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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

National volunteering forum: Vision for Volunteering

  • Involving volunteers
  • Collaboration

Charities have a vital role in supporting those arriving from Ukraine

  • Responding to crises
  • Government and politics

The inside track: May 2022

  • Government and politics
  • Law and regulation

Join our powerful journey: Power & integrity launch

  • Equity, diversity and inclusion
  • Safeguarding
  • Governance

Impact round-up: May 2022

  • Impact and evaluation

Queen's speech: What it means for the voluntary sector

  • Government and politics

Why age friendly inclusive volunteering?

  • Involving volunteers

Volunteering round-up: April 2022

  • Involving volunteers

Governance round-up: April 2022

  • Governance
  • Law and regulation

Government policy and funding round-up: April 2022

  • Funding and income
  • Government and politics
  • Governance

What digital skills do charities need?

This page covers the range of digital skills, when they are useful, and how to check for basic and essential skills.

  • Digital and technology

Understanding the digital skills you have

Use this page to understand which digital skills your organisation needs to work on first. And how to find out about digital skills among staff, volunteers and other colleagues.

  • Digital and technology

Closing your charity’s digital skills gap

There are plenty of resources out there to help grow digital skills, whatever your budget.

  • Digital and technology

10 tips for running a digital skills programme

Use these 10 tips to make running a digital skills programme feel manageable. It will help you create a programme that’s engaging and inclusive.

  • Digital and technology

How to carry out a digital skills survey

Run a survey to measure your charity, organisation or community group's level of digital skill

  • Digital and technology

Convincing senior leaders and trustees to get involved in digital change

Convince your charity, organisation or community group's leaders to support digital change

Tackling barriers to digital change for staff and volunteers

Help your organisation's staff and volunteers to engage with digital change

  • Digital and technology

Finding software discounts safely

Find out about charity software discounts to help your organisation use technology

  • Digital and technology

Finding comparisons of software and digital tools

Find some comparisons of software and digital tools used by charities, organisations or community groups

  • Digital and technology

Comparing DIY website-building tools

There are lots of online website builders. Use this comparison page to find the best one for your organisation. You won’t need to learn coding or language programming.

  • Digital and technology

Safeguarding essentials for trustees (0.5 day)

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

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

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

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

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

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