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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.

Time to flex: Embracing flexible working

  • Employing and managing staff
  • Equity, diversity and inclusion

The Road Ahead 2022

  • Coronavirus
  • Responding to crises
  • Government and politics

UK Civil Society Almanac 2021

  • Government and politics
  • Involving volunteers

Levelling up: The role of charities and volunteering

  • Government and politics
  • Involving volunteers

Charities Bill: Lords Second Reading

  • Government and politics

Where power lies: How lived experience is engaged in voluntary sector governance and decision-making

  • Equity, diversity and inclusion
  • Governance

Rebalancing the Relationship: Final report

  • Employing and managing staff
  • Collaboration

Rebalancing the relationship: emerging findings and draft recommendations

  • Employing and managing staff
  • Collaboration

The Road Ahead 2021

  • Funding and income
  • Coronavirus
  • Responding to crises

Time Well Spent: Diversity and volunteering

  • Equity, diversity and inclusion
  • Involving volunteers

Financial management during the cost of living crisis

Identify how the cost of living crisis might impact your organisation's income and spending and get ideas of what you could do about it

  • Financial management
  • Cost of living

Financial management during the cost of living crisis

This page sets out what areas of financial management we'll explore. We'll look at how the cost of living crisis might impact your organisation's income and spending and share ideas of what you could do about it.

  • Financial management
  • Cost of living

Financial pressures during the cost of living crisis

Learn about the key trends which may be impacting your income and spending

  • Cost of living
  • Financial management

Update your budget and cashflow

Identify how the cost of living crisis may impact your organisation's finances

  • Financial management
  • Cost of living

Understand and communicate your situation

Learn about questions you can ask to understand your financial situation and tips for communicating this to others

  • Cost of living
  • Financial management

Practical ideas to reduce or change your spending

Use this page to learn key questions to ask yourself before you decide on cost reductions and get practical ideas on how to cut costs

  • Financial management
  • Cost of living

Practical ideas to increase or change your income

Use this page to learn key questions to ask yourself before you invest in income generation and get practical ideas for raising more cash fast

  • Financial management
  • Cost of living

Supporting and retaining staff and volunteers during the cost of living crisis

Learn about practical ways, to support your staff and volunteers during the cost of living crisis

  • Employing and managing staff
  • Cost of living

Managing your energy costs

Learn about what support is available for managing energy costs and being energy efficient

  • Financial management

Managing services during the cost of living crisis

Learn about how to adapt to rising or changing demand due to the cost of living crisis

  • Cost of living

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

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

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

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

Successful funding applications (0.5 day)

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

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

Recruiting volunteers (0.5 day)

This course will develop your skills and help you use a marketing approach to recruit volunteers

Advanced data protection (2 x 0.5 days)

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

Volunteers and the law (0.5 day)

This course will help you create a positive and inclusive experience for volunteers. The course will explore best practice in relation to safeguarding, data protection, health and safety, and equality