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Help and guidance

Our help and guidance content includes step-by-step guides, downloadable templates and interactive tools to help you run your voluntary organisation

Setting up

Learn about the practical steps you need to take to set up your own organisation

  • Setting up

Deciding to set up a new charitable organisation

Access our guidance to help you decide if you should set up a new charity, voluntary organisation or community group

  • Setting up

Choosing your legal structure

What you need to consider when choosing your legal structure and the main characteristics of different legal structures

  • Setting up

Understanding charity status and registration

Find out what charity status is and if you need to register as a charity

  • Setting up

Understanding social enterprise

Find out about social enterprises and their associated legal structures

  • Setting up

A charity's governing document: What it should include

Find out what information should be included in your charity's governing document

  • Setting up

Running a charity

Guidance and tools to help you run your charity or voluntary organisation

  • Employing and managing staff
  • Setting up
  • Closing down

Employing and managing staff

Practical guidance to help you recruit, manage and develop paid members of staff, including a useful introduction to employment law

  • Employing and managing staff

Employing staff essentials

Familiarise yourself with the essential aspects of employing paid members of staff

  • Employing and managing staff

'Every day counts' as charities still wait for government support

  • Coronavirus

Government support for charities – NCVO reaction

At a time of crisis, charities want and need to be able to give their all to supporting people who need it most. They cannot do that if they have to suspend their work or close altogether.

  • Coronavirus

Voluntary sector will shrink following coronavirus

Volunteering rates have remained stable over the last few years. In 2018/19, 22% of people regularly volunteered with a group, club or organisation. While the pandemic is unlikely to influence the overall numbers of people volunteering in the UK, we will

  • Coronavirus
  • Involving volunteers

Dr Priya Singh set to be new chair of NCVO

  • Inside NCVO

NCVO consults staff on restructure proposals

  • Business planning and strategy

New research supports organisations to improve volunteer experience for minority groups

  • Involving volunteers

NCVO announces detailed plans for future offer to members, charities and volunteering

  • Involving volunteers

Statement from Priya Singh, chair, on behalf of the Board of Trustees

  • Equity, diversity and inclusion

Organisational management calendar

A sample management calendar for users to adapt for their own organisations

Risk register

A template risk register is a framework for identifying, assessing and recording the risks that your organisation faces

Role descriptions for trustees

Sample role descriptions for a range of trustee roles

Role description for a chief executive

The management of a charity is delegated to the chief executive. This is a sample role description for a chief executive.

Sub-committee terms of reference

All sub-committees need terms of reference that clearly indicate what's expected of them and who they're accountable to.

CEO report template

It is good practice that the CEO reports to the board on a regular basis, we would recommend this report is written so that trustees have time to digest it and formulate questions.

Sample schemes of delegation

Three samples formats of schemes of delegation for boards. A one stop document for all your delegated duties and ways to monitor them

Charity governance code

This guide explores how to implement a good appraisal process that supports and motivates your CEO to do even better.

Charity governance code guide for micro charities

A guide to applying the principles of the Charity Governance Code, specially adapted for the smallest organisations.

Governance wheel

The governance wheel is a simple tool that helps boards of voluntary organisations quickly get a sense of how well they’re functioning and fulfilling their roles.

Mentoring and coaching skills (0.5 days)

This course provides an introduction to the key differences between mentoring and coaching. You’ll learn how to use both skills effectively to develop and support staff, volunteers and clients

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

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

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

NCVO/Zurich webinar: Developing and embedding effective risk assessments for volunteers

Join us for an essential webinar on creating and embedding effective risk assessments to protect your volunteers and those they support

Financial governance for trustees (0.5 day)

This course will revisit the core financial duties of a charity trustee and explore what it means to practice good financial governance

Strategic leadership (1 day)

This practical one-day course for aspiring and existing charity leaders will elevate your strategic leadership skills, so you can create lasting impact for your organisations and the communities you serve.

Safeguarding essentials in charities (1 day)

All voluntary organisations have a duty to keep the people they work with safe from harm. This course introduces the basics of safeguarding within a charity context in England and highlights effective safeguarding practice

Tools and methods for measuring outcomes (1 day)

Get an introduction to data collection methods and practical guidance for evaluating your work

Better impact reporting (0.5 day)

This practical session will build your awareness of different types of reporting and support you to tell a compelling story through your reporting