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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

Volunteering round-up: November 2022

  • Involving volunteers

Call for continuing energy bill support for voluntary organisations

Charities hit hardest by spiralling energy costs are facing a cliff edge of support unless the government continues subsidising bills past March 2023

  • Government and politics

The inside track: November 2022

Our latest update on what’s happening in Westminster that might impact charities. This month sees a new government, with plenty for charities to think about.

  • Government and politics

Five ways to support your staff during the cost of living crisis

Five ways you can support staff through the cost of living crisis when resources are limited

  • Responding to crises

Government policy and funding round-up: December 2022

This round-up will help you to stay informed about our influencing work, and any government policy and funding announcements. For news related to what’s happening in parliament, see our regular inside track round-up.

  • Government and politics
  • Funding and income

Governance round-up: December 2022

NCVO's senior consultancy and training manager Dan Francis reflects on how the events of 2022 have shaped charity governance

  • Governance

Volunteers responding to crises

What we learned during the National Volunteering Forum, along with examples of actions you can take in response to the volunteering challenges facing the sector

  • Responding to crises

New Year message from NCVO's chief executive

As we enter the new year, read our advice for how to prepare for the challenges the sector is facing.

  • Government and politics
  • Responding to crises

Call for a long-term solution to the energy crisis

We’ve called for an urgent review into who's included in the government’s new energy discount scheme. We’re also calling for work to begin on a long-term support plan for the voluntary sector

  • Responding to crises

Governance round-up: January 2023

As we begin a new year, governance consultant Sally Stephens looks ahead to the big stories for 2023

  • Governance

Dealing with unconscious bias

Tackle one of the biggest obstacles we face when creating digital content, software and services

Planning user research

Use this page to learn about how to plan user research. The first step in planning any successful digital project is to explore what people need. Here are some methods to help you do that well.

  • Digital and technology

Asking good user research interview questions

Use this page to ask the right kind of questions when you're planning user research interviews

  • Digital and technology

Best practice and legal compliance for consent and data storage

  • Digital and technology

Note taking and making sense of your research

  • Digital and technology

Before you start a new website project

Use this page to help you work out if your website needs replacing and how to go about doing it

  • Digital and technology

Building your own website or getting a specialist

Use this page for information on building your own website or getting someone to help.

  • Digital and technology

Creating and sharing useful eLearning

Understand eLearning and decide if you need a learning management system

Moving your face-to-face training online

How to move your charity, organisation or community group's face-to-face training online

Safeguarding online

Find out about guides to digital safeguarding and how to keep people safe in everything you do online

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

Advanced data protection (2 x 0.5 days)

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

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

NCVO member welcome and refresher session

Join this session to explore your NCVO member benefits and learn more about our supportive community.

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

Developing a Fundraising Strategy (0.5 day)

Learn how to develop your first fundraising strategy. This course is aimed at small to medium-sized charities looking to grow their fundraising offer.

Successful funding applications (0.5 day)

Learn Practical tips to ensure you are successful in your funding bid applications.

Webinar: charity trading essentials

Explore charity trading and when to consider a trading subsidiary.

Tools and methods for measuring outcomes (1 day)

Get an introduction to data collection methods and practical guidance for evaluating your work