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About collaborative working

An introduction to working with other organisations, including getting started and key stages

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Key stages of collaboration

Learn about the key stages of collaboration and what they mean for your organisation

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What is collaborative working?

Collaborative working, also known as joint or partnership working, covers a variety of ways that two or more organisations can work together

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Benefits and risks of collaborative working

Decide whether collaboration will help you achieve your aims by learning about the potential benefits and risks

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Should you collaborate?

A checklist of questions to help you decide whether to work collaboratively on a given project.

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Top tips for collaboration

Tips to help voluntary organisations collaborate effectively with the right partners

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The collaboration spectrum

This page explains the different ways that voluntary organisations may collaborate in order to bid for and deliver a commissioned contract

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Ways of working collaboratively

Different ways of working collaboratively with other organisations

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Partnerships

Guidance to help you decide whether working in partnership is right for your organisation

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Campaigning in collaboration

Guidance to help voluntary organisations collaborate on campaigns

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Time to flex: Embracing flexible working

  • Employing and managing staff
  • Equity, diversity and inclusion

The Road Ahead 2022

  • Coronavirus
  • Responding to crises
  • Government and politics

UK Civil Society Almanac 2021

  • Government and politics
  • Involving volunteers

Levelling up: The role of charities and volunteering

  • Government and politics
  • Involving volunteers

Charities Bill: Lords Second Reading

  • Government and politics

Where power lies: How lived experience is engaged in voluntary sector governance and decision-making

  • Equity, diversity and inclusion
  • Governance

Rebalancing the Relationship: Final report

  • Employing and managing staff
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Rebalancing the relationship: emerging findings and draft recommendations

  • Employing and managing staff
  • Collaboration

The Road Ahead 2021

  • Funding and income
  • Coronavirus
  • Responding to crises

Time Well Spent: Diversity and volunteering

  • Equity, diversity and inclusion
  • Involving volunteers

About mergers

Information on the types of charity mergers and the different reasons for merging

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Deciding to merge

This page highlights key questions to think about before making the decision to merge

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Due diligence

Actions to ensure a planned merger is in the best interests of your organisations and beneficiaries

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Pre-merger: Areas of focus

Things to consider in the run-up to a formal merger

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Merger process

Planning the process with stakeholders and making sure you are clear about the role of your organisation’s regulator is key

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Actions post-merger

What to consider once your merger has completed

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Working with local Compacts

A guide to implementing local Compact agreements between voluntary organisations and local authorities, health services, and government departments

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Coproduction and service user involvement

How to involve people who use services in the design and delivery of services

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Joint working agreements explained

What to consider when setting up a joint working agreement

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Joint working agreement checklist

A checklist to help you develop a joint working agreement

Small Charity Week 2025 Webinar: Top tips to create an effective fundraising strategy

This free webinar as part of Small Charity Week 2025, will give small charity leaders practical tips to develop and deliver a successful fundraising strategy to ensure the resilience and sustainability of their charity.

Trust fundraising in a challenging climate: Over to you

We know that increased competition for funding, shifting priorities among funders, and economic uncertainty are making trust fundraising more challenging for charities. It’s more important than ever to understand the evolving funding landscape and adapt your approach. This free event is an opportunity to network with other NCVO members in facilitated discussions. Share experiences and challenges, work through solutions together, develop new relationships and learn from your peers.

Leading a thriving organisational culture (1 Day)

This training provides you with the insights, tools, and confidence to evaluate and strengthen your organisation’s culture providing a strong foundation for success.

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

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 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

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.