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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

Read the new Code, which sets out principles of good governance for charities.

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

Before you start

How to use NCVO's financial procedures manual template

  • Governance

Five insights about the state of the voluntary sector

Key insights about the state of the voluntary sector from our Civil Society Almanac 2022

  • Equity, diversity and inclusion
  • Responding to crises
  • Funding and income

Volunteering round-up: October 2022

  • Involving volunteers

17,000 members milestone reached in tough financial climate for voluntary sector

Today we publish our annual report and financial accounts for the year ending 31 March 2022.

  • Governance
  • Membership
  • Inside NCVO

Two new directors join NCVO as organisation announces leadership team

Two new directors join NCVO as organisation announces leadership team

  • Inside NCVO

Five reasons why understanding the law helps build safer organisations

  • Safeguarding
  • Governance

Impact round-up: Autumn 2022

In this edition, Sandy Chidley, senior consultant, spotlights opportunities in impact and evaluation and shares useful evaluation resources and training opportunities

  • Impact and evaluation

Ensuring good governance for NCVO and the voluntary sector

How NCVO's independent governance review is helping us live up to our values and the Charity Governance Code we helped create

  • Inside NCVO
  • Governance

Governance round-up: November 2022

  • Governance

Government’s economic plans will widen inequalities in communities

Sarah Vibert, NCVO CEO, responds to the Autumn Statement

  • Responding to crises
  • Government and politics

Two appointments to NCVO’s board of trustees and three key ambitions for the future

Highlights from our 2022 annual general meeting

  • Inside NCVO

Types of DBS check

A comprehensive guide to different types of DBS checks

  • Safeguarding

Deciding which checks to carry out

Different roles will require different checks. This page explores what checks you might need to run

  • Safeguarding

Help and support with requesting DBS checks

How to request and process DBS checks

  • Safeguarding

Checks for people working overseas

Guidance on what checks you need to complete for people working overseas

  • Safeguarding

Checks for trustees

Guidance on additional information you need to consider when carrying out DBS checks for trustees

  • Safeguarding

Keeping information safe

Steps you need to take to keep data safe once DBS checks have been carried out

  • Safeguarding

When someone has a criminal record

Guidance on what to do if a staff member or volunteer has a criminal record

  • Safeguarding

What you need to know about whistleblowing

Find out about whistleblowing, and the policies your organisation should have in place.

  • Safeguarding

Deciding to whistleblow

Questions you might ask yourself if you're thinking of raising a concern.

  • Safeguarding

Challenges and issues in whistleblowing

Find out about different types of concerns and ways they can be reported.

  • Safeguarding

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

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

Project management in the voluntary sector (2 days)

This practical course is specifically tailored to the voluntary sector. It’s designed to give you all the principles and practical tools you need to plan, deliver and evaluate your project successfully

Designated safeguarding leads in charities (1 day)

This one-day training course provides an overview of the roles and responsibilities of safeguarding leads in charities in England

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

APPG on Charities and Volunteering: local partnership working

Join us for a discussion on the future of partnership working between local government and civil society.

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

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

Outcomes and impact measurement (1 day)

Learn how to create an evaluation plan to better understand and demonstrate the difference your work makes

Strategic planning: tools for decision making (1 day)

This course will introduce processes and tools to help ensure that decision-making is responsive to your environment and focused on the most important issues affecting your organisation