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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

Saskia Konynenburg appointed Interim Chief Executive of NCVO

  • Governance
  • Leadership

Civil Society Covenant launched to reset partnership with government

  • Campaigning
  • Government and politics

Help shape new public procurement rules for charities

  • Government and politics
  • Funding and income

How we help charities build confidence in evaluation

Many charities want to evaluate their impact but lack time or confidence. This blog shares how we support practical, sustainable approaches to self-evaluation.

  • Business planning and strategy
  • Impact and evaluation

Kate Lee OBE appointed new chief executive

NCVO announces the appointment of Kate Lee OBE as its new chief executive, joining at a crucial moment for the voluntary sector.

  • Leadership
  • Governance

Manchester attacks: a statement

A statement from Kate Lee OBE, our chief executive, on the recent attacks in Manchester.

  • Responding to crises

Support for charities in divided times

We know from speaking to our members about the increased need for sector support and solidarity in times of division and racial hatred.

  • Responding to crises

New treasurer and trustee confirmed at 2025 AGM

Members came together for our 2025 AGM to reflect on the past year, hear from our leadership team, and welcome our new treasurer and chief executive.

  • Governance
  • Inside NCVO

Refreshed Charity Governance Code strengthens focus on behaviours and inclusion

A refreshed Charity Governance Code gives clearer guidance for charity boards on leadership, decision making and inclusion.

  • Equity, diversity and inclusion
  • Governance

Charity governance is getting stronger, yet culture gaps persist

Our latest Governance in Focus report reveals that charity boards are improving how they govern but still have work to do on inclusion and culture.

  • Equity, diversity and inclusion
  • Governance

You own land or property

You have intellectual property

You have waste

Your organisation has insurance

You have contractual liabilities

You employ staff

You involve volunteers

You deliver services to people at risk of harm

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

Communicating effectively with your bank

Learn how to confidently raise an issue or concern with your bank.

Successful funding applications (0.5 day)

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

Governance Forum

A space for charity governance professionals to come together, learn and network

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

Tools and methods for measuring outcomes (1 day)

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

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

Boost your personal influence and impact (0.5 day)

Learn practical tools and techniques to increase your capability, confidence and impact when seeking to influence others – both within and outside your organisation

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