LES has undertaken a wide range of research to support voluntary and community sector umbrella, infrastructure and individual organisations. This includes:

• the identification and documentation of good practice;
  
• strategic support such as the development of specific standards;
  
• improvements in strategic information to support the sector;
  
• the development and implementation of voluntary and community sector mapping exercises;
  
• the development of online or other voluntary and community sector databases; and
  
• specific support in relation to funding applications on behalf of individual community and voluntary sector organisations or consortia. Successful funding bids LES have supported in the past include those relating to the Drum in Newtown, Birmingham Credit Union Development Agency and Coventry & Nuneaton Regeneration Zone.

Track Record

Audit of Elderly Services within the Birmingham Voluntary Sector

Development of Birmingham voluntary sector intelligence

Review of volunteering standards