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About us

Find out about our services, the way we operate and how we champion voluntary action

Who we are

We’re the membership community for charities, voluntary organisations and community groups in England

Our services

Find out how we can support you, from support for small charities and training to consultancy and corporate relations

Training

We offer a range of training courses designed to help you do what you do best

eLearning: Roles and duties of trustees

This flexible, interactive course will help you understand your duties as a trustee and support you to run your charity effectively so you can make a bigger difference

Leading on purpose

A practical four-month programme for emerging charity leaders who are on their way to leading organisations

Our vision for charity leaders

Learn about the mindset, knowledge and connections that emerging leaders need to guide the sector into the 2030s

Support for small charities and voluntary organisations

We know small charities make a big impact with limited resource - that's why we're here to help

Small charity helpdesk

Ask our practical support team any question about the setting up or running of your charity or voluntary organisation.

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

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

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

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

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

Small Charity Week 2025 Webinar: Top tips to create an effective fundraising strategy

This free webinar as part of Small Charity Week 2025, will give small charity leaders practical tips to develop and deliver a successful fundraising strategy to ensure the resilience and sustainability of their charity.

Trust fundraising in a challenging climate: Over to you

We know that increased competition for funding, shifting priorities among funders, and economic uncertainty are making trust fundraising more challenging for charities. It’s more important than ever to understand the evolving funding landscape and adapt your approach. This free event is an opportunity to network with other NCVO members in facilitated discussions. Share experiences and challenges, work through solutions together, develop new relationships and learn from your peers.

Leading a thriving organisational culture (1 Day)

This training provides you with the insights, tools, and confidence to evaluate and strengthen your organisation’s culture providing a strong foundation for success.

Theory of change for strategic planning and evaluation (1 day)

Learn how to create your own theory of change and narrative. This course will challenge you to think critically about what you're doing and why