September 4, 2026

A few months ago, I told you about developments we had made on the Members Area on our website. This work has been driven by the goal to provide practical, high-quality support that helps voluntary, community, faith and social enterprise (VCFSE) organisations across Cumbria become stronger, more sustainable and more effective.

I’m delighted to tell you that the Members Area is now packed with even more resources designed specifically for organisations like yours.

This isn’t just a collection of documents sitting on a website. The content has been carefully developed to provide practical guidance, tools, templates and learning opportunities that can be used immediately within your organisation. Whether you’re recruiting volunteers, applying for funding, developing a business plan, strengthening governance or measuring impact, there’s something there to support you.

 

What’s available in the Members Area?

Learning Programme

Our new Learning Programme provides flexible, self-paced learning, allowing staff, volunteers and trustees to access support whenever it suits them.

Volunteer Management

Current modules include:

• 8 Great Ways to Recognise and Develop Volunteers
• 8 Top Tips for Volunteer Management
• Inclusive Volunteer Recruitment in 5 Simple Steps

Each learning resource is designed to help organisations build and sustain a thriving volunteer workforce.

Funding Support

Finding and securing funding remains a priority for many organisations.

Members have access to:

• How to Write a Bid video
• Practical resources and guidance to support bid writing

Business Support

Developing a clear plan for your organisation’s future is essential.

Members have exclusive access to:

• How to Write a Business Plan video
• Practical guidance to help you create a business plan

Governance

Strong governance underpins successful organisations.

The Members Area includes:

• • Tools and Templates to Support Your Role as a Trustee
  • Resources to strengthen organisational governance and support trustees in meeting their responsibilities effectively

 

Focus on Funding

Our popular Focus on Funding section continues to be regularly updated with funding news, grant programmes and opportunities relevant to the sector.

 

Members Directory

Connect with other organisations across Cumbria through our Members Directory and discover opportunities to network, collaborate and share good practice.

 

Evaluation and Research

Demonstrating impact is increasingly important for funders and stakeholders.

Members can access a range of evaluation and research resources, including Cumbria CVS’s Evaluation Toolkit, designed to help organisations measure, evidence and communicate their impact more effectively.

 

We’re just getting started

Importantly, this isn’t a static resource library.

The Members Area will continue to grow and evolve in response to the needs of our members. We are already working on new learning content and resources, and over the coming months we’ll be developing a suite of template policies to help organisations save time, strengthen compliance and build confidence in their governance and operational practices.

We see the Members Area as a living resource that will continue to develop alongside the VCFSE sector in Cumbria.

 

A call to action for our members

If you’re already a Cumbria CVS member, I strongly encourage you to log in and explore what’s available.

A considerable investment has gone into creating these resources specifically for our members. Whether you’re a trustee, manager, employee or volunteer, there’s valuable support available that could save you time, improve practice and help your organisation achieve its goals.

Visit the Members Area here: Members’ Login

If you’re having trouble accessing the area or need your password re sending, please contact us at info@cumbriacvs.org.uk and the team will be happy to help.

 

Not a member yet?

It is free for VCFSE organisations delivering services and activities in Cumbria to become members of Cumbria CVS. Membership provides exclusive access to a growing range of resources, tools, and online self-pace learning designed specifically for the VCFSE sector across Cumbria.

Find out more and become a member today: Join Cumbria CVS

Together, we’re building a stronger, more resilient VCFSE sector across Cumbria, and we’re committed to ensuring our membership offer continues to deliver real value for every member organisation.

 

 

 

 

Bridget Johns
Operations Manager
Cumbria CVS