Useful Information
A list of web resources for the voluntary and community sector, covering a wide range of topics.
Other websites you my find useful…
The internet provides an inexhaustible supply of information. The problem is finding it and evaluating its quality. The links to external websites are provided to assist you but HAVCO is not responsible for the content of any external websites. We apologise for any links that no longer work due to changes in the external site. Please let us know if a link fails.
Please click below to jump to specific areas of interest:
Charities
Company Regulation
Data protection
Environment
Equality and diversity
Food
Finance
Funding
Health and Safety
IT
Legal
Managing People
Monitoring and Evaluation
Other Support
Planning
Premises
Quality Schemes
Safeguarding
Sports Clubs
Trading and Social Enterprise
Volunteering
Charities
Charity Commission
Whether you are a registered charity or not the Charities Commission website has a mass of useful guidance for the voluntary sector.
Published material
The on-line catalogue of Charities commission publications.
Resources for very small charities
Specifically designed for charities which expect to stay small and have an annual income under £5,000.
SORP, Charity Accounts and Reports: What you need to know
Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO)
The Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) is a new legal form for a charity.
Starting and running a charity
Starting up a charity
Start here to find out if you should and then how to set up a charitable or community organisation.
Charitable Purposes
Understand what charitable purpose means and what activities are charitable.
Choosing and Preparing a Governing Document
Your Governing Document is a legal document which represents the rule book for the way in which your charity will operate.
Example Objects
Your Objects are what your charity is set up to do and must be included in your governing document.
Model Governing Documents
Complete documents for various types of organisation that you can adapt and use for your organisation.
Registering as a Charity
This guidance is about some of the issues that you may want to consider. It covers:
- whether you need to start a new charity;
- which charities need to register;
- the registration process.
Setting up a Community Interest Company Society
An article from the Guardian
Community Interest Companies - Model constitutions| BIS
Introductory information about model constitutions and links to the appropriate documents.
The Centre for Charity Effectiveness at the Cass Business School has produced a series of excellent booklets entitled ‘Tools for success' dealing with all aspects of running a charity.
Charity Governance
Good Governance Guide
A Code for the Voluntary sector FAQ and downloads.
Getting started in governance Knowhow non profit
Essential information to ensure your governance is effective.
Governance and Leadership | National Council for Voluntary Organisations
NCVO's Governance and Leadership Team offer information, resources and events for trustees and leaders of voluntary and community sector.
Governance Pages
Information for trustees and management committees of voluntary and community organisations.
Meetings
How to arrange, run and record meetings.
Changing Governing Documents
Advice on the way to go about changing your constitution or Articles of Association.
KnowHow NonProfit - Home page
A community for all not for profit organisations, social enterprises and community groups. Information, skills update or to talk to others in similar situations.
Public benefit
What is public benefit and how do you demonstrate it.
Protecting charities from harm - the compliance toolkit
An online toolkit that aims to give trustees the knowledge and tools they need to manage risks and protect their charity from harm and abuse.
Trustee Recruitment for Small Organisations (NCVO)
Advice on recruiting people to run your organisation.
Trustee works
Helps skilled volunteers find exciting and fulfilling trustee roles with their trustee recruitment scheme.
Trustee expenses and payments
Whilst the basic principle of trusteeship is trustees are unpaid but they are entitled to have their expenses met from the funds of the charity.
TrusteElearning - online Trustee Learning
A website from Suffolk Association of Voluntary Organisations provides trustees with easy access to a self paced training system.
Use technology to be more effective trustees - NCVO blog
How can you use technology to be more effective trustees?
Company Regulation
To trade you will normally have to form a company. The Companies House website provides comprehensive information and guidance on the regulations that apply to running a company.
Companies House
Home page.
Forming a company
Guidance and information on forming a company, the different types of company and rules on naming.
Annual Requirements
Guidance and information on the information that companies must provide to Companies House each year. There are penalties if you fail to send this information on time.
Company Changes
Guidance and information on how to make changes to your company structure and directors.
Model Articles - Companies Act 2006
Articles are the rules used to run a company. Model Articles provide a framework to develop your own Articles. Special rules exist for charitable company Articles see Charities Information.
Data protection
The Information Commissioner's Office provides free advice on your duties and how to register. Special registration rules operate for not for profit organisations and charities.
Guide to Data Protection - ICO
All organisations that handle personal information must conform to the eight principles of the Data Protection Act. This section contains guidelines on the DPA.
Charities Information - ICO
The different treatment of Charities by the Information Commissioners Office.
Notification exemption - ICO
The Data Protection Act 1998 requires every data controller who is processing personal information in an automated form to notify, unless they are exempt. Find out if you need to notify.
Sample privacy policy | Business Link
An example of a privacy policy which states how you will respect the privacy of your website users.
Environment
Many commissioners and funders demand an environmental policy.
Environmental policy Business Link
The types of statements typically contained in an environmental policy.
Use resources efficiently in your office Business Link
How businesses with offices can reduce waste, use materials and equipment more efficiently and lower costs.
Equality and diversity
Equalities and Human Rights Commission
Guidance and good practice to help you understand and apply the 2010 Equality Act.
Equality policies EHRC
Guidance on compiling your Equality and Diversity Policy.
Employment (CAB)
Information on workplace rights including: rights to pay, holidays and parental leave; contracts; discrimination; grievances, dismissal and discipline at work; self-employment; redundancy; rights of young workers and those from overseas.
Equality & diversity inc model policy (ACAS)
Equality Act advice for employers (ACAS)
Food
Guidance on complying with food regulations and protecting against food poisoning:
Food Standards Agency - Homepage
Starting up
Your first steps to running a catering business.
Safer food, better business for caterers
This food safety management pack has been developed to help small catering businesses such as restaurants, cafés and takeaways comply with food hygiene regulations.
Finance
CASH-ONLINE (Accounting advice)
Provides people with the basic financial skills needed to run successful charities and voluntary organisations.
Charities and Insurance
Guidance from the Charities Commission.
Insurance | Business Link
All about insurance for business.
Get the right insurance for your business | Business Link
A tool to check that you have the right insurance cover.
Finance Hub - Home
Making sense of funding and finance in the third sector.
Financial management
Detailed information covering basic definitions and concepts of funding and finance from the National Council for Voluntary Organisations.
Internal Financial Controls
Guidance from the Charities Commission.
Mango Guide
Provides practical advice and tools to everyone working with NGOs to help them use their funds effectively. Others will benefit from this site.
Online and electronic payment solutions
How do you take payments on-line and what is the most cost effective solution for you.
Funding
Awards for All, Lottery grants and funding for projects in the UK
A Lottery grants scheme funding small, local community-based projects in the UK.
Comic Relief
Supports disadvantaged people in the UK and around the world.
Esmée Fairbairn Foundation - Home
The Esmee Fairbairn Foundation is one of the leading independent grant-making foundations in the UK.
Big Lottery Funding
Use the fund finder tool to identify the most suitable funding programme for your project.
Garfield Weston Foundation
Garfield Weston Foundation grant-giving charity, Art, Community, Education, Environment, Health, Religion, Welfare, Youth, charitable institutions.
GRANTfinder - The UK's leading grants and funding search database
The UK's leading searchable database on EU and UK Government grants and loans, charitable trusts and corporate sponsors.
Lottery Funding
A joint website run by all Lottery funders in the UK. This site allows you to search information on current funding programmes across the UK.
NCVO Funding and finance
Top funding and finance news and an overview of the resources available from the Sustainable Funding Project at NCVO.
The Wates Foundation Guidelines for Applicants 2011
Trustfunding.org.uk Directory for Social Change
A searchable website of all charitable trusts in the UK providing grants to voluntary sector groups. The site contains information on over 4,200 trusts providing £3 billion to voluntary sector groups each year.
Small Business Funding
Business link brochure that provides detailed information about funding from the first principles to making a bid.
Credit Management Advice
How to get paid on time.
NESTA - Making innovation flourish
Online and electronic payment solutions - electronic-payments.co.uk
How to get payments on line.
J4B Business Grant, Loan, Venture Capital, Tax Relief and Award Information
Information on all the latest European & UK Government grants and other sources of funding to help start and grow your business.
j4b Community VCS Grants and Loan information
Providing information on over 3,000 grants dedicated to the voluntary and community sector.
Health and Safety
HSE Home Page
The Health and Safety Commission provide help and guidance on maintaining a safe work place. Read the Myth of the month to show you how this organisation is often blamed for other bureaucrats decisions.
Introduction to Health & Safety
Includes Model Policy Statement.
Risk management Five steps to risk assessment
Guidance on completing a risk assessment.
Example risk assessment for an office-based business
Electrical Equipment Testing
What the HSE really recommend.
H & S Law
Information for employees.
Myth of the month
A humorous look at health and safety myths.
First aid at work - health and safety in the workplace
IT
Software
Three suppliers of accounting software to automate your book-keeping, invoicing, credit control and accounting:
Dosh Bookkeeping and Accounting Software
Quickbooks - More Than Just Bookkeeping
Charity software suppliers
Where charities can get software at discounted prices.
Charity software CTX
Suppliers of discounted software to charities.
Other support
AbilityNet
helping disabled adults and children use computers and the internet by adapting and adjusting their technology.
Databases
What a database can do for your organisation.
IT for outcomes
Selecting a database for monitoring.
Doodle easy scheduling
saves you a lot of time and energy when you're trying to find a time to bring a number of people together.
Lasa knowledgebase
a comprehensive, easy to use source of independent information and help.
Training - Office.com
free training courses and tutorials for Microsoft Office Word, Excel, Access, PowerPoint, Outlook etc.
Legal
Getlegal
The free online reference and decision-making tool for charities, social enterprises and co-operative organisations.
Haringey Citizens Advice Bureaux
Our local CAB offers free, confidential, impartial and independent advice to individuals.
CAB Adviceguide
The national hub with a mass of on-line legal advice.
Lawyers For Your Business
A scheme from the Law Society which also contains some legal checklists and fact sheets.
Regulation checklist | Business Link
Are you meeting all your legal obligations? Ignorance of the law is not a defence. This tool helps you check which regulations apply to you.
Sale of Goods Act hub
Provides comprehensive and up to date guidance on the Sale of Goods Act if you are selling goods or services to consumers.
Haringey Trading Standards
The local body that enforces consumer law.
Consumer Direct
The government-funded consumer advice service offering information and advice on problems with goods and services, energy and post to consumers.
Managing People
When employing people it there are a massive number of laws, rules and regulations that you must observe. The ACAS website provides up to date, authoritative guidance:
Avice Leaflets (ACAS)
The publication catalogue is divided into two categories. If you are looking for a specific subject you need to consult both lists or use the site search function. A selection of the booklets is provided below.
Discipline & grievances booklet (ACAS)
Equality & diversity inc model policy (ACAS)
Equality Act advice for employers (ACAS)
Internet and e-mail policies (ACAS)
Managing attendance and employee turnover (ACAS)
Personnel data and record keeping (ACAS)
Recruitment and induction (ACAS)
Learning tools
On line learning on employment matters from ACAS.
Other organisations also provide employment guidance:
Employment & skills | Business Link
Everything you need to know about employing people.
What employment policies | Business Link
How to set up employment policies for you business.
Contracts of employment (CAB)
Information on employment contracts including the difference between workers and employees, between employed and self-employed status, changes to contracts, and illegal contracts.
Employment fact sheets (CAB)
Fact sheets on employment including rights of parents, discrimination, accidents at work and migrant workers.
Good Guide to Employment factsheets (NCVO)
Factsheets taken from the Good Guide to Employment, covering a range of HR topics.
Identifying learning and development needs (NCVO)
People, HR and Employment (NCVO)
An overview of the information, resources, advice and support available around Workforce Development.
People, HR and Employment (NCVO)
An overview of the information, resources, advice and support available around Workforce Development.
Skills - Third Sector
Makes it easier for people in charities and social enterprises to have the right skills to make a difference to people and their communities.
Volunteering England
This web site offers a range of resources for anyone who works with or manages volunteers as well as for those who want to volunteer.
Monitoring and Evaluation
Monitoring & evaluation - CES
Information guidance and free resources from the Charities Evaluation Service.
Measuring Impact - A Guide To Resources (NVCO)
Evaluation Pathway - Evaluation Support Scotland
Getting started with Evaluation from Evaluation Support Scotland. You can also find Resources and Information with plenty of evaluation tools on the site.
Other Support
ACEVO - Home
The voice for chief executives in the third sector.
Charity Builder UK
A free of charge interactive service for charities and not-for-profit groups that will help you to manage the HR and Health & Safety.
Community Matters
Community Matters champions voluntary and community action at neighbourhood level, as a means of local people taking control of issues in their area and fostering community spirit.
Community Toolkit
My Community Starter is a free online resource for people who want to get involved in organising smaller, more straightforward community activities. Sponsored by Zurich Insurance.
Cranfield Trust
Provides free management consultancy for charities and social enterprise groups involved in relief of poverty, disability or social exclusion.
Jargonbusters
Aims to help UK funders, the Charity Commission and voluntary and community organisations to be more consistent in the way they use technical terms in voluntary sector management and commissioning.
KnowHow NonProfit
Setting up, maintaining and assessing a successful charity or non profit organisation - learn the basics with KnowHow NonProfit.
Locality
A network for community-led organisations formed by the merger of bassac and the Development Trusts Association.
LVSC - London Voluntary Service Council
Collaborative leader of London's voluntary and community sector.
Mango Guide
Provides practical advice and tools to everyone working with NGOs but the templates that can be used by any VSO.
NCVO - The National Council for Voluntary Organisations
The largest umbrella body for the voluntary and community sector in England supports voluntary organisations (as well as social enterprises and CICs) whether you're a large national body or a local community group.
New Philanthropy Capital (NPC)
A consultancy and think tank dedicated to helping funders and charities achieve a greater impact.
The DesignTrust
Provides advice and guidance on trading for design-based businesses.
Tax
HMRC Home
All the information about tax. Income tax, National Insurance, corporation tax, VAT, duties and all the rest.
Employed or self-employed Status Indicator
Are your contractors or part timers employed or self-employed.
Charities and Corporation Tax | Business Link and Charities VAT | Business Link
The Corporation Tax and VAT advantages of being a registered charity.
Charity forms
How to get HMRC forms for charities or Community Amateur Sports clubs and guidance on how to complete them.
Community Amateur Sports Clubs
Information about the qualifying conditions and the benefits for CASC status, and how to register.
Strategic Planning
Strategy | National Council for Voluntary Organisations
Do you know where your organisation is going over the next few years? Are you clear about how it will get there and what it will achieve? Are you sure everyone involved in your organisation has the same destination in mind? Help in answering these questions.
NCVO Strategic planning
Developing a strategic plan and then planning your fundraising strategy around it will help you make sure that your organisation can achieve what you set out to do.
Drivers - NCVO
Check what factors could influence your business and use them in the free_SWOT_analysis_template.
Budgeting Fact sheet
No plan is complete without looking at what it will cost and how it will be financed. HSBC factsheet.
Writing your plan
A free fact sheet from Santande.r
Businessballs
A site with useful tools, templates, fact sheets and reference information on business topics.
Business continuity planning | Business Link
Drawing up contingency plans for your business in case your IT systems are disrupted. Often required in tender documents. Their Business continuity plan template guide will help you produce your own plan.
Committee of Advertising Practice
What you can and can't claim in an advertisement.
National Statistics Online
All the government statistics from local to national.
Marketing Plan - Checklists
Make sure that you have covered all aspects in your marketing plan.
Yell Online Free Listing
Get a free business listing on Yell online, sign up for free advertising on Yell Marketing. Help customers find you with free local advertising from Yell.
Premises
Change of Use Classes
You've identified some premises but can you use them for what you want to do?
Guide to asset development
How community based organisations can benefit from developing land or buildings for community use.
Premises - My Community Space
Halls, IT suites, office space, galleries, meeting rooms and studios available for hire or promote your let your premises.
Business rates | Business Link
What are business rates and...
Business rates calculation
...how are they calculated?
Charitable rate relief | Business Link
Relief on your business rates if your property is used for charitable purposes.
North London Property Search
A guide to business premises available in North London.
Quality Schemes
About Quality Schemes
Choosing your approach to quality
Guidance from NCVO.
Quality management history, gurus, theories
The theory and development of quality management systems from Business Balls.
So where does evaluation fit into quality?
The links between quality, evaluation and monitoring from the Evaluation Tust.
Quality Standards
Clubmark is the only national cross sports quality accreditation scheme for clubs with junior sections
Customer First is the National Standard for Customer Service.
Investors in People is a nationally recognised framework that helps organisations to improve their performance and realise their objectives through the effective management and development of their people.
Investing in Volunteers is the UK quality standard good practice in volunteer management.
The ISO 9000 quality management standard is one of the best known standards.
The London Youth Quality Mark is the only quality assurance scheme for youth clubs accredited by City and Guilds.
The re-launched matrix Standard is the quality standard for organisations to assess and measure their advice and support services for careers, education and training.
Ofsted inspect and regulate services which care for children and young people, and those providing education and skills for learners of all ages.
QUASRO is a specialist tool developed by the Refugee Council to help refugee organisations ensure that they are well run and deliver high quality services.
PQASSO developed for the sector, can be used by all types of third sector organisations, including charities, social enterprises, community interest companies and community groups. Originall developed as a self assessment tool the PQASSO Quality Mark uses peer review to externally validate your self assessment.
The Social Enterprise Mark guarantees that a business is trading for people and planet.
The Supplementary Schools Quality Framework aims to celebrate and record the achievements of supplementary schools and improve quality across the sector.
The Visible Standard is an externally accredited standard from Community Matters that is aimed at community organisations.
They have also produced the preVISIBLE standard a development tool which tests the systems that your organisation has in place. Accreditation is not available against this standard.
Safeguarding
The NSPCC, working with a number of other children's organisations, provide the Safe Network website. This site contains a variety of tools and information about ensuring the safety of children and young people and protecting them from abuse.
Work to protect, and prevent the abuse of vulnerable older adults and by doing so also protect other adults at risk of abuse.
Sports Clubs
Guide for Community Amateur Sports Clubs
Sports clubs play a valuable role in their communities. The CASC scheme recognises this important role by distinguishing between clubs and businesses for rates and tax purposes, ensuring money is kept in sports clubs.
Social Enterprise, Business Planning and Trading
Business Link
Business Link is the government's online resource for businesses:
Developing new business ideas - Business Link
Bank Support
Starting trading involves money. The major banks provide information on starting up and building your trading activities. This is information is free of charge and you don't have to hold an account to view it.
Lloyds TSB - Business banking - Business guides
NatWest business banking - Starting a business
Santander Business advice sheets
Specialist banking based on Islamic principles.
Social Enterprise
What is social enterprise? Is it different to running any other enterprise?
Social Enterprise Coalition - The Voice of Social Enterprise
The national body for social enterprise.
Social Enterprise London
"A world-leading provider of training, research, networking and consultancy for social enterprise".
Social enterprise | Business Link
Why set up a social enterprise and the benefits of doing so.
Community Interest Companies | BIS
What are they and how the model works.
Volunteering
Do it Volunteering site
To register an interest in Volunteering.
Volunteering Charity Builder UK
Resources for engaging volunteers in your organisation.
Volunteering England
Volunteering England's web site offers a range of resources for anyone who works with or manages volunteers as well as to those who want to volunteer.