The launch of the Edinburgh University hub of the ESRC Research Centre for Charitable Giving and Philanthropy (CCGP) in Edinburgh has featured a timely seminar on the impact recession will have on the third sector.

The launch was preceded by a seminar organised by the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations, the Scottish Government and the ESRC that discussed the impact of the economic downturn upon the voluntary sector.

Professor Stephen Osbourne, director of the new centre, said at the launch: “There is a concern about the potential impact of the economic crisis on charities …. The centre will help develop the first comprehensive understanding of charitable giving in Scotland and the UK as a whole."

The Edinburgh University centre is one of three hubs of the CCGP, launched last year. Working with City University London, the University's research will focus on 'charitable foundations and philanthropic partnerships'.

The centre is funded by the Scottish Government, the Office of the Third Sector in the Cabinet Office, the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) and Carnegie UK Trust.