Smaller charities in Gloucestershire should be supported more by the county's councils when they apply for grants.
Gloucestershire Association for Voluntary and Community Action wants councils to see smaller charities' unique strengths and community knowledge when awarding contracts.
It says that it has received feedback from several county charities which shows a trend towards larger contracts being awarded to national charities, to the detriment of smaller groups.
They hope commissioners will place greater emphasis on social value, rather than appointing the supplier that appears to offer best financial value.
Chief executive Sally Pickering said: "We understand it's very difficult for commissioners at a time when their budgets are stretched. However there is a risk that national service providers may not have the local knowledge and understanding of the local context that smaller, local providers have, which is often based on many years of involvement in communities."
"A thriving local voluntary sector helps to build strong local communities and you can't put a price on that."
