NICVA Welcomes New NI Partnership Agreement and UK Civil Society Covenant as Milestones for Sector Collaboration
NICVA has warmly welcomed the launch of two landmark frameworks that reaffirm and strengthen the role of the voluntary and community sector across Northern Ireland and the wider UK.
The Northern Ireland Executive has officially endorsed a new Partnership Agreement between government and the voluntary and community sector. The Agreement was developed through the Joint Forum between Government and the Voluntary and Community Sector, a long-standing cross-sector platform.
The Partnership Agreement renews the commitment to collaborative working, mutual respect, and fair funding. It sets out Fair Funding Principles and ways of working designed to guide effective partnership and ensure that resources are used transparently and with maximum impact.
The Agreement sets out a renewed commitment to collaboration, guided by shared values and a vision for a stronger, more resilient sector - with a focus on accountability, sustainability, and delivering better outcomes for communities. Central to the agreement are Fair Funding principles—long-term, flexible, and transparent funding, with reduced bureaucracy and timely payments.
Launching the Agreement, Communities Minister Gordon Lyons said:
“This Agreement sets the tone for a renewed and productive relationship, one that is rooted in mutual trust, shared values and collaborative working. It reflects our collective commitment to delivering better outcomes for communities across Northern Ireland.”
Karen Smith, Joint Chair of the Joint Forum, added:
Joint Forum Voluntary and Community Sector members are delighted to see the launch of the Partnership Agreement, Fair Funding Principles and ways of working. With full NI Executive endorsement, the shared ambitions in this document will be brought to life in the coming months and years as we work to build inclusive public services for everyone.”
NICVA Chief Executive Celine McStravick also welcomed the development:
"This Agreement is the result of months of close collaboration between government departments and sector representatives through the Joint Forum. It provides a shared roadmap for a more equitable and effective relationship between government and the sector, and we’re proud to have played a key role in helping shape it."
In addition, today the UK Government launched a new Civil Society Covenant — a UK-wide framework aimed at embedding civil society’s role in addressing the country’s most pressing challenges, including healthcare access, child poverty, and community safety.
NICVA welcomes the Covenant’s commitment to respecting the devolved context of Northern Ireland and complementing the structures already in place, such as the new NI Partnership Agreement.
NICVA's Director of Policy and Insight Jonny Currie:
"The launch of the Civil Society Covenant is an important step in recognising the vital role civil society plays across the UK. In a devolved context like Northern Ireland, where community voices are central to local progress and peacebuilding, this commitment to partnership is especially significant. We look forward to ensuring the Covenant is embedded alongside our own partnership structures in Northern Ireland, and supports communities here to thrive.”
You can access the NI Partnership agreement here: Partnership Agreement between Government and the Voluntary and Community Sector in Northern Ireland | Department for Communities and the UK Civil Society Covenant here: Civil Society Covenant - GOV.UK.
