Practical support bulletin: July 2023
Small charity support manager Amy Walton shares resources, free events, support and information on the big issues affecting small charities.
Latest support for small charities
We talk to small charities every day through our four pillars of support as we continue the legacy of the Small Charities Coalition (SCC) and the Foundation for Social Improvement (the FSI).
Small Charity Week webinars
We ran two free advice webinars during Small Charity Week. As one small charity attendee said, ‘[it] helped me to re-find my passion for my charity.’
You can watch recordings of both webinars on our YouTube channel.
- Maximise your small charity’s fundraising potential
- Workforce challenges facing small charities: what next?
You can also catch up on Small Charity Week events on their website. Don’t forget to fill in the short survey and let us know what you thought.
Support from other organisations
- The Chartered Institute of Fundraising is offering free membership for small charities with a voluntary income of under £50,000. Members can access networking and professional development opportunities, advice, conferences and events.
- Lloyds Bank Foundation is awarding flexible grants of £100,000 over two years to support impactful collaborations led by small and local charities. Apply by 22 September.
Closing your organisation well
The cost of living crisis has already threatened the future of hundreds of smaller organisations. Sadly, we expect to see more closures over the months and years ahead.
This week we held a webinar with Stewarding Loss, our legal partners Withers LLP, and Year Here, a small social impact organisation that recently closed.
We tackled the legal and practical elements to consider as you approach the end of an organisation. We also explored how to approach conversations about closure with care and compassion.
Watch the recording of our closing well webinar
Our newly refreshed help and guidance can help you to navigate the complexities of closure. Take a look at our pages on:
You can also find cost of living support and guidance.
Fuelling Positive Change
Last week we launched Fuelling Positive Change. Fuelling Positive Change is a new campaign to help charities tackle the climate crisis through their finances.
As the heart of their communities, small charities will play a crucial role in the campaign. By committing not to invest in fossil fuels, small charities add a vital voice to help apply pressure on the fossil fuel industry.
Our website has helpful information and practical step-by-step guidance on how your organisation can get involved.
Involving volunteers
Time Well Spent 2023
Our new Time Well Spent report gives the full rundown of our latest research findings on the experiences of volunteers. The research is based on a national survey of over 7,000 adults across Great Britain.
- Read our at-a-glance summary.
- Watch a quick video of our five key findings.
- Catch up on our launch event.
- Join in the conversation on Twitter via the #TimeWellSpent2023 hashtag.
Volunteering help and guidance
Our practical step by step guidance can help you manage volunteers and the process of volunteering.
Take a look at our newly refreshed pages on:
Funding and income
Find a government grant
Struggling to navigate government grant opportunities? The government’s new Find a Grant digital service aims to make it simpler, faster, fairer and free to apply for government grants.
Over 200 schemes worth over £5.3bn have already been advertised. Soon all eligible government grants will be advertised here.
Get weekly updates about new grants
Read funder reviews
GrantAdvisor UK allows grant applicants to share their first-hand experiences of funders by responding anonymously to a set of questions.
Incubated by CAST, in partnership with the Minnesota Council of Nonprofits, it’s now open to reviews of any UK funder. Funders are also encouraged to register to help refine their systems and processes in line with applicants’ needs.
Visit the GrantAdvisor website
Get support with fundraising
LimeGreen Consulting is a proud member of the Small Charity Friendly Collective. They specialise in working with ambitious small charities and social enterprises.
LimeGreen works with organisations trying to achieve a step-change in their strategic development, fundraising or broader income generation. They offer free drop-in sessions to discuss any funding questions you may have.
Book a fundraising drop-in slot
Learn more about funding trends
Enthuse’s Donor Pulse Summer Report shares new funding trends in the sector. These include ‘inverse giving,’ as well as tracking patterns in donor sentiment, online giving and regular giving behaviour.
The report can help you prepare your fundraising strategy.
Events and training
Effective risk management for charities in 2023
13 September, 14:00–15:00
All charities face risk. It could be the risk of losing money, injuring clients, bad publicity, or losing key staff or volunteers.
Join this free webinar with experts from Zurich Insurance to gain insight into effective risk management.
Book your place at the risk management webinar
Flexible working in frontline roles
21 September, 11:00 – 12:00
Delivered in partnership with Timewise, this free webinar will explore ways to implement flexible working for staff who deliver frontline services.
We’ll dispel the myths about flexible working and share examples of how you can provide a range of flexible working options for everyone.
Book your place at the flexible working webinar
Upcoming training courses
We’ve developed an extensive programme of expert-led training on the practical aspects of running a charity. Our training ranges from governance to volunteer management and fundraising.
Smaller organisations pay less for training and NCVO members receive a 30% discount.
