The Committee reported on third sector funding principles as part of its pre-budget scrutiny for 2025-26, where it drew on an inquiry into rural poverty undertaken by the Scottish Parliament's Cross-Party Group on Poverty, which found that—
...funders do not necessarily recognise the higher costs associated with delivering services – such as transport and energy costs - into the awards they make to rural projects.Pre-Budget Scrutiny 2025-26: Third sector funding principles
Relatedly, the Committee concluded as part of its pre-budget scrutiny that—
...short-term funding cycles not only create financial instability but also divert significant amounts of time and resources away from the delivery of services.Pre-Budget Scrutiny 2025-26: Third sector funding principles
The ability to use funding flexibly was also discussed by Pedersen et al, who explained that in remote and rural places, being able to provide communication devices such as laptops or mobile phones is essential to alleviating the isolation felt by some victim/survivors.Written submission from Robert Gordon University
They also mentioned food bank vouchers, stating that in Scotland these usually indicate the service that provided them, and that in smaller communities, victim/survivors may feel uncomfortable using vouchers made available by services for people experiencing domestic abuse.