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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

Our equity, diversity and inclusion work: Proceeding at the pace of trust

  • Inside NCVO
  • Equity, diversity and inclusion

Volunteering round-up: February 2023

NCVO’s senior policy and influencing advisor Catherine Goodall shares recent updates and upcoming dates for your diary

  • Involving volunteers

Governance round-up: February 2023

Our round-up for trustees and governance professionals, with useful sector updates, training courses and guidance

  • Governance

Five tips for managing costs with the new Energy Bills Discount Scheme

Advice on what the Energy Bills Discount Scheme means for charities and tips on how to cope with rising costs

  • Responding to crises

Exploring approaches to age friendly inclusive volunteering

Susannah Hodge, training and regional support manager at the Third Age Trust, shares learning and reflections from NCVO's age inclusive volunteering project

  • Involving volunteers

The inside track: February 2023

Our latest update on what’s happening in Westminster. This month sees the creation of new government departments and a big change at the top of Scottish politics

  • Government and politics

Governance round-up: March 2023

With many of us approaching the end of our financial year, senior governance consultant Sally Stephens shares guidance for completing your annual return

  • Governance

Is this what a voluntary sector CEO looks like?

To mark International Women’s Day 2023, our chief executive Sarah Vibert reflects on what changes are needed to encourage more women into leadership positions in the voluntary sector

  • Equity, diversity and inclusion

Charities urge chancellor to provide cost of living support

Organisations have united ahead of next week’s spring budget to call on the chancellor to provide urgent support

  • Responding to crises

Government policy and funding round-up: March 2023

The latest government policy and funding announcements and updates on our influencing work

  • Government and politics
  • Funding and income

Emergency leave for dependants

A sample emergency leave for dependants policy, designed for small charities and voluntary organisations

Equity, diversity and inclusion

A sample equity, diversity and inclusion policy, designed for small charities and voluntary organisations

Expenses

A guide to help you develop an expenses policy for your organisation

Family leave

A sample family leave policy, designed for small charities and voluntary organisations

Flexible working

A sample flexible working policy, designed for small charities and voluntary organisations

Grievance

A sample grievance procedure, designed for small charities and voluntary organisations

Information technology

A guide to help you develop an information technology policy for your organisation

Maternity leave

A sample maternity leave policy, designed for small charities and voluntary organisations

Paternity leave

A sample paternity leave policy, designed for small charities and voluntary organisations

Pay

A sample pay policy, designed for small charities and voluntary organisations

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

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.

Managing people in the charity sector (2 days)

This course will equip managers in the voluntary sector with the skills and techniques they need to effectively manage paid members of staff

Advanced data protection (2 x 0.5 days)

This advanced course is specifically for data protection leads or officers in charitable organisations.

Good practice in volunteer management (1 day)

This course provides an introduction to the key principles of good volunteer management and how to apply them in your organisation

Governance Forum

Our Governance Forum is a space for charity governance professionals and those who support good governance to come together, learn and network

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

Charity finance strategy (1 day)

This course will give you an overview of how to build a simple finance strategy. We’ll introduce tools to help you build the financial resilience of your charity

Data protection essentials (2 x 0.5 days)

This essentials course is suitable for anyone within an organisation that handles the personal data of staff, service users, beneficiaries, volunteers, customers, members or supporters, and needs to know the basics of data protection for voluntary organisations.

Safeguarding essentials for trustees (0.5 day)

This introductory course explains the key trustee responsibilities for safeguarding, following guidance from the Charity Commission