In the News

As part of the NHS England and NHS Improvement ‘Universal, Personalised Care’ delivery plan  under the NHS Long Term plan, National Voices has helped develop resources for the Primary Care Network (PCN) national programme. This briefing paper is intended to inform all kinds of VCSE groups and organisations, including those with little knowledge of healthcare policy.

A programme for partnerships developing collaborative communities where people, families, health care professionals and researchers work together to improve health care.

This programme is open for application until 20 March 2020.

The Health Foundation has launched an exciting new £2.1m programme for partnerships developing collaborative communities where people, families, health care professionals and researchers work together to improve health care.

Packed with information, case studies, checklists, templates and practical tools, The Community Hub Handbook is a new, free resource that sets out how to run a thriving community hub and ensure its future is secure.

The Handbook covers a wide range of business essentials such as building relationships, acquiring premises, securing sustainable income, marketing, staffing, governance and more.

The Engagement Practitioners Network has been developed in response to feedback from engagement staff from across the health and care sector.

You said you wanted to link with other staff to share information, learn from others’ practice and seek support in what we know can be an isolated, challenging and misunderstood role. You also wanted a ‘go to’ place for resources, policy updates and online discussion.

The Living Wage Champion Awards celebrates individuals and organisations that have made an outstanding contribution to the Living Wage movement.

Nominations are now open for applications until the 10 March 2020. 

Can you help our sector finds its voice?

Leading property advice charity the Ethical Property Foundation runs free workshops across the country and has just launched its CHARITY PROPERTY MATTERS SURVEY 2020. We are asking every voluntary group in the area to spend six minutes filling in the survey so that funders and policy makers will understand the bricks and mortar reality what we are coping with.    

The Equality and Human Rights Commission have launched a legal challenge against the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care over the repeated failure to move people with learning disabilities and autism into appropriate accommodation.

They have longstanding concerns about the rights of more than 2,000 people with learning disabilities and autism being detained in secure hospitals, often far away from home and for many years.

2027 is a 12-month salaried job and professional development programme, giving talented people from working-class communities with experience working in frontline roles the tools and experience to develop in grant-giving positions in foundations and trusts. It was was launched in 2017 supported by Big Lottery Fund, Barrow Cadbury Trust and Esmee Fairbairn.  

This report sets out findings from a three-year research project aiming to understand the benefits and values of urban green infrastructure to older people and how green infrastructure attributes and interventions can best support healthy ageing in urban areas.

The inequalities in investment across England and the rest of the UK has come under increasing scrutiny in recent years – especially when considered through the lens of multiple deprivation.

Since the EU referendum in 2016, more political and media attention, if not necessarily action, has been given to ‘forgotten’ or ‘left behind’ places than ever before.

The Sheila McKechnie Foundation (SMK) celebrates the work of campaigns and campaigners across the UK with the SMK National Campaigner Awards.

The SMK was set up 15 years ago to honour and preserve the memory of legendary campaigner Shelia McKechnie.

Supported by the Connect Fund, Key Fund commissioned a study to explore whether a lack of trust is presenting a challenge for VCSEs when accessing social investment.

In January 2019, NHS England published the NHS Long Term Plan, outlining its vision to improve the health and wellbeing of people over the next 10 years. Central to this vision is a commitment to designing and delivering services that are more joined-up, tailored and community-based to meet the needs of local people, including those who face health inequalities.

We are increasingly recognising what a big issue loneliness is in our society, and what terrible effects it can have.

Tackling loneliness is becoming a political priority, with a Government strategy in 2018 and a national campaign beginning in June 2019. But all this is nothing new for faith groups, who have been “right up your street” – often for decades and more – working to provide places where people can feel they belong.

Healthwatch England published two new reports, using the views of over 749,000 people to shine a light on key health and social care issues.

Could you help people in your community become more physically active?

Would a grant of between £300 and £10,000 help make your ideas happen? 

Sport England want to support projects that help everyone to take part in physical activity whether this is formal sport or informal activity aiming to help people lead more active lifestyles.

The Road Ahead 2020, which provides NCVO’s annual analysis of the pressures facing the charity sector in the next 12 months, says:

• Charities will need to continue navigating changes in the political landscape, as the country moves into the next phase of Brexit
• Pressure on charity funding, especially from local and national government, is set to continue

The UK is leaving the EU on 31 January 2020: what it means for your business

HMRC are writing to VAT registered businesses who trade between the UK and the EU.

It is Cervical Cancer Prevention Week, running until 26th January.

Cervical cancer can affect people at any age but affects people at primarily 30 – 45 years of age. In the UK, the cervical screening programme is estimated to save over 4,000 lives each year. 

Cervical cancer is almost wholly preventable, women and people with a cervix need to know how. This means:

The Institute for Community Studies, powered by the Young Foundation, is seeking to understand what matters to communities in the UK.

This will help them to prioritise which issues need most attention by research and policy, and to share what’s working in finding solutions that support communities and those in power to take action.

The Fawcett Society’s 2020 Sex and Power Index charts the extent of male domination of positions of power - with women still missing in significant numbers from top jobs in politics, the law, civil service, trade unions, charities, professional bodies and sport bodies. The Index also reveals an alarming lack of women of colour across the top jobs in all sectors.

There’s a lot of information out there for start-ups.

This guide from Social Enterprise UK takes you through the essentials, but they focus on the parts that are most important in a social enterprise.

Holocaust Memorial Day (HMD) 2020 marks 75 years since the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau.

The theme for this landmark anniversary and HMD 2020 is: Stand Together. It explores how genocidal regimes throughout history have deliberately fractured societies by marginalising certain groups, and how these tactics can be challenged by individuals standing together with their neighbours, and speaking out against oppression.

This report, commissioned by the Local Government Association, assesses the success of the 2013 reforms to public health in England, which were part of the Coalition government’s wider health reform programme.

Overall picture positive but research reveals areas for improvement to allow public sector volunteering programmes to fulfil their potential, says NCVO.

The objectives of the Trust are to donate to UK registered charities whose purposes encompass one or more of the following:

• to benefit or protect animals
• to relieve animals from suffering
• to conserve wild life
• to encourage the understanding of animals

If you wish to apply for a donation from the Trust you need to:

The Bank of England are the UK’s central bank.

Their job is to promote the good of the people of the United Kingdom by maintaining monetary and financial stability.

That means managing inflation – the rate at which prices rise – and making sure that the financial system, which includes banks and building societies, functions properly. They also issue bank notes and run the system that allows electronic payments to take place.

Comic Relief are seeking proposals from organisations who share their vision in supporting young people to fulfil their full potential, and have security and safe shelter. 

The Coalfields Regeneration Trust is dedicated to improving the quality of life for the 5.5 million people living in Britain’s former mining communities.

Many of these communities still require support due to the huge impact the closure of the mines had upon them.

Good Things Foundation have published a report on designing digital skills interventions for older people.

Digital payments firm Nochex has launched a Christmas appeal for small charities.

Through the appeal shoppers paying through the payment firm’s services will be asked to make a donation through its receipt function.

Via receipts shoppers will be told more about what the charity does and then asked to make a donation.

Flu vaccination is available every year on the NHS to help protect adults and children at risk of flu and its complications.

Flu can be unpleasant, but if you're otherwise healthy, it'll usually clear up on its own within a week.

But flu can be more severe in certain people, such as:

On the day of the next Election Debate, 140+ children’s organisations* are calling on political leaders to set out their solutions to the social problems that can leave millions of children ‘scarred for life’, including child poverty, mental health, domestic abuse and serious youth violence.

The DigitalAgenda Impact Awards celebrate digital innovations that improve people’s lives and the world around us.

They are open to any individual, business, government or non-profit using digital products or services for positive social or environmental benefit. The Impact Awards, now in their fourth year, are grouped into three themes with four categories in each creating 12 awards.

Locality's manifesto for how the next government can unlock the power of community has been published.

Ahead of the General Election, Locality have published a manifesto calling on the next government to rebalance power to our communities, strengthen community ownership and invest in our local infrastructure and public services.

In the run-up to the election, CFG has partnered with ACEVO, Children England, institute of Fundraising, Lloyds Bank Foundation, Local Trust, NAVCA, NCVO and Small Charities Coalition to publish a manifesto for charity finance.

This week, National Voices has published a

The Weston Charity Awards were created by the Garfield Weston Foundation to celebrate and support great front-line charities working in the fields of Community, Welfare and Youth.

For 2020, they are looking for great organisations to support across Wales, the North and Midlands of England.

Most people agree that charities do great work for the people and causes they serve.

But few people in positions of authority in our society understand that the true value of charity is about more than the combined work of individual charities.

Manifesto for a Better Childhood

In 1969, the National Children’s Bureau published the ground breaking study Born to Fail? It showed how poverty damaged children’s lives, resulting in poor health and underachievement at school. Distressingly, the inequality that they found 50 years ago still persists today. In many cases it is getting worse:

ACEVO wants to gather anonymous information about clauses in governmet grants and contracts that restrict or prohibit funds being used for advocacy and/or public affairs work, or that make reference to the grant-maker's reputation.

Two examples of such clauses are:

"The provider shall, shall not do anything (by act or omission) that would, or would be reasonably likely to:

(i) damage the reputation of the Authority or the Contractor;

NCVO are always looking for ways to make the campaigning environment more supportive for charities.

They have supported Lord Hodgson’s recommendations to reform the Lobbying Act and other electoral law for non-party campaigners. They have also worked to get government to make sure grants and contracts don’t constrain charities’ right to campaign.

November 19th 2019 marks the 25th birthday of The National Lottery.

The Baring Foundation is pleased to announce funding for a new sector support body for the creative ageing field has been awarded to a partnership led by Manchester Museums.

The Baring Foundation is backing the creation of an agency that will advocate for and support the cultural sector to be more age friendly.

Since 2010, the Baring Foundation has dedicated its arts funding to work with older people. David Cutler, Director of the Baring Foundation said:

Public Health England (PHE), in partnership with the NHS, has launched Every Mind Matters to help people take simple steps to look after their mental health, improve their mental wellbeing and support others.

Managing the impact of the menopause at work is important for both workers and employers.

For the worker experiencing symptoms:

• it can be a difficult and stressful time
• a very sensitive and personal matter

For their employer:

Power to Change commissioned Kantar Public in early 2018 to conduct a ‘hyperlocal’ version of the national Community Life Survey in seven locations in England.

Date: Tuesday 22 October
Time: 2.30pm – 3.30pm

The Office for Civil Society (OCS) – part of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport – has issued a newsletter dedicated to helping civil society organisations to prepare to leave the European Union on 31 October.

The newsletter includes:

Cascading Leadership is a free peer-to-peer leadership development programme for voluntary and community sector (VCS) organisations working in health and wellbeing. It enables VCS leaders to share their extensive and varied expertise with peers, to talk about some of the challenges they face and to plan new ways of working. 

The Woodland Trust want to make sure that everybody in the UK has the chance to plant a tree.

So they are giving away hundreds of thousands of trees to schools and communities.

The government has opened a consultation on sexual harassment in the workplace and the legal protections available under the Equalities Act 2010. This has the potential to change how organisations safeguard and support not only their staff but also their volunteers.

In March 2019, Public Health England convened a workshop to explore the employer demand for an advanced level apprenticeship (level 3, see academic levels) for community-centred roles (such as social prescribers, link workers, community connectors, health trainers, and other similar roles).

The mission of the Institute for Community Studies is to include the voices and improve and inform the efforts of all people working in and with their communities across the UK.

The Making Tax Digital scheme will soon be mandatory for all organisations that process tax – Charity Digital News have found a list of resources where charities can go to find out all the details and comply.

From October 1st this year, tax is going digital for all charities. The Government is enforcing major new rules about how organisations process and submit tax and payments, with a strong emphasis on digital processes and tools.

This strategy sets out Public Health England's priorities for the next 5 years.

The PHE Strategy 2020 to 2025 sets out how Public Health England will work to protect and improve the public’s health and reduce health inequalities over the next 5 years.

Sexual harassment is any unwanted conduct of a sexual nature that makes you feel intimidated, degraded, humiliated or offended.

The Equality Act 2010 says that employers are legally responsible if an employee is sexually harassed at work by another employee, and the employer had not taken all steps they could to prevent it from happening.

Why is the consultation happening?

Today, a record number of people are in work. More people are experiencing the benefits that good work can bring. But far too many disabled people and people with health conditions are falling out of work, missing out on the opportunity to showcase their talents.

A Million Realities want people across the world to live purposeful, fulfilling lives that are fully self-expressed.

Many of the world’s problems are getting bigger, not smaller. It is becoming clear that in order for us to find long term solutions to these problems we need to put ego aside, think big and invest in the new generation of brilliant and ambitious leaders who care as much about creating change as they do about inspiring others to do the same.

The Co-op Economy is the nation’s only comprehensive report on the UK’s co‑operative sector.

It reveals turnover, membership and employee figures for thousands of co‑op businesses across the UK. The 2019 report reveals:

The CSJ Awards is an annual, high profile award ceremony that honours the best grassroot, poverty-fighting charities and social enterprises across Britain. Six winners will receive a £10,000 grant and be profiled in front of hundreds of leading figures from across the country.

The Centre for Social Justice (CSJ) exists to prevent and tackle poverty across Britain.

ACEVO and Voice4Change England are carrying out research to understand what people connected to charities think about race equality, diversity and inclusivity in the charity sector.

Please respond today and tell them about your experiences and opinions. Early responses are appreciated.

About the survey

The Lasting Difference is a unique guide to sustaining organisations and their impact.

The guide has been an amazing success since its launch in 2016, proving popular with voluntary organisations, social enterprises, funders, commissioners and policymakers.

People say it is:

"Devastating, cumulative cuts”: UK poverty and destitution levels a choice that could be unmade.

The Work and Pensions Committee publish its report on Welfare safety net.

Thursday 22nd August at 1 pm.

From 1st October 2019 all UK charities will be required to submit their taxes through HMRC compliant software, as part of the “Making Tax Digital” initiative. 

This directory showcases types of support that are innovative in their approach to improving people’s health and wellbeing.

They come in all shapes and sizes and share the following features:

Sharing and Celebrating Patient and Public Involvement in Healthcare community grants – apply now!

Has your voluntary, community or social enterprise group done some amazing patient, service user or carer involvement work that has improved healthcare services?

If so, we want you to tell us about it. In fact, we want to support you to tell everyone about it!

Government’s vision for building a stronger sense of belonging and shared prosperity within local communities.

Communities Secretary Rt Hon. James Brokenshire today (20 July 2019) laid out the government’s vision for building a stronger sense of belonging and shared prosperity within local communities.

The National Lottery Community Fund has launched a new £100 million Climate Action Fund that will enable people and communities to take the lead in tackling the climate emergency.

The new fund, from the largest funder of community activity in the UK, will build a network of people and communities, well-placed to drive change within, between and beyond their community.

The Tech to Connect Challenge is looking to help civil society develop their early stage ideas for tech that enables more or better interactions between people.

Tech can be alienating or divisive for those that are isolated, so we want to help civil society translate their knowledge into good ideas for new ways to connect people.

The Catalyst sets out to revolutionise how we tackle social and environmental issues in the UK: reshaping organisations to be more responsive to the communities they serve; more resilient; and more collaborative in the creation and scaling of solutions.

They are a coalition of major foundations, digital design agencies, civil society bodies and the UK government, seeking to massively accelerate the use of digital in the UK's voluntary and charity sector.

Following the publication of the NHS Long Term Plan, NHS England and NHS Improvement committed to publishing an implementation framework, setting out further detail on how it would be delivered.

Local systems are working hard to develop their five-year strategic plans. These plans will clearly describe the population needs and case for change in each area, then propose practical actions that the system will take to deliver the commitments set out in the NHS Long Term Plan.

The GSK IMPACT Awards provide funding, training and development for charities doing excellent work to improve people's health and wellbeing.

They are funded by GSK and managed in partnership with The King's Fund. The awards are open to registered charities that are at least three years old, working in a health-related field in the UK, with a total annual income of between £80,000 and £2.5 million.

The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service is the highest award given to volunteer groups across the UK.

This year the Queen’s Award results were announced on the 2nd June - the anniversary of Her Majesty’s Coronation. Greater Manchester enjoyed another successful year with 35 organisations being awarded (full list here). Congratulations to all awardees.

The Community and Education Awards award the unsung heroes, who despite adversity, go above and beyond in their community or within education to positively shape those around them.
 
Is there someone at your primary school or secondary school that always goes to infinity and beyond for your community?

Is there someone you would like to thank for giving you a helping hand when you needed it most?

Superhighways was awarded funding from the Department of Culture, Media and Sport to offer training, advice and resources that small charity leaders can use to get important conversations started, make strategic decisions and build digital capability.

The Superhighways Digital Leadership 101 initiative partnership includes NAVCA, the FSI and London Plus, who have contributed to a comprehensive series of blogs offering tips and advice across a range of digital topics.

Following the success of the inaugural William Sutton Prize, Clarion Housing Group has today announced that applications are open for the second year of the scheme.

Clarion is seeking applications from individuals or organisations presenting an innovative concept, product or service that will have a positive social impact on a community.

Open call for evidence for the UK government’s National Data Strategy.

The Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS) leads across government on data-related policy issues, both within Government and the wider economy. This is a broad, wide-reaching remit and we will be in a continual process of engagement throughout the Strategy development to ensure that views across society, economy and government are taken into account.

Social Enterprise UK has commissioned BMG to carry out its national flagship survey of social enterprises.

Greater Manchester’s ambitious Local Industrial Strategy is designed to deliver an economy fit for the future, with prosperous communities across the city-region and radically increased productivity and earning power.

A new study shows 54% of small voluntary organisations (SVOs) identified “lack of time” as the top reason for slow digital uptake in their charity, despite over 82% acknowledging technology could support them to become more accessible[1], relevant[2] and efficient[3].

A review has been conducted of how the Charities Statement of Recommended Practice (SORP) for accounting and reporting is developed and governed.

The Charities SORP sets out financial reporting requirements that apply to most charities preparing accounts. This review assesses how the future development of the Charities SORP is governed.

A £4.9 million programme to tackle unemployment has been launched in April 2019 with backing from the European Social Fund.

The funds have been granted by the government’s Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) in partnership with Greater Manchester Local Enterprise Partnership to the WEA (Workers' Educational Association), an adult education charity which provides training and learning opportunities for people at risk of exclusion.

‘Rebalancing the relationship’ is a new project exploring how large and small voluntary organisations, bidding to deliver services, can work better with and alongside one another.

A new brand for NCVO’s quality mark for excellence in governance and operations will help charities demonstrate their high standards, NCVO said today.

NCVO Trusted Charity, the new name for PQASSO, was launched today at an event in parliament.

Brevio believes that current grant-making processes are wasteful and inefficient. Charities must fill in many slightly different grant-application forms taking hours/ days to complete, often with low success rates.

From 1 June 2019, NHS trusts in England can bid for funding to install Changing Places facilities in NHS hospitals.

The prospectus sets out:

It’s been over a year since GDPR came into force, but what impact have the new regulations had in reality?

With 2018 seeing the biggest ever fines issued by the ICO, Charities are under increasing pressure to protect both their finances and theirreputation from a GDPR breach.

SEUK's latest research report calls for a rethink on how public bodies use social value, urging it to be placed front and centre of how local and central government works.

Based on in-depth research across local government, the report paints a mixed picture – one in which real progress is being made by forward-thinking local authorities but where the transformative potential of social value is not being fully realised.

Doit.Foundation are consulting on their small grants pilot.

Their aim is to explore how digital can enable them to provide small grants to small VCSE organisations in an easy way.

Before groups register for the grants pilot they need to complete a short questionnaire. This will help Doit.Foundation to plan the pilot and their wider small grants programme.

The questionnaire will run until 30th June 2019.

About the Webinar:

An improved understanding of your audience and your content goals can help your charity be more effective on social media and engage the right people at the right time.

On Thursday 16th May at 1 pm join non-profit social media experts Lightful as they share tips on how to include effective personalisation in your social media posting habits.

UK Giving from CAF is the largest multi-year study of giving behaviour in the UK.

The findings are based on monthly interviews and includes a yearly total of more than 12,000 individual interviews. The report will help you understand who gives to charity, what causes they support and how they like to support them.

On 9th May at 1 PM, join the NCSC (National Cyber Security Centre) for the third in their series of exclusive cyber security webinars for charities.

Thursday, 9th May 2019, 1:00pm - 2:00pm.

This online seminar is designed for voluntary sector organisations interested in health and wellbeing, to bring them up to speed with the latest developments in the NHS.

The Social Security Advisory Committee (SSAC) is an independent statutory body, funded by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). It is the UK Government’s advisory body on social security matters. In addition to providing advice and assistance to the Secretary of State, it performs mandatory scrutiny of most secondary legislation laid before Parliament that underpin the welfare system.

Cutting through the noise and politics of Brexit can sometimes feel like an overwhelming task.

This new toolkit is aimed at those organisations wishing to equip themselves with tools to prepare for Brexit and engage with the decision-makers in the process. This could either be through lobbying around specific pieces of Brexit legislation or making sure members and activists are equipped to engage with key areas in the Brexit process.

Successful NHS England programme extended for three more years.

An NHS programme has seen GP practices free up more than half a million hours of time for patients in the last year.

Nfp Synergy's new report with the People's Post Code Lottery highlights how fundraising limits affect charity lotteries- and ultimately hurt smaller charities.

It explores the fundraising environment for small charities, examines charity lottery regulation and its impacts, as well as analysing attitudes toward charity lottery limits among MPs and the general public.

The Institute of Fundraising published their refreshed version of our GDPR: The Essentials for Fundraising Organisations guidance.

Sam Boyle, Policy and Information Officer at the IoF, talks through what has changed and why they felt the need to update it:

• Donating to a cause or fundraising for a charity in the UK will be completely free of platform fees on JustGiving from today, in the biggest change to the company’s fee model since it was founded 19 years ago
• Donors will be able to make a voluntary contribution to support the operation of the platform, increasing choice for donors and delivering more money for charities

The Civil Society Strategy committed the government to use its buying power to drive social change. Central government will, in future, take better account of social benefits in the award of its contracts.

The grant-giving sector is good at speaking about inequality, and the value of all people at bringing about social change.

But it has a diversity problem.

By 2027 they want to fix this.

The new, 12-month salaried programme takes brilliant frontline workers from working-class communities, and prepares them for decision-making roles in grant-making organisations.

Woodland Trust want to make sure that everybody in the UK has the chance to plant a tree.

So they are giving away hundreds of thousands of trees to schools and communities.

They are currently taking applications for trees to be delivered in November 2019. Please note that responses to applications may take a few weeks due to current high demand.

Esmée Fairbairn's insights on core funding.

Today Citizens Advice has launched a new service called “Help to Claim” for those who need help to apply for Universal Credit.

People will now be able to get support from the charity as they submit their Universal Credit application to get their first full payment.

The campaign urges women to attend their cervical screening, with data showing that the number of women attending screening has fallen to a 20-year low.

Public Health England (PHE) has today, Tuesday 5 March 2019, launched the major new national campaign ‘Cervical Screening Saves Lives’, to increase the number of women attending their cervical screening across England.

Mental health problems are the most common health issue among Citizens Advice clients, impacting 89,410 clients last year.

Previous research found people with mental health problems are more likely to struggle with essential services, and support offered by providers is inadequate.

Next month, several changes will be coming into force which will alter current employment law, and with it, the way you’re currently doing things.

How much you pay to abide by the National Minimum and Living wage, how you issue payslips, and how much you contribute to pensions will all change in April, so it’s really important to act now for your charity to be prepared.

A major new project aims to rebalance the relationship between large and small voluntary organisations in public services. 

Collaborative work between NCVO, ACEVO and Lloyds Bank Foundation for England and Wales, will explore how voluntary organisations of different sizes can work better together in bidding for and delivering public services. 

Following reports that primary schools in Manchester have been contacted by parents unhappy over sex and relationships lessons that teach children about LGBT rights, LGBT Foundation’s Chief Executive Paul Martin OBE has today written a public letter to schools in Greater Manchester setting out why LGBT inclusive education is so important.

The Coalfields Regeneration Trust has spent the past 2 years meeting and consulting with their member organisations across the English Coalfield regions to better understand the needs in coalfield communities.

Businesses who want to secure future government contracts will be urged to show they can also help improve society by tackling issues such as modern slavery and climate change.

The United Kingdom (UK) will leave the European Union (EU) on 29 March 2019.

Leaving the EU means a number of changes that will affect businesses and individual citizens.

Use the information below to find out how to prepare and the steps you may need to take:

The My MS My Needs survey is the largest survey of people affected by multiple sclerosis (MS) in the UK.

This year, for the first time, the MS Society are also running a MS family & friends survey, alongside My MS My Needs. 

The Mental Capacity Act is designed to protect and empower people who may currently lack the mental capacity to make their own decisions about their care and treatment. It also facilitates people who have capacity to make preparations for a time when they may lack capacity in the future.

Information Commissioner Elizabeth Denham sets out how the ICO is helping businesses, particularly SMEs, prepare for a possible no-deal Brexit in her blog.

The Charity Commission requires charities to report serious incidents. If a serious incident takes place within your charity, it is important that there is prompt, full and frank disclosure to the Commission. You need to report what happened and, importantly, let the Commission know how you are dealing with it, even if you have also reported it to the police, donors or another regulator.

Safeguarding children, young people and adults aged 0-25 in the voluntary and community sector.

This set of recommended standards and accompanying guidance will help non-statutory organisations in England that work with children and young people up to the age of 25, to put clear safeguarding arrangements in place.

Communities across the country are set to benefit from a £6 million funding boost to help them build more of the homes that their area needs, Housing Minister Kit Malthouse MP has announced.

The Community Led Homes Programme – managed by 4 leading housing charities – will provide local people with funding to kickstart community-led housing developments that will benefit their neighbourhood.

The LGBT+ Consortium is pleased to announce the launch of LGBT+ Futures Fund small grants programme to support LGBT+ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Trans+) voluntary and community organisations across England. 

Applications are now open, with the deadline for receiving applications Wednesday 6th March at 5pm.

Victims of domestic abuse, homelessness or substance abuse, will be supported to return to work by a new government fund, launched today (7 Feb) by the Minister for Women and Equalities Penny Mordaunt.

How are charities influencing change in the prison system?

In the first of two discussion papers, NPC focus on charities’ role in influencing change in the prison system. They share our early findings from conversations across the sector with policymakers, parliamentarians charities and funders. And propose a framework for thinking about how charities bring about change.

On Time to Talk Day we want everyone to have a conversation about mental health.

Time to Talk Day 2019 is taking place on Thursday 7 February.

This year’s Time to Talk Day is all about bringing together the right ingredients, to have a conversation about mental health. Whether that’s tea, biscuits and close friends or a room full of people challenging mental health stigma, we want you to get talking.

The Big Lunch is taking place on the 1st and 2nd June 2019.

The Big Lunch is about millions of people getting together to share food, have fun and get to know each other better.  It's a simple idea - that for a few glorious hours, cars stop, shyness stops and neighbours come together in the street to meet, greet, share, swap, sing, plan and laugh.

The event celebrated small charities across the region and explored the findings of the Foundation’s research into what makes small charities distinctive.

Holocaust Memorial Day Trust has released research to mark Holocaust Memorial Day 2019.

Five per cent of UK adults don’t believe the Holocaust – the intentional murder of six million Jews by the Nazis and their collaborators – really happened and one in 12 (8%) say the scale of the Holocaust has been exaggerated, according to research released on Holocaust Memorial Day (Sunday 27 January 2019).

The NHS is one of Britain’s greatest achievements and for 70 years its dedicated staff has been there for us.

A lot has changed since it was created in 1948, and today the NHS is responding to changes in society that were never expected, let alone planned for.

The Government has announced additional funding for the NHS and this means they can plan to make the NHS fit for the future for patients, their families and our staff.

The Sheila McKechnie Foundation will soon be holding their National Campaigner Awards.

This year Holocaust Memorial Day will explore the theme Torn from Home.

Holocaust Memorial Day (HMD) takes place each year on 27 January.

It can be confusing for people running community projects to find the right information, advice and support.

There are so many organisations, tools and websites, it can be difficult to know where to look.

Against a backdrop of growing need and a shrinking state, the social sector needs effective answers and solutions. NPC has launched a commitment by charities, funders and infrastructure bodies to work in a way that emphasises place as a positive way to achieve the changes we are all working towards.

Small charities are optimistic about their prospects in 2019 despite increasing uncertainty. The majority (84%) of its leaders expect to maintain or increase organisational income in 2019 and over three quarters say they plan to help more people. However, this optimism does not appear to be borne out of stability for the sector, as two-thirds report more uncertainty in their operating environments than in previous years.

Super-major charities (defined as those with an income over £100m) are experiencing similar trends and challenges with income to the rest of the voluntary sector, new analysis of data collected for the NCVO UK Civil Society Almanac has shown.

Pilotlight and the Garfield Weston Foundation would like to announce that the Weston Charity Awards are now open for applications.

Established to celebrate and support ambitious charities working in the fields of Youth, Welfare and Community, we are looking for charities who would like mentoring and coaching support to get their organisation to the next stage in its development. This year the Awards are will support 20 charities across the North, the Midlands and Wales.

You are invited to be a “Good Cause Santa Claus” this Christmas

Local Charities Day will be returning this year on Friday 14 December 2018!

NCVO have published the text of two letters sent by NCVO to the prime minister and the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, seeking clarification around the use of 'adverse publicity' clauses in government contracts.

VCSE organisations are invited to attend a webinar hosted by NAVCA and NHS England to discuss one of the building blocks being looked at as part of the NHS long-term plan: systems architecture.

Civil Society Involvement (CSI) is a new programme part-funded by the European Social Fund to enhance the voice of the third sector at a national level.

CSI works for all third sector organisations involved in European funding programmes to facilitate a healthy exchange of knowledge and make sure that their voice is heard at national level.

On the 12 November 2018 the service you use to update your charity details is changing.

Trustees of all charities have a legal obligation to keep the details on the charity register accurate and up to date.

This helps maintain public trust and confidence in the charity sector, and enables the Commission, as the regulator, to contact you with important regulatory information.

Karl Wilding's presentation outlining NCVO’s thinking on how Brexit will shape the landscape for the voluntary sector, what we can do to prepare for all eventualities and what it might mean in the longer term. Presented at the VONNE Conference, 18 October 2018 

The accompanying slides for this presentation are available here.

Protecting your charity from fraud

Like any other sector, charities are not immune to criminal abuse from fraudsters. Fraud poses a serious risk to valuable funds and sensitive data, and can damage the good reputation of charities, affecting public trust and confidence in the sector as a whole.

Fraud is a serious problem that you can’t afford to ignore. Charities can, and should do more, to be fraud-aware.

Social Enterprise Day falls on 15 November this year.

Once more SEUK is running the #WhoKnew campaign and they want you to get involved! 

The Charity Governance Awards is an exciting not-for-profit initiative created to celebrate outstanding governance in charities both small and large.

We all know that effective governance makes a difference. And by sharing examples of inspirational trustees and brilliant boards we want to show how great governance and doing good go hand-in-hand.

‘We believe women and girls should have equal power and agency in decision-making at all levels’ - Comic Relief

Comic Relief are excited to launch this funding opportunity focussed on strengthening women’s and girls’ movements. 

They believe that the material and practical considerations of women and girls’ daily lives will only be significantly improved when we have full and equal power in decision making at all levels.

Sixty-three per cent of charities believe their core functions are under-resourced, according to research conducted by Charity Finance magazine, as part of the inaugural Charity Finance Week.

In an online survey, charities were asked to comment on the resourcing of their core functions such as finance, human resources, IT, safeguarding and legal support, and 233 responded.

The Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment is an international human rights treaty adopted by the United Nations that entered into force in 1987. Its purpose is to prevent the use of torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment (ill-treatment).

Scope of the inquiry

The Health and Social Care Committee will be holding an evidence session in October on the impact of a no-deal Brexit on health and social care.

Terms of Reference

Ahead of the session, the Committee is inviting written submissions from all interested parties, setting out:

In a new report on the impact of Brexit on charities, Charity Finance Group calls on the government to urgently adopt a six-point plan to create a better outcome for the sector.

While there has been some reassurance from Government, the overall picture suggests that, as it currently stands, Brexit will have a negative impact for charities.

This report is the product of the most comprehensive study into place-based giving in England to date.

The Code of Fundraising Practice outlines the standards expected of charitable fundraisers across the UK. It is a key part of maintaining public trust and confidence in the sector, providing reassurance for the public that charitable organisations hold themselves accountable and that they will handle complaints appropriately.

• Value of social enterprise sector found to be significantly underestimated at £24 billion versus the real contribution it makes of £60 billion
• New evidence shows social enterprises are performing better economically than traditional firms

The £3million Sporting Capital Fund was created by Sporting Assets, the leading sport for social impact advisor, in partnership with the Access Foundation.

It is funded by the Growth Fund, which was set up by the Big Lottery Fund and Big Society Capital, to support social investors committed to meeting the funding needs of charities and social enterprises.

The Information Commissioner is reminding organisations to be transparent with people’s personal information, after a survey revealed trust and confidence in how organisations handle personal data is still low, despite an improvement across sectors.

Charity Commission publishes results of accounts monitoring reviews.

Dementia is a growing issue and concern for societies across the world.

Has your voluntary, community or social enterprise group done some amazing patient, service-user or carer involvement work that’s improved healthcare services?

If so NHS England want you to tell them about it. In fact, they want to support you to tell everyone about it.

NHS England will be awarding grants of up to £2,500 to a number of projects that showcase good practice around patient and citizen involvement in healthcare.

A report from the NCSC that outlines the cyber threat that charities of all sizes now face.

UK charities hold funds, personal, financial and commercial data (and other information) that is of interest or monetary value to a range of cyber criminals and other groups.

Lloyds Bank Foundation's Invest and Enable grants are reopening for applications on Tuesday 28 August.

Eligible charities and community organisations from across England can apply for up to £80,000 from the Building Connections Fund Youth strand, to expand or enhance their work tackling youth loneliness.

The government’s new civil society strategy has delivered a range of positive announcements, but implementation will be key, said the National Council for Voluntary Organisations, which represents charities and volunteering.

Commenting, Sir Stuart Etherington, chief executive of the National Council for Voluntary Organisations, said:

Sightline has launched a free and innovative befriending service for people with sight loss.

The service is available to adults across North West England, who have sight loss, and who may benefit from a regular chat with somebody.

Tuesday 21 August 2018 – 10am

Practical examples of how organisations have secured senior buy-in for their programme and overcome risk and strategic challenges. Interactive discussion about the approach to measurement of impact and building the Strategic Case and information about the tools and resources available to support this. Intention is for this to be interactive, real life examples and practical solutions to take away.

Be part of something amazing for Young People!

National Citizen Service Trust (NCST)* are inviting organisations to join one of their six discovery events which they are hosting during August 2018. At these events NCST will be communicating their shared vision for the future and providing information about our forthcoming procurement for the 2020 Programme.

The first Civil Society Strategy in 15 years will build stronger communities by bringing together businesses, charities and the public sector, the Government has vowed today.

• First Civil Society Strategy in 15 years sets out a vision to create stronger communities
• The strategy proposes significant reforms across the public and private sectors to build a fairer society

The Local Government Association has launched a nationwide consultation to kick-start a desperately-needed debate on how to pay for adult social care and rescue the services caring for older and disabled people from collapse.

Grants of up to £25,000 available through the Justice and Equality Fund’s ‘Now’s the Time’ small grants programme.

Now’s the Time is the second programme from the Justice and Equality Fund managed by Rosa. The programme aims to amplify the voices of individuals and groups who are calling for an end to sexual harassment and abuse, in their workplaces and in their communities.

The People’s Postcode Lottery has announced that it will open a £3m fund for community projects today (1st August).

Funding applications will only be accepted between 1st and 15th August.

Community groups will be able to apply for grants from £500 to £20,000 from the funding pot.

Civil Society Futures are now twelve months into their inquiry into the future of civil society in England, hearing over 1,500 people so far — what have they said?

Civil society really matters – it is a valuable and essential part of our daily lives, bringing people together, building their confidence and capability, offering a helping hand to those in crisis, delivering services, challenging injustice.

Help End Hunger UK send a powerful message to the Prime Minister: fix Universal Credit!

End Hunger UK have launched a national petition, designed to send a powerful message to the Prime Minister – it's time to fix Universal Credit.

HM Revenue and Customs designed a

Thirteen leading charities and voice organisations have collaborated to publish a collection of recommendations for improving health and care – within the NHS and beyond.

The Government recently announced extra funding for the NHS in England and committed to developing a long term plan for the service. ‘Priorities for the plan’ is designed to support officials preparing the long term plan and other policies to improve health and care.

Further to their work on rightsnet and our other websites, and in response to feedback from advisers, Lasa have been working on developing a series of web tools, all designed to support citizens' access to justice in relation to social welfare law issues.

benefitmythbuster

During the summer Charity Commission will improve their service so charities can keep their details up-to-date as soon as they change.

All charities must keep their details up-to-date by law. The commission will be improving the current service so you can keep a regular check on your details, and update them when they change.

The new Integrated Communities Innovation Fund is now open to expressions of interest from applicants.

In partnership with Sport England, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government is calling for applications to the new Integrated Communities Innovation Fund. The first stage invites short expressions of interest by 11.45pm on 20 August 2018.

New laws and high profile investigations have helped put data protection and privacy at the centre of the UK public’s consciousness like never before, the Information Commissioner has said.

2019 GSK IMPACT Awards - Core funding and free training for health charities

The Cabinet Office have published a Call for Evidence on offender employment. They would like to get responses from as many public, private and voluntary sector employers, organisations and professionals who:

The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has launched the second round of funding from its grants programme to promote and support independent, innovative research and solutions focused on privacy and data protection issues.

Trans people are able to receive legal recognition of their acquired gender through a process set out in the Gender Recognition Act (GRA) 2004.

Core costs, and how to fund them, are important issues for many charities, as donors and other funders seek to get the best ‘bang for their buck’ in a marketplace for social good where quantity and quality are very often hard to determine.

The Behavioural Insights Team believe that to some extent, funders’ behavioural biases – the facets of human psychology that lead us to make decisions that are not always economically rational – are driving their aversion to core costs.