Our work with the Scottish Government

Evaluation Support Scotland (ESS) receives a grant from the Scottish Government Third Sector Unit (TSU). This contributes to our work to build third sector capactiy to measure its impact, support effective funding relationships and evidence third sector contribution to Scotland’s national outcomes.

Our joint work with the Third Sector Unit includes the following:

• Support for Scottish Government as a funder and Principles for Positive Partnership

• Third Sector contribution to the National Performance Framework (see below)

• Scottish Government Covid-19 learning and evaluation oversight group

• Resources and support to help third sector use their Covid-19 learning

• Facilitating the Third Sector Research Forum

The National Performance Framework – What does it mean for the third sector

A new National Performance Framework was launched in June 2018. It sets out a vision for national wellbeing in Scotland and measures achievement in relation to this. Evaluation Support Scotland (ESS) and the Scottish Government Outcomes and Sustainable Goals Team and Third Sector Unit ran a short session in June 2019 for third sector organisations to explore what the NPF means for the third sector.

Case studies 

We have captured three case studies from different third sector organisations who have used the National Performance Framework (NPF) in their work.

• Befriending Networks provides support, training and guidance to befriending projects across the country. They recently used the NPF when considering applying for new funding.
• The Scottish SPCA has been re-evaluating how it reports on its activities and measures its impact. They used the NPF as a key tool in setting out their 2020 business plan. 
• Scottish Youth Theatre Arts Scotland and its members have been considering how they can collectively improve evidencing the impact of their work on non-arts priorities for Scotland. The NPF provided inspiration for this work.