DFID cuts development awareness projects

Posted: 19 May 2010

A special bulletin from the DEA this week highlighted that the DFID Secretary of State, Andrew Mitchell on 17 May announced an "immediate freeze on new funding for 'awareness projects'". According to DFID's press release, five existing projects will be stopped at once, and all other UK-based projects will be urgently reviewed.

Projects to be cancelled immediately are:

• £146,000 to Arcola Theatre Production Company for a Brazilian-style dance troupe with percussion in Hackney to explore global citizenship;
• £55,000 to Green Belt to run stalls at summer music festivals;
• £120,000 to ScotDec to train nursery school teachers about global issues;
• £130,000 to RISC for a 'Global Gardens Schools Network';
• £140,000 to Cumbria DEC to train outdoor education tutors in Britain on development.

DFID has also suspended its new Global Development Engagement Fund which was to launch later in the year to replace the mini grants and development awareness funds with funding for education work outside of schools.

Andrew Mitchell said projects will be tested to ensure they are providing maximum value for money, with a halt on funding for any project that fails to meet tough results-based criteria. He said:

"There is a legitimate role for development education in the UK but I do not believe these projects give the taxpayer value for money.

At this difficult economic time, it is crucial that our money is spent where it makes the most difference. Today I send a clear signal: value for money will be our top priority for aid."

It is not clear from the press release what further cuts, if any will be made, including of the new Global Learning Projects in England and other parts of the UK, or of DAF grants which were approved in the recent round. It is also unclear what criteria the current projects which have been cut have been selected on.

DEA is requesting an urgent meeting with the Secretary of State to voice concern about the process which has led to these cuts and the criteria used to make judgements. DEA recommends that any project immediately impacted on by today's announcement write to their local MP and ask him or her to write to Andrew Mitchell in support of them and point out the extent of local services lost for local children and the extent of local job losses.

Other members may wish to write to DFID to voice their concern about the signal that these cuts send about the new government's commitment to development education and global learning, and to reiterate why this is an important agenda and how it links back to DFID's overall commitment to international poverty reduction. If you do write to DFID, please send a copy of your letter to DEA so they know the level of response.

The DFID press release is available to read here:dfid.gov.uk/Media-Room/News-Stories/2010/Mitchell-Immediate-freeze-on-DFID-UK-based-awareness-projects