Stronger together? Voluntary sector alliances as meta-organisations

Collective action between voluntary organisations, in strategic alliances, forums or assemblies, is often overlooked in research on the voluntary sector. This article explores evidence of alliance building from two studies of local voluntary action in England. The findings demonstrate that voluntary sector assemblies can increase influence with statutory bodies and improve relationships within the local voluntary sector, overcoming fragmentation fuelled by competition for limited funding opportunities. The article makes both a theoretical and practical contribution. It argues that alliances can be usefully conceptualised as meta-organisations and explores how the findings can be interpreted and applied to improve understanding of the voluntary sector and provide learning to enhance the effectiveness of voluntary sector assemblies.