, two Cabinet Office programmes designed to build the capacity of the “third” sector.
 
The report was produced by the National Audit Office (NAO) and states that 'ChangeUp has generally been a significant factor in establishing better partnerships between local support providers. In the absence of a programme-wide evaluation by Government of ChangeUp’s impact, we carried out detailed studies in six localities to identify and illustrate the impact of ChangeUp on local support providers and frontline organisations. We found that ChangeUp had led to improved partnership between local support providers, which enabled better assessments of the needs of frontline organisations in each area and the gaps in support to them. These improvements were more significant in those areas where support providers had already been working together and shared a willingness to develop their cooperation; and less so where there were significant weaknesses in existing support or obstacles to joint working.'
 
Greater Merseyside was one of the six localities identified in the report.
 
For further information and to download copies of the full report and executive summary of the report: http://www.nao.org.uk/publications/0809/building_the_capacity_of_the_t.aspx