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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

State of the Sector 2024: Reaction and reflections

Our chief executive Sarah Vibert shares her thoughts on key findings from NPC’s new charity sector report

  • Government and politics
  • Equity, diversity and inclusion
  • Responding to crises

The True Cost of Delivering Public Services

A survey of UK charities

  • Government and politics
  • Funding and income

Government policy and funding round-up: March 2024

An update on our influencing work, government policy and funding announcements

  • Government and politics

Update on our work to tackle public services delivery crisis

An update on our work to address the chronic underfunding of public services delivered by charities.

  • Funding and income

Spring budget 2024: What it means for charities

Key points from the budget and analysis of how it will impact the voluntary sector

  • Government and politics
  • Funding and income

Practical support bulletin: March 2024

Resources, events, support and information on the big issues affecting small charities

  • Business planning and strategy
  • Involving volunteers

Impact round-up: March 2024

Our latest impact and evaluation support, guidance and training

  • Impact and evaluation

Volunteering round-up: March 2024

The latest volunteering news, resources and dates for your diary

  • Involving volunteers

The inside track: March 2024

Our latest update on what’s happening in Westminster and how it might impact charities

  • Government and politics

Governance round-up: March 2024

The latest governance news, resources and dates for your diary

  • Governance

Charity Essentials (English version)

An English version of the Charity Essentials tool, which can help you do a basic health check on how your organisation is performing

Charity Essentials (Welsh version)

A Welsh version of the Charity Essentials tool, which can help you do a basic health check on how your organisation is performing

Get started with equity, diversity and inclusion

This page helps you get started in improving your organisations’ approach to equity, diversity and inclusion.

  • Equity, diversity and inclusion

The Equality Act: Your legal duties

Using the Equality Act to understand your legal duties

  • Equity, diversity and inclusion

Respond to discrimination

This page is about how to respond to discrimination occurring in your organisation.

  • Equity, diversity and inclusion

Insurance

Risk management is a vital (and legal) responsibility for charity trustees. This page covers an introduction to the risk management process and the role insurance plays in protecting your organisation.

  • Law and regulation

Charity ethical principles

Principles that support charities to recognise and resolve ethical issues and conflicts, and make charities safer

  • Governance

Explaining governance

Learn about what governance is and how it applies to charities

  • Governance

What is a board?

Learn about what a board is and how it works

  • Governance

Developing a Fundraising Strategy (0.5 day)

Learn how to develop your first fundraising strategy. This course is aimed at small to medium-sized charities looking to grow their fundraising offer.

Data protection essentials (2 x 0.5 days)

This course will take you through the essentials of lawful data processing for charities and help improve your compliance with the law

Successful funding applications (0.5 day)

Learn Practical tips to ensure you are successful in your funding bid applications.

Webinar: charity trading essentials

Explore charity trading and when to consider a trading subsidiary.

Leading external engagement ( 1 day)

This training will teach you how to raise your profile and the profile of your charity. You’ll learn how to improve your external engagement through network-building, collaboration, partnership development and effective communication.

Tools and methods for measuring outcomes (1 day)

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

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

Recruiting volunteers (0.5 day)

This course will develop your skills and help you use a marketing approach to recruit volunteers

Authentic leadership (1 day)

This practical one-day course for aspiring and existing charity leaders will strengthen your understanding of authentic leadership, so you can lead with integrity and impact

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