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Deciding to close

Important things to consider before deciding to close your voluntary organisation

  • Closing down

Reasons to close

Every voluntary organisation should regularly ask whether it’s still well placed to achieve its goals

Alternatives to closure

If your organisation is still financially viable, you may want to consider alternative options to closure

Factors to consider before closing

Whatever your reasons for considering closure, you’re likely to have legal responsibilities to follow

Planning for closure

Steps you need to take before closing your organisation

  • Closing down

Create a closure plan

Depending on your route to closure and your legal structure, you may have different legal duties and wider responsibilities

Plan your closure communications

Once the decision has been made to close, you’ll need to decide who to inform and how to inform them

Organise your finances for closure

Key financial steps your need to take when closing your organisation

Leading people through closure

Guidance on how to help people through the emotional and practical process of closure

  • Closing down

Supporting your staff and volunteers through closure

Your duty of care to staff, volunteers and beneficiaries should be at the top of any closure plans

Latest findings suggest shift from formal volunteering during pandemic

Latest research showcases a mixed picture on the time and the availability of volunteers. According to the latest results of the Covid-19 Voluntary Sector Impact Barometer, 40% of the 710 respondents have experienced a decrease in the amount of unpaid tim

  • Coronavirus

NCVO predicts better than expected year-end financial position and announces new leadership team

NCVO is predicting better than expected year-end financial results for 2020-21 and has today announced a new leadership team who will work with interim CEO Sarah Vibert and the board of trustees.

  • Inside NCVO

Latest research reveals mixed impact of pandemic on volunteering numbers despite more positive outlook, increased diversity and rise of the digital volunteer

Ahead of the launch of Volunteers’ Week 2021, 1-7 June, new research has revealed a far more mixed impact from the pandemic for charities and volunteer numbers than many headlines have suggested.

  • Coronavirus

Volunteers' week 2021: A time to say thanks to all volunteers during the pandemic

The theme of this year’s Volunteers’ Week is ‘A time to say thanks’. The aim of the week is to encourage recognition of the efforts of people from all walks of life around the UK who took the time to volunteer and make a huge difference to their communiti

  • Involving volunteers

Majority of charities have plans in place to address equality, diversity and inclusion, but impact of pandemic and resources are barriers to increasing diversity

The latest research from the covid-19 voluntary sector impact barometer reveals that while the majority of charities and voluntary sector organisations have drawn up plans to address equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) issues in their workplace

  • Equity, diversity and inclusion

Governance and board update from Priya Singh, chair, on behalf of the board of trustees

Governance and board update from Priya Singh, chair, on behalf of the board of trustees

  • Inside NCVO

NCVO and ACEVO join forces to support charities on flexible working

A new working group to look at the issue of flexible working in the charity sector is being launched by membership bodies NCVO and ACEVO with support from Starfish Search, an executive search firm

  • Employing and managing staff

New survey shows 81% of charities changed how they use digital technology during the pandemic

The latest research from the Covid-19 Voluntary Sector Impact Barometer reveals big changes in how charities and voluntary sector organisations are using digital technology to work and deliver services due to the pandemic.

  • Coronavirus
  • Digital and technology

Safeguarding day-to-day

Understand how to make safeguarding part of your everyday activities and review what you are doing

  • Safeguarding

Getting people involved

Safeguarding works best when everyone is involved. Find out how to make that happen

  • Safeguarding

Choosing staff, volunteers and trustees

When to take checks and other recruitment steps that help keep people safe

  • Safeguarding

Policies and procedures

Find out about the most important documents needed for good safeguarding

  • Safeguarding

Roles and responsibilities

Making sure people take on the right roles and responsibilities to keep people safe

  • Safeguarding

Recognise, respond and report

Preparing staff and volunteers so they’re ready to deal with problems when they happen

  • Safeguarding

Understanding the risks

Identifying the types of harm that people you work with might experience

  • Safeguarding

Safeguarding training

Find training designed for charities, voluntary organisations and community groups

  • Safeguarding

Local and national support

Find organisations that can help you plan and review your safeguarding work

  • Safeguarding

About this guide

Find out who this guide is for and how to use it

  • Safeguarding

Theory of change for strategic planning and evaluation (1 day)

Learn how to create your own theory of change and narrative. This course will challenge you to think critically about what you're doing and why

Supporting good governance (4 x 0.5 days)

This course will help you implement structures and processes to support trustees, and ensure systems are aligned with your organisation’s purpose and objectives

Charity finance skills (1 day)

This course will help people with little or no financial background to feel confident in managing day-to-day charity finance

Equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) in charity governance (2 x 0.5 days)

This course has been created by The Social Justice Collective to help you understand, address and embed equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) into your governance practice

NCVO member welcome and refresher session: July 2025

Being an NCVO member means being part of a community. Whether you've just joined us, or you're renewing your membership and need a refresher, join this session to meet and network with other members online

Charity trustee induction and refresher (2 x 0.5 days)

This course will give trustees an overview and understanding of charity governance, regulation and best practice

All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Charities and Volunteering

A chance to hear from regulators about their plans for the voluntary sector.

Outcomes and impact measurement (1 day)

Learn how to create an evaluation plan to better understand and demonstrate the difference your work makes

Managing conflict and ending volunteering well (0.5 day)

This course will help you to manage conflict and problem solve with your volunteers, and navigate the process of ending volunteering well.

Strategic planning: tools for decision making (1 day)

This course will introduce processes and tools to help ensure that decision-making is responsive to your environment and focused on the most important issues affecting your organisation