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Tools and guidance

Tools and good-practice guidance to help you review, run and improve your board, compiled by NCVO's governance experts

  • Governance

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.

Strategic planning

Information and tools on strategic planning.

Trustee recruitment pack for small organisations

Six steps to follow when recruiting trustees and nine editable documents to aid your recruitment

Trustee skills audit

A skills audit is a useful way of identifying what trustees bring, and the gaps in skills and knowledge on your board. It can be useful when you’re looking to recruit new trustees.

Individual trustee self reflection

Self reflection is an important part of your professional development and will help you to do your role effectively.

Individual trustee performance reviews

Guidance on conducting individual trustee performance reviews

  • Governance

Financial procedures manual

Templates and guidance for creating a financial procedures manual that will provide a framework for managing your organisation's finances.

  • Governance

ACEVO and NCVO joint statement on announcement of Orlando Fraser as preferred candidate for next Charity Commission chair

ACEVO and NCVO today release a joint statement following announcement of Orlando Fraser as preferred candidate for the next chair of the Charity Commission.

  • Government and politics

NCVO announce Sarah Vibert as CEO

  • Inside NCVO

FSI and NCVO partnership becomes new home of small charities coalition helpdesk

Today the Small Charities Coalition (SCC) announced that the FSI (the Foundation for Social Improvement) and NCVO (National Council for Voluntary Organisations) have come together to secure the SCC Helpdesk and other key services.

  • Collaboration

Respond, recover, reset: 18 months of real-time research reveals how the charity sector changed through the pandemic

Two years ago the UK went into its first national lockdown, the final report of the Charity Covid-19 Impact Barometer survey project, led by Nottingham Trent University, with Sheffield Hallam University and the National Council for Voluntary Organisations

  • Coronavirus
  • Responding to crises

NCVO and centre for ageing better partner to increase age-friendly inclusive volunteering in england

NCVO has announced today that it will partner with the Centre for Ageing Better to support its efforts to increase age-friendly inclusive volunteering in England.

  • Collaboration

#VounteersWeek 2022: A time to say thanks

With just two months to go until Volunteers’ Week 2022, taking place 1-7 June, the organisers have shared the news that the theme for this year’s week-long celebration is ‘A time to say thanks’.

  • Involving volunteers

NCVO hosting new initiative examining how understanding power can enable voluntsary organisations to embody integrity

NCVO has announced that it is hosting a new initiative called Power & Integrity (PI) – launching today – which aims to enable more coherent, integrated and impactful approaches to organisational integrity in the voluntary sector.

Funding Central has closed

NCVO’s funding database, Funding Central, is now closed. Browse alternative resources and guidance

  • Funding and income

Transfer of Trusted Charity standard delivery to the Growth Company

NCVO has transferred the delivery of the Trusted Charity standard to our Trusted Supplier the Growth Company

  • Involving volunteers

VCQA update in 2022 and beyond

Following a strategic review, NCVO has taken the difficult decision to stop providing VCQA. We are delighted to announce that we will transfer ownership rights of VCQA to the National Association for Voluntary and Community Action (NAVCA) from 1 January.

  • Involving volunteers

Service Directory

Our Service Directory connect members with specialists who can save our members time and money. Each specialist has experience working with charities and voluntary organisations.

  • Finance
  • HR and recruitment
  • IT and data protection

What is divestment?

Learn about what divestment is and the aims and impacts of divesting from fossil fuels

  • Campaigning

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

Introduction to employment law

Understand your core legal responsibilities to your employees

  • Employing and managing staff

Understanding employment law

A short summary of your general legal obligations to paid members of staff

  • Employing and managing staff

Conditions of employment

A quick introduction to employment law on the conditions of employment

  • Employing and managing staff

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

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.

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

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

Recruiting volunteers (0.5 day)

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

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

Advanced project management (1 day)

Are you confident in your general project management skills but looking to strengthen your expertise? This course moves beyond the basics of project management to better understand techniques, activities and principles within a charity context.

Leading change and transformation (2 days)

This practical two-day course for aspiring and existing charity leaders will teach you how to adapt to an ever-changing environment. Learn how to successfully deliver meaningful change to improve your team or organisation