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By [Insert name of infrastructure organisation]

This questionnaire is part of a comprehensive survey of organisations in our sector [specify sector]. It will provide invaluable information on strengths and good practice and on areas of need, vulnerability and change, enabling us and others to target support and seek additional resources for the sector. It includes questions about your organisation, cross-sector working, how you are being affected by the external environment and the main issues and changes for your beneficiaries or cause. Please return your completed survey to [return details if not using an online survey tool (e.g.

1. Overall picture
What are the main issues faced by your organisation at the moment?

What new issues are being faced or are on the horizon for your cause or beneficiaries?

2. Your organisation
Income We aim to ensure that the organisations we work with and the sector as a whole have sustainable income. Which of the following best fits your organisation at the moment? We just go from one funding crisis to the next Income is a problem but we are starting to improve things We are getting better at income generation but have a long way to go Income is good enough but we need to improve in some areas Our income is robust and we have the skills and relationships we need Other:

with and the sector as a whole have a clear strategy and use it to guide their work. Which of the following best fits your organisation at the moment? We have no meaningful strategy and just go from one day to the next We need to be more strategic and are starting to tackle this We are getting better at understanding needs and planning but there is a long way to go before we are really strategic We have a strategy linked to our mission and a good understanding of needs but there are some real gaps We are strategic and flexible in meeting needs in line with our mission

Please add any comments on income, particularly the main issues you face and suggestions of where we can better support your organisation and/or the sector as a whole: Strategy We aim to ensure that the organisations we work

Please add any comments on strategy, particularly the main issues you face and suggestions of where we could support your organisation and/or the sector as a whole:

Creating impact We aim to ensure that the organisations we work with and the sector as a whole have what they need to make a difference for their beneficiaries and create maximum impact. Which of the following best fits your organisation at the moment? Our work is not very effective but were not really thinking about this We are concerned that we could be more effective and are starting to do something about this We are changing our practices to become more effective but there has been resistance and/or take up is patchy We are mostly creating a positive impact but there are some areas where we could do much better We use good practice across everything we do and have a very positive impact for our beneficiaries Please add any comments on the impact of your organisation, particularly the main issues you face and suggestions of where we could support your organisation and/or the sector as a whole:

and innovation. To what extent does your organisation do the following? Always/a lot Use evaluation forms and other monitoring of its activities Collate feedback from evaluation and monitoring forms Reflect on the findings from monitoring and evaluation Feed what is learnt into improving what you do Try new ways of doing what you do better Take calculated risks and encourage innovation internally Evaluate innovations and learn from them Please add any comments on your perception of your organisation as learning and innovative, the main issues you face and any ways in which we could encourage and facilitate greater learning: Some/it varies Very little or none

Learning We aim to ensure that the organisations we work with are learning organisations and that across the sector there is a culture and practice of learning

Leadership and governance We aim to ensure that the organisations we work with and the sector as a whole have good governance. Do you have enough people on your board or management committee? No, we usually have vacancies Just about - with one or two vacancies Yes, any vacancies are quickly filled Which of the following best describes your board or management committee? People dont come to meetings or dont know their roles Governance is not working well enough but we are finding ways to improve Things are getting better but there is a long way to go Governance is mostly good enough with some areas where improvement is needed Our board/management committee is taking the organisation forward, working well together and ensures good governance Other: Please add any comments on governance and leadership in your organisation, the main issues

you face and any ways in which we could support better governance and leadership both within your organisation and across the sector:

skills are lacking Yes, all people have the skills they need Other:

People On a scale of 1-5, is your organisation a good place to work and volunteer, where at 5 people are motivated, feel valued and have good supervision and appraisal? 1 2 3 4 5

Please add any comments on people and skills, particularly any areas where there are skills shortages in your organisation or across the sector as a whole and suggestions of how we can help increase skills across the sector:

What is the level of each of the following? Staff sickness and absence: Staff turnover: Disciplinary or grievance procedures: We aim to ensure that across the sector people have the skills they need to do their jobs. Do your staff and managers have the skills they need for the jobs they do? No, skills development is an issue for us Some do and some dont it varies Yes, mostly, but there are one or two areas where 8

Managing resources We aim to ensure that the organisations we work with and the sector as a whole use resources effectively, including collaboration and sharing of functions where appropriate. On a scale of 1-5 would you say your organisation manages time, money, people and other resources efficiently, where 5 is highly efficient? 1 2 3 4 5

all of their stakeholders including beneficiaries, funders and policy makers. This includes influencing policy discussions, through lobbying and responding to consultations. Which of the following best describe your organisation at the moment in relation to influencing your external environment? We dont really think about our communications We mostly just communicate with one audience and we dont get involved in influencing but are trying to do more We have some clear messages we are aiming to communicate and we respond to some consultations Our communications are good and we have had some success in influencing policy We have clear messages that we communicate in a dynamic way and have a clear effect on their intended audience Other: Please add any examples of successful influencing by your organisation, either working alone or with others:

well and any suggestions of where we could support your organisation and/or the sector as a whole:

Does your organisation collaborate with other organisations, for instance through joint projects or sharing back-office or HR functions? No Yes to some extent Yes, a lot Please add any comments on use of resources; particularly the main issues you face and any suggestions of where we could provide support to your organisation and/or the sector as a whole:

Communications We aim to enable individual organisations and the sector as a whole to communicate effectively with

Please add any comments on influencing, particularly the main challenges you face in doing it 9

3. Sector-wide resources and support

The following questions are about whether you have access to the resources, information and support you need and the extent to which organisations work together across your sector. Are there qualifications for frontline workers so that you can ensure a minimum level of skills and knowledge? Yes, sufficient qualifications Yes, some but not enough No Dont know Is there good knowledge and understanding of the needs of your beneficiaries? Yes, good understanding Yes, some understanding No Dont know Is there robust evidence of what works, to inform service planning and delivery and to help make the case for funding? Yes, good evidence Yes, some No Dont know

Are there recognised and suitable quality standards which provide clarity about what constitutes a quality service or project? Yes Yes to some extent No Dont know Are there suitable outcome tools which enable you to measure evidence of your achievements? Yes, good and accessible tools Yes, but not quite right No Dont know Is funding available to support research or innovation? Yes, good funding Yes, a bit No Dont know Is there support available for good practice in governance? Yes, good support Yes, some support No Dont know Are there courses, bursaries or other support to support managers and leaders to develop? Yes a lot

Yes, a few No Dont know Does your organisation have access to the following services in a way that is appropriate to your work and meets your needs? Recruitment services Support for merger Legal and accounting services Management consultancy Other necessary services: Are there any sector-level resources that you think work particularly well, and are there any that you think dont work, or are missing?

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4. Cross-sector working
Please indicate whether you agree or disagree with the following statements: Within this sector there is: A high level of collaboration between organisations on a range of areas Networks and working groups bringing organisations together regularly A strong voice with high level of agreement when necessary A healthy approach to competition that does not undermine collaboration Please describe your view and experience of cross-sector working, including any room for improvement and what more you think is needed: Strongly agree Agree Neutral/ dont know Disagree

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5. The external environment

Other than your beneficiaries, which elements of your external environment have the biggest effect on your organisation? (For instance, local authority, health agencies, members of the public, businesses, trusts and foundations etc.): Please indicate what impact the following have on your organisation and your ability to achieve your mission:

Positive impact The local authority (all or one department) Central government Health agencies (e.g. Trusts, GP commissioners) Business Members of the public Trusts and Foundations Other
Please give reasons for your responses:

Mixed impact

Negative No impact impact

What (more) could we do to help improve the context within which you operate?

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6. Feedback on our work and impact

Have you had direct contact with us or experience of our work? (tick all which apply) Yes, we have received one to one support Yes, we have used your resources and/or attended training events Yes, we have engaged in consultations, lobbying groups or other activities designed to influence the external environment Yes, we have used other services to those above No, none of the above If your organisation has received direct support from us please indicate whether that has that helped in the following areas:

Area of capacity Income Strategy Creating impact Learning Governance People and skills Use of resources Communications other

Yes, a lot

Yes, a bit

No, no change

Not supported in this area

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Please describe any ways in which our work has made a difference to your organisation:

covered above:

Does your organisation get help from any other support and development agencies? If so, which and how have they helped?

Thank you for taking the time to respond to this survey. Your answers will be treated in confidence and used alongside others to inform the development of our work.

What difference do you think it would it make if we did not exist as a support agency?

In what ways could we be more useful to you?

Closing comments: Please use the space below to add anything not

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