Useful Information – November 2023
October 26, 2023
Events, training, charity news, surveys, research, feedback, reports, services and much more – in one handy place!
This page will be updated with new information as we receive it during November. Please check back regularly. (Last update: 23/11/23 – items added on this date are marked as [NEW])
You can view last month’s Useful Information here to catch up on new information added during October ’23.
If you’ve seen something you think we should be sharing, let us know! Email us: info@cumbriacvs.org.uk
Looking for funding information? Check out the latest edition of Focus on Funding here
Training and Events
Growing Well Egremont – site clearance and prep
Thursday 7 December at Beck Green Nurseries, Cross Side, Egremont, CA22 2AP. We are planning an initial site clearance and prep session and would be very grateful if you could give up your time to come and join in.
The session will run from 9:30 – 3:45 and will comprise unskilled (but vital!) physical tasks including weed clearance, debris clearance, shovelling, sweeping, tidy and clean of building interior. We are grateful for any time you can give on this day, be it two hours or the full session.
RSVP to Mary Smith: mary@growingwell.co.uk
Webinar: How to generate ethical and high-quality AI content
7 December, Online. Generative artificial intelligence (AI) was the tech talking point of 2023 and will continue well into 2024. AI, particularly in content creation, has witnessed an unprecedented surge. Platforms like ChatGPT, Bard, Scribe, Dall-E2, and others have become the go-to tools for crafting quick and convenient words and images.
However, a challenge has emerged in this AI-driven content landscape. Generative AI content often falls short in terms of quality, accuracy, and ethical considerations. This webinar will explore and discover the responsible and ethical usage of generative AI.
Carbon Literacy Action Day
The world’s largest climate education and action training event – Carbon Literacy Action Day – takes place, in-person, on Monday 4 December.
Cumbria Action for Sustainability are running a full day event in Penrith. The interactive Climate and Carbon Literacy training course provides a clear understanding of climate science, an awareness of carbon costs and the impacts of everyday activities.
Storytelling through Data – free workshop
30 November, online. The webinar “Storytelling through Data” will take you through all the steps you need to source, shape and craft your data into a compelling narrative, including:
- identifying and gathering relevant data
- creating clear and attractive data visualisations
- ethical use of data including data bias and privacy
Find out more and sign up here
The Search for Support
Thursday 23 November, Carlisle. Anyone on a health journey, seeking work, a change of direction or simply thinking about what work they could consider in the future are very welcome to drop in to this support event.
It has something for everyone with a range of advice and guidance as well as a vacancies with part time and full time vacancies.
Click on the thumbnail image for more details.
Responding Well – Domestic Abuse Training
Dates and locations in December & January. Cumberland Council and Westmorland & Furness Council, in partnership with SafeLives, are offering the training opportunity to complete ‘Responding Well’ Domestic Abuse Training.
SafeLives are a UK-wide charity dedicated to ending domestic abuse, for everyone and for good. They are independent, practical and evidence-led, with survivor voice at the heart of our thinking. They work with organisations across the UK to transform the response to domestic abuse. This face-to-face training is free to all professionals and the sessions will last a full day.
See the attached poster for more information
Capability Development Training for community-led organisations
November 28, online. Dunhill Medical Trust is partnering with the team at Moore Kingston Smith Non-Profit Advisory and the University of Birmingham’s School of Social Policy to deliver high quality training as part of a Capability Development Scheme. The training forms an integral part of the Trust’s Academy offering for community-facing organisations.
Our first webinar will be run by Karl Leathem, from Moore Kingston Smith Non-Profit Advisory who has worked with hundreds of community-facing organisations over twenty-five years, assisting them with evaluating and communicating social impact.
For more information click here
Virtual Fundraiser Networking
Tuesday 21 November, online. These friendly sessions involve a Get Grants Expert providing an update on the current grant fundraising landscape, before facilitating discussions about how the grant fundraising world continues to change, and what opportunities and challenges this presents to you as fundraisers.
Digital Fundraising
Wednesday 6 & Wednesday 13 December 2023, online. With ever-increasing digital fundraising tools and platforms available, it can be overwhelming if you don’t know where to start, and a drain on limited time and resources if you don’t know what is going to work for your specific organisation and fundraising needs.
Get Grants Digital Fundraising Training Course will give you the practical insight and information you need to successfully plan and deliver digital fundraising for your organisation. This course will help you understand the benefits of different digital platforms and tools, and where to focus your efforts to maximise your digital fundraising success.
Bid Writing For Charities and Community Groups
Friday 8 & Friday 15 December 2023, online. Get Grants’ Online Bid Writing Course will give you pragmatic support that will improve your ratio of success and motivate you to write further grant applications and proposals with greater confidence. The course will give you access to their Fundraising expert’s extensive knowledge and advice and is equally useful for novices and people with all levels of experience in fundraising.
It will help you increase your organisation income through fundraising and materialise those much-needed projects.
Trusts & Foundations Fundraising
Wednesday 6 & Wednesday 13 December 2023, online. Get Grants’ Trusts and Foundations Fundraising Course will equip you with the techniques and practices you need to increase your organisation’s income through Trusts and Foundations fundraising. This course supports attendees to establish, deliver, and manage an effective Trusts and Foundations fundraising programme that works for your organisation.
The course is designed as both a follow-on course to the Bid Writing for Charities and Community Groups Course and as a stand-alone course for fundraisers with a minimum level of experience.
Community Fundraising
Thursday 23 & Thursday 30 November 2023, online. Community Fundraising is one of the oldest, best known, and most resilient forms of fundraising. As well as a fantastic source of unrestricted income, Community Fundraising is a great way to build your supporter and volunteer networks and awareness of your work.
This course will help you support fundraisers to tap into the potential of their community to increase your organisation’s income.
Major Donor Fundraising Course
Tuesday 14 & Tuesday 21 November 2023, online. Get Grants’Major Donor Fundraising Course offers a comprehensive overview of the major donor fundraising process and includes practical examples for you to apply to your organisation. Major gifts fundraising is an income stream with one of the highest returns on investment and has been identified, along with legacies, as areas of fundraising growth for the coming years.
For many fundraisers, major donor fundraising is out of their comfort zone. But don’t let the phrase ‘major gift’ scare you off! It is hugely beneficial for organisations to build major gifts programmes that fit their size and capacity.
AI for Fundraisers MASTERCLASS – On Demand
This Masterclass is 1hr long and covers:
- What are Chat GPT and Google Bard and how can they be used in fundraising?
- Practical information and advice on making AI/Chat GPT/Google Bard work for your organisation.
- Using Chat GPT/Google Bard to improve your donor communications, such as writing newsletters, reports, proposals, thank you letters, website copy etc.
How to deliver a successful transformation strategy
30 November, online. What challenges are you facing when implementing a digital transformation strategy? And how are you addressing those challenges?
Charity Digital will explore what the charity sector feels are the most significant challenges to successful transformation and how they are equipped to deal with them.
VONNE Conference & AGM – AI & the Charity Sector
Thursday 16 November, Sunderland and online.
There’s still time to sign up for VONNE’s Conference & AGM 2023 – The key theme of the conference is AI and the Charity Sector. We’ve promised you a jam packed agenda and we won’t disappoint!
Research in the VCFSE sector – insights from Blackpool Citizens Advice
Friday 17 November, online. This event is an opportunity to learn about research happening at Citizens Advice Blackpool. Colleagues will showcase two research projects on the cost of living and social prescribing.
This event is open to anyone and will be of particular interest to people working in Health, Care and VCFSE sectors. It will also be of interest to researchers who want to find out more about working alongside the people delivering or receiving services.
Innovative Approaches to Fundraising: Strategies for Success
21 November, online. This session will delve into nonprofit innovation in fundraising – with valuable insights from leaders at the British Red Cross, T1International and WWF.
How should funders respond to the social impacts of the environmental crises?
13 November, Online. NPC are hosting a free webinar as they share findings from the Everyone’s Environment programme’s engagement with young people, people from ethnic minority communities, disabled people, and older people, to explore their priorities in tackling the climate and nature crises.
In collaboration with more than 50 partners, NPC have spoken with those worst affected by the climate and nature crises about how they want charities and policy makers to respond. This webinar will discuss their findings and consider how funders can empower charities to take action on the social impacts of the environmental crises.
Get Ready for Race Equality Week 2024
Wednesday 8 November, Online. Race Equality Week is a UK-wide initiative which unites thousands of organisations and individuals to address the issue of race equality barriers in the workplace.
With just three months to go until Race Equality Week 2024, which will take place 5-11 February, this online event is designed to help you and your organisation start planning impactful activities for the week.
Learning from lockdown and looking to the future: utilising champion approaches across the North East and North Cumbria
Tuesday 7 November, Online. Join Becky James from the Office for Health Inequalities and Disparities (OHID) and Richard Boggie from VONNE for a short lunchtime webinar to introduce a newly published learning set which highlights lessons from the North East and North Cumbria health champion programmes, drawing learning from local activity and presenting opportunities for future collaborative working.
The webinar will give an overview of key learning from champion programmes across the North East and North Cumbria, spotlight examples of good practice and highlight opportunities for future working.
An introduction to skills for collaboration
Dates in December & January, online. A free event for voluntary and community organisations.
Would you like to know more about how to create relationships that foster collaboration? To collaborate well requires building relationships, finding ways to overcome challenges, and creating productive ways of working together, whether this is bringing together teams from across an organisation or building relationships with other agencies or partners.
Find out more in the attached leaflet
Workshop: Cyber security for all
21 November 2023, online. This workshop, presented to you by the National Cyber Security Centre’s Resilience Team, will provide a bespoke set of steps to improve your cyber resilience at home and at work.
As well as providing an explanation of what cyber security is and the current threats towards your organisation and you as an individual, the workshop will help you identify NCSC products, tools, advice, and guidance to ensure you are resilient to cyber attacks.
Digital Fundraising Summit 2023
01 – 02 November, online. Calling all charity sector employees – Charity Digital’s Annual Digital Fundraising Summit is back!
For the fifth year in a row, we are bringing back an action-packed event of Digital Fundraising insights from across the charity and tech sectors. The new and revamped Digital Fundraising Summit 2023 is a free, two-day, online event, with informative webinars and interactive workshops, and plenty of time for networking!
Suicide Alertness: Orange Button Training
Monday 20 November at Ormsgill Community Centre. The course is fully funded therefore free to attend.
This 3.5 hour training session is aimed at anyone who wants to understand more about suicide, how to know when someone may be having thoughts of suicide, how to talk directly and comfortably about suicide, and what we can all do to offer practical support. Completion of the training will also qualify individuals for the countywide Orange Button scheme.
Muslim Charities Forum – Vision for Volunteering Webinar
Monday 6 November 2023. The Vision for Volunteering’s project partners collaborate on shaping the future of volunteering.
Join us online to welcome our newest partner, Muslim Charities Forum, and learn more about their work and their ambitions for volunteering.
Register for your free place here
How can Trustees take action on the environmental crises?
Thursday 9 November 2023, online. NPC and Reach Volunteering are hosting a free webinar to share findings from the Everyone’s Environment programme. In collaboration with more than 50 partners, they have spoken with those worst affected by the climate and nature crises about how they want charities and policy makers to respond.
The webinar will discuss these findings, and consider how Trustees can support the charities that they govern as they take action on the social impacts of the environmental crises.
Find out more and register here
Youth Work Week 2023
Monday 6 to Sunday 12 November. The theme this year is youth work in every place and space. The annual Youth Work Week event, hosted by the National Youth Agency, aims to raise awareness of the life-changing difference youth workers have on young people aged between 8 – 25 years of age. This year Youth Work Week is focussing on the breadth of youth work taking place across the country: in youth centres, hospitals, outdoor activity centres, cultural spaces and so much more.
Youth Work Week is a chance to raise awareness of the difference youth work makes to young people, providing them with somewhere to go, something fun to do, the chance to make new friends, learn new skills and receive the support of a trusted adult.
Find out more and get involved
Inter Faith Week events
12 – 19 November 2023. Clink on the links below for details of events from Westmorland and Furness Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Partnership:
Wednesday 15 November – Kendal
North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust’s (NCIC) Annual Members’ Meeting
Tuesday November 7, Carlise and online. NCIC provides hospital and community health services and the event provides an opportunity for members of the public to learn more about our achievements and challenges over the last 12 months and the current financial position, which you can find out more about in our annual report for 22/23 now available on our website.
We are also keen to hear the views of as many members as possible about our emerging plans for the future, and listen to your feedback so that we can use this to improve our plans.
To book or for any enquiries please email corporate.governance@ncic.nhs.uk
Fundraising for Beginners Training Course
Wednesday 22 & Wednesday 29 November, online. Develop a strong foundational understanding of different types of fundraising and explore what options are available and what will work best for your organisation.
Attendees will also consider the importance of a fundraising strategy and receive practical support to put this into practice and confidently take the first steps towards achieving your fundraising goals!
Using Data to Increase Fundraising Success Course
Thursday 2 & Thursday 9 November, online. Get Grants Online Using Data to Increase Fundraising Success Course will support you to incorporate freely available data, simple analysis, and evaluation into your bid writing to make you a more skilled, confident fundraiser.
Increasingly, we see funders asking charities and community groups to use data and evaluation to evidence why the work they do is worthy of funding. Simple uses of data and evidence can help you better tell the story of your organisation, describe the people you help, establish why your work is needed, and clearly demonstrate the difference you make. This course will equip you with practical approaches to thinking about the who, why, what, how and when of your organisation’s work.
Bid Writing in Sports and Physical Activity Workshop
Wednesday 8 November, online. The Workshop is a two-hour online session aimed at organisations who are delivering sports and physical activity projects who are interested in growing their grant fundraising confidence and increasing their income through grant funding.
The workshop aims to benefit fundraisers with all levels of experience looking to hone their grant fundraising skills, as well as those who are looking to write their first application and don’t know where to begin.
Developing Your Individual Giving
Wednesday 1 & Wednesday 8 November, online. Get Grants’ Developing Your Individual Giving Course will give you practical solutions and ideas for growing your charity’s income through support from individual donors. By developing an individual giving offer, organisations can diversify their income, strengthening resilience and sustainability (which is needed now more than ever).
Many organisations have communities of people that are enthusiastic about their work and willing to give their support. However, often organisations aren’t making the most of these opportunities as they lack the confidence and knowledge to progress this.
The Essential Trustee
16 November, Online. This short session is designed for Trustees of charities to help understand their role, responsibilities and duties.
Make Your Social Media More Effective
Thursday 9 November, Online. Do you get the most engagement from your Twitter, Facebook or your Instagram posts?
Why do some posts get more clicks than others? Find out how to increase engagement.
Introduction to IQ
Thursday 30 November 2023, online. Improving Quality (IQ) is a Quality Scheme based on the original PQASSO and continuing that ethos. The scheme was created by a number of people previously involved in PQASSO including the person who designed the PQASSO Quality Mark scheme and trained all of the PQASSO Quality Mark Assessors.
It is clear, simple and focuses on the key issues that make a difference for charities. IQ can either be used for self-assessment or accreditation, and has international recognition: a number of organisations in the UK and the Republic of Ireland are already accredited to it.
This workshop will introduce the Quality Standard and what undertaking it entails. It will also consider how organisations can transition from Trusted Charity to Improving Quality without undertaking additional work.
Interactive workshop – Mobilising Community Assets. What’s next??
15 November, Blackpool. The Fylde Research Collaborative would like to invite you to an interactive workshop to discuss the opportunities and challenges of our coastal co-production model and how it might be applied in your organisation/setting. The Community for Health Equity Solutions project is the first externally funded project the collaborative have been successful in applying to, and it has been running in Blackpool for the last 9 months.
We would like to share learning and insights of the AHRC funded project and others across the Fylde Coast that have a core focus around local system co-production. There will be opportunities to network and exchange views and opinions about how lessons learned can help shape and improve the research infrastructure across all sectors for other coastal areas that contribute to a reduction in health inequalities.
NCIC Annual Members Meeting
Tuesday 7 November, People First, Carlisle or online. Members of the public are invited to join North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust’s (NCIC) Annual Members’ Meeting (AMM).
NCIC provides hospital and community health services and the event provides an opportunity for members of the public to learn more about our achievements and challenges over the last 12 months, the current financial position, and plans for the future. We will also be sharing ‘a time for change’ – which is an outline of our long term strategy. We are keen to hear the views of as many people as possible about our proposed approach so we can finalise our plans.
Members of the public can submit questions in advance to be responded to in the meeting through corporate.governance@ncic.nhs.uk no later than Tuesday 31 October 2023.
Getting on Board Festival of Trusteeship
Getting on Board is a charity that supports people from all sectors of society to become charity board trustees, and charities to recruit and retain a diverse range of trustees.
The Festival of Trusteeship takes place between 6 and 10 November, and is a jam-packed programme of events for trustees or anyone who works with charity boards. The events cover lots of different aspects of governance, so there is something for everyone.
Eden Project Communities – Community Camp programme
Introduction to Community Action course – starts Monday 6 November, and takes place over 5 weeks with one online evening session per week.
Jam-packed with workshops, inspirational talks, networking and fun, the Introduction to course is for anyone interested in making a difference in their community. Places are fully funded, but in high demand so get your application in now! Part of our Community Camp programme, this short online course explores how to make positive change where you live, from the comfort of your own home!
Trauma Informed Conference 2023
2 November 2023 at Castle Green Hotel in Kendal. The conference is designed to bring together professionals from all walks of life to discuss and learn about trauma-informed practices and how they can be implemented in various settings, including voluntary sector agencies, health, education, social work, and criminal justice agencies.
The conference will feature prominent speakers from the field of trauma-informed practice, who will bring skills, knowledge, and current best practice in the field.
Digital Fundraising Summit 2023
1-2 November, online. Calling all charity sector employees – Charity Digital’s Annual Digital Fundraising Summit is back!
For the fifth year in a row, we are bringing back an action-packed event of Digital Fundraising insights from across the charity and tech sectors. The new and revamped Digital Fundraising Summit 2023 is a free, two-day, online event, with informative webinars and interactive workshops, and plenty of time for networking!
Get Grants free introduction workshops
Following the success of Get Grants 10th Anniversary events, we are pleased to announce the return of our FREE Introduction Workshops! These workshops provide a taster session, filled with top tips and advice, of each of our training courses.
Friday 10 November: Introduction to Fundraising Strategy Workshop
Tuesday 14 November: Introduction to Management for Fundraisers Workshop
Monday 11 December: Introduction to Bid Writing for Charities & Community Groups Workshop
Meet the Funder Events
Dates through until January ’24. There has never been a greater need for fundraisers to get-together and share knowledge and experience. Get Grants FREE Virtual Events bring fundraisers across the UK together to share experiences and connect with other fundraisers.
In our popular Meet the Funder Virtual Events, Get Grants Funding Experts are joined by funders to talk about their funding programmes. These events give attendees the opportunity to speak directly to funders, take part in discussions, get unique insights, and ask questions specific to their project or organisation.
VCFSE News and Information
‘Punitive welfare measures’ – charities react to autumn statement
Charities have responded to this year’s autumn statement, which could be the penultimate set of tax and spending announcements before the next general election.
Jeremy Hunt announced changes to benefits, national insurance and local housing allowance with £120m to prevent homelessness.
Awards for Cumbria Action for Sustainability
CAfS won three awards this month at the Community Energy England awards in Salford.
They took home the Community Energy Organisation of the Year (large) award and the Climate and Environmental Impact award. They were also highly commended for the Fuel Poverty Action award. The awards are recognition of the work, passion and dedication of all of the team at CAfS, and acknowledge the breadth of work they do.
Charity Commission launches guidance on social media
Charities are often dealing with emotive issues and will want to spread their message as widely as possible. Social media is an ideal tool for this – but it is not without its risks.
The Charity Commission has recently issued new guidance around charities’ use of social media, which recognises this.
Increase in number of charities failing to access marketing opt-out requests
The Fundraising Regulator has reported an increase in the number of charities failing to access people’s requests to be removed from their marketing databases.
The regulator runs the fundraising preference service (FPS), which allows individuals to request charities registered in England, Wales and Northern Ireland to stop sending them direct marketing communications.
Big Help Out reveals plans to ‘stand on own two feet’ in 2024 with three-day event
The national volunteering event the Big Help Out is set to return next year and spans three days instead of one, from 7 to 9 June 2024.
This coincides with the end of Volunteers’ Week and the Big Lunch, which take place on the first week and weekend of June each year, respectively.
Cumberland Council Newsletter
View the Cumberland Council newsletter from 19/11/23 here, including:
- Help us better understand food insecurity and other related issues
- Active Travel to School survey
- Borderlands named as 5G Innovation Region by UK Government
Westmorland and Furness Council Newsletter
View the Westmorland and Furness Council newsletter from 17/11/23 here, including:
- Voluntary groups receive a King’s Award for Voluntary Service
- Council agrees to take over management of The Coro
- Welcome for ‘transformative’ digital connectivity funding
Levelling up delays to ‘exacerbate’ gap between charities in richer and poorer areas
Delays in the delivery of levelling up funding will “exacerbate” the divide between charities in richer and poorer areas, New Philanthropy Capital (NPC) has warned.
Between 2019 and 2022, the government announced the Towns Fund, Levelling Up Fund, and UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) to support its levelling up agenda across the UK.
Chancellor told to engage charities and avoid Big Society return in autumn statement
Chancellor Jeremy Hunt has been urged to engage properly with UK charities to tackle the country’s challenges and avoid mimicking David Cameron’s Big Society strategy in his upcoming autumn statement.
Cameron, who returned to government recently as foreign secretary, introduced his Big Society initiative during his time as prime minister from 2010 to 2016.
2024 Weston Charity Awards – funding available
Applications for the 2024 Weston Charity Awards are now open, offering valuable skilled volunteering support to small charities. Winning applicants receive a core grant to cover costs and participate in the Pilotlight 360 programme — a 10-month package of organisation support and leadership coaching.
The awards are open to registered charities working with beneficiaries in the North of England, the Midlands, and Wales and which specialise in the fields of Community, Welfare, Youth, and Environment. Charities with at least one paid full-time member of staff in a leadership position and an income of less than £5 million per year are eligible to apply.
Provider Selection Regime
The Provider Selection Regime is intended to start for the provision of healthcare services on 1 January 2024. It will apply to NHS England, ICBs, NHS trusts and foundation trusts and local authorities for commissioning health and care services.
It is intended to provide a framework that allows collaboration and so that decision can be made in the best interests of patients and service users. You can read more about the Provider Selection Regime here.
You can access an explanatory toolkit here.
Underfunding of public service contracts
The second phase of the NCVO Cost of Giving Campaign is focusing on the long term underfunding of grant and contracts, so that the VCSE sector is cross-subsidising delivery of public services.
The campaign is calling for underfunding to be addressed by the Chancellor of the Exchequer in the Autumn Statement this month. NCVO are inviting VCSE organisations to sign the open letter on vital funding for public services.
Climate change: how to build resilience
An exploration of the emergence of eco-anxiety and suggested ways to build eco resilience.
Climate change: the role of eco-guilt
How organisations can proactively address climate change without indulging in eco-guilt, eco-dread, or fatalism.
How should charities work with civil disobedience groups?
A look how charities are working alongside non-violent civil disobedience groups like Extinction Rebellion, Just Stop Oil, and Insulate Britain – considering the role of digital technologies in the future of the climate action movement.
Climate change and volunteering
An estimated 100,000 additional skilled volunteers are needed in the UK to help charities tackle climate change.
Charity Digital discuss the emerging army of climate volunteers.
Regulators urge banks to improve ‘inadequate’ services for charities
UK charity regulators have called on banks to improve their “substandard” services for charities, some of which are having their accounts closed or suspended suddenly and are experiencing “poor customer service and administrative delays”.
Chief executives of the Charity Commission, Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator and Charity Commission for Northern Ireland recently wrote to the UK’s main high street banks to demand “urgent action to help hard-pressed charities”.
More than 260 organisations receive the King’s Award for Voluntary Service
Over 260 organisations across the UK have received the King’s Award for Voluntary Service, the government has announced.
The King’s Award for Voluntary Service, previously known as the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service, is equivalent to an MBE and the highest award recognising local voluntary groups in the UK.
The status of UK fundraising 2023
Charity Digital explore fundraising data and trends from 2023 and what this means for the future of the charity sector, with insight from Blackbaud’s most recent benchmark report.
The best Christmas fundraising ideas
Ho ho ho, it’s the season for fundraising!
It’s never too early to start planning for your Christmas campaigns – here are ten fundraising ideas for Christmas so you can hit the ground running.
Cumberland Council Newsletter
View the Cumberland Council newsletter from 12/11/23 here, including:
- Libraries in Cumbria launch online survey
- Proposed plans branching out for a community forest in Cleator Moor
- Special educational needs and disabilities drop in events
Westmorland and Furness Council Newsletter
View the Westmorland and Furness Council newsletter from 10/11/23 here, including:
- Council gives £1m boost to sustainable travel
- Have your say – Joint Local Health and Wellbeing Strategy
- £900K allocated to support local partnerships take climate action
Charity Commission may intervene if trustees refuse philanthropic donations, chair says
The Charity Commission may intervene if trustees demonstrate “personal squeamishness” around sources of philanthropic funding, its chair said at an event recently.
Orlando Fraser said at the University of Kent today that the UK has a challenge which “relates specifically to the top 1% of earners and owners in the UK who, the evidence suggests, at this time in our history are not pulling their charitable weight”, with “giving among the very wealthy is apparently declining in value relative to their income”.
Who are the inspiring communicators of 2023?
The CharityComms Inspiring Communicator Awards 2023 has launched. This year marks a decade of the awards and the unveiling of 10 new categories. There will also be an in-person awards ceremony in February 2024.
Find out more about the awards and consider putting yourselves or colleagues in the sector forward.
Charity websites: Help with 5 common problems
Catalyst have created a guide for non-profits to help you find out if your website is working okay or if it needs some improvements.
It offers help with 5 challenges your website could be facing. You could be looking to make small improvements, have a nagging hunch that some elements aren’t working, or be considering a full redesign.
Be More Digital- Reflections on Twitter (X)
Be More Digital recently hosted a chat on the future of the social media platform, after its recent changes have left many charities wondering if they should remain in using the platform for their own comms.
This blog reflects on those discussions and also includes a link to the recorded session itself for those who could not attend.
Groundwork releases 5 year strategy to create a fairer, greener future for all
In the middle of an ever-growing cost of living crisis, the community charity’s bold plans put emphasis on the importance of tackling social and environmental issues together.
Groundwork’s strategy includes helping to create a greener economy, helping people connect with nature, responding and adapting to climate change, and helping more people overcome hardship and isolation.
Business in the Community launches new mentoring programme
Business in the Community (BITC) have launched the Lets Care Together Programme, aimed at supporting both paid and unpaid Carers. The new virtual mentoring initiative, powered by Simplyhealth, which will focus on improving the wellbeing and health of people who have caring responsibilities and have mentors trained and ready to support.
BITC is looking for organisations to work with them and act as referral partners to support beneficiaries onto the programme. If you have regional or national reach and support beneficiaries outlined in BITC’s target group then please get in touch with them.
Village Halls Inspiration Awards open for nominations
This year, together with Allied Westminster, The Village Hall Podcast have launched the Village Halls Inspiration Awards. They are looking for you to tell them about anyone in your community, or any project or activity you’ve developed, that could inspire other halls across the UK achieve great things locally.
The Awards feature three prizes, with 3rd place receiving £1,000, 2nd place receiving £1,500 and the top award will be £2,500. Nominations close at 5pm on Friday 17 November 2023.
Good Finance launch Energy Resilience Hub
Towards the end of 2022, Good Finance asked their users about energy resilience and more than 80% expressed interest in exploring measures to reduce organisational energy bills.
In response, Good Finance have launched an Energy Resilience Hub to provide more information on how organisations can support and develop their energy resilience with social investment.
NCVO launch Cost of Giving Crisis portal
NCVO’s latest research among members reveals the alarming scale of the challenges facing the third sector this winter. With costs climbing, income falling and demand increasing, 85% of charities surveyed said this winter will be as tough – or even tougher – than last year. If the sector doesn’t get the support it needs, one in five charities could be forced to disappear until things improve, leaving the people and communities they serve at risk.
NCVO, have a wealth of resources available to help charities through the Cost of Giving Crisis, including guidance, training and webinars for charities, staff and trustees.
In-depth: Ethical considerations for charities using AI
Artificial intelligence (AI) has entered the mainstream this year with King Charles mentioning it at the state opening of parliament recently following the prime minister’s recent AI summit in Bletchley Park.
With the recent rise of ChatGPT, conversations around how organisations make use of AI are rising up the agenda across all sectors in the UK and worldwide.
Are you meeting funder criteria?
How can you be sure you are meeting funder criteria and not wasting your valuable time and theirs? Funds Online, where applicable, includes details of funder exclusions and previous beneficiaries, which can be a helpful tool in deciding whether to apply for a fund or not.
This can help with ensuring that you’re matching with the most appropriate funders for your cause, and therefore increasing the likelihood of your bid being read. Funds Online contains details of over 8,000 funders giving a combined total of £8 billion.
Commission chair praises trustees’ knowledge of duties after 50,000 take quiz
The Charity Commission chair has said he is pleased with trustees’ knowledge of their duties after more than 54,000 people answered the regulator’s quiz.
On 25 September, the Commission published a quiz to test trustees’ knowledge of their duties and responsibilities, as part of a campaign that runs until 12 November.
The best CRM systems for 2024
A look at the best CRM systems on the market in 2024, breaking down their pros and cons and reviewing some of their features.
How to throw a fundraising event
A handy guide to putting on a spectacular fundraising event, from the planning and organising stages all the way through to delivery and what to do once it’s over.
Cumberland Council Newsletter
View the Cumberland Council newsletter from 05/11/23 here, including:
- Council agrees food framework
- Keep your mind and body healthy during the cold season
- National Crown and Coronation event comes to Carlisle
Westmorland and Furness Council Newsletter
View the Westmorland and Furness Council newsletter from 03/11/23 here, including:
- Consultation launched on closure of North Walney Primary School
- It’s time to get winter strong!
- Cumbria residents encouraged to recycle their metal packaging
Podcast: The state of climate action in the UK charity sector, Part one
Guests from across the sector discuss the state of climate action right now and what we can all do to help secure our planet’s future.
Protecting your charity from fraud during the cost-of-living crisis
Fraud has always been a threat to businesses, charities, and individuals, but with the continuing cost of living crisis, and political unrest across the world, more people may be desperate or opportunistic enough to commit fraud. According to a government survey published this year, 24% of charities recorded breaches or attacks in the past 12 months
Charities may find themselves targeted by fraudsters, due to their kind nature and stretched resources, potentially making it easier for someone to infiltrate.
Accelerating Reform Fund
The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) is launching the Accelerating Reform Fund (ARF), to address barriers to adopting innovative practices and build capacity and capability in adult social care. The aim of the ARF is to support the adoption or scaling of projects that deliver HMG’s priorities, including around supporting unpaid carers.
In order to participate, local authorities need to form consortia with other local authorities in their ICS geography, and work with NHS and other partners including the VCSE. £42.6M is available to the end of March 2025. Expressions of interest by 12 January 2024.
Click here for more information
Election ’24 factsheets
As we approach the election, charities and issue-based campaigners will be setting their campaigning strategies and putting them into action.
These factsheets provide digestible explanations of some of the key rules and regulations around campaigning, publishing political statements, influencing party manifestos and data privacy.
General Election 2024: Charity Campaigning – a guide
The year before a general election can be a fantastic opportunity for charities to engage with parties, candidates, the media and general public to raise awareness of their concerns and drive their mission forward. Elections offer an unrivalled shot for charities to secure support for policies that will advance their charitable mission for years to come.
This guide demystifies some of the rules around charity campaigning, helping you to be confident in your campaigning and advocacy plans.
Partnership working in Integrated Care: new resources available
NAVCA, working with NHS Confederation, National Voices and the Local Government Association (LGA), funded by NHS England, have produced a new set of resources to help facilitate partnership working in ICSs.
On their blog, they explore more about the purpose of integrated care, and how the new resources can help organisations working locally to improve health and wellbeing.
Funding – Lloyds Bank Foundation
Lloyds Bank Foundation’s Specialist programme opened on 1 November 2023, looking to get behind small, local, specialist charities supporting people facing complex issues.
Under this programme, the foundation will support charities to strengthen their capacity and capabilities and become more resilient through a range of tailored development support offers alongside a three-year unrestricted grant of £75,000.
Cumberland Council Newsletter
View the Cumberland Council newsletter from 29/10/23 here, including:
- Community investment funding
- Share your views on homecare
- Uncovering Roman Carlisle returns for a “Mini-Dig” this month
Westmorland and Furness Council Newsletter
View the Westmorland and Furness Council newsletter from 27/10/23 here, including:
- Priorities for £300k of Strong & Connected Communities funding agreed
- Council exploring all options for Ulverston library service
- Council staff recognised at National Children & Young People Awards
Service delivery trends for charities in 2023
Explore five key service delivery challenges facing charities, according to the State of Service report from Salesforce.
Commission complaints process ‘deterrent’ for some charities campaigning, APPG told
The Charity Commission listening to complaints about perceived political activity can in some cases add “a deterrent” factor to charities campaigning, a recent All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) heard.
Suhan Rajkumar, senior associate at Bates Wells, was speaking at an APPG on campaigning with confidence, about the rules around charity campaigning and how charities can successfully navigate these rules.
Guide to social media metrics for non-profits
Digital Charity Lab has produced a new guide to social media metrics for charities and non-profits explaining everything you need to know around understanding and interpreting your social media analytics and data.
The free guide will help you develop more streamlined and effective reporting on social media activities to save time and understand where you can take action to improve results.
NPC urges politicians to take civil society more seriously
The New Philanthropy Capital (NPC) Ignites annual conference took place last month, bringing together a selection of speakers to inspire new ways of working in the VCSE Sector.
During the conference, Dan Corry, CEO of NPC and former Treasury official spoke to attendees about why charities should feature prominently in debates within Parliament, particularly on issues in which the sector is deeply embedded like devolution, social care, mental health and children’s rights.
Corry spoke of the third sector being, ‘intrinsic to building a good society’ and said, ‘When we polled people on what the most important aspects of levelling up are, the biggest priorities were reducing homelessness, poverty, crime, and unemployment – all things that charities contribute to. it is a serious mistake to ignore this sector.’
Refugee Council call on government to support Israel and Palestine refugees
A number of UK refugee charities have come together calling for the government to prepare emergency pathways for those seeking refuge from the conflict in the Middle East.
As fighting continues, resulting in the loss of thousands of lives, organisations including the Refugee Council are urging the UK to facilitate travel for UK nationals, prepare medical evacuations and implement an emergency family reunion scheme, modelled on the approach introduced in the wake of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Charities commit to real living wage increases amid ongoing cost-of-living crisis
Many charities that pay their employees the UK and London real living wages have said they will continue to do so, as the rates for 2023-24 increased by 10%.
Recently, the Living Wage Foundation announced that the real living wage rates, which are calculated by the Resolution Foundation and based on what over-18s need to live, rose to £12 across the UK and £13.15 in London.
Boosting spend to 3% of assets at 130 grantmakers could unlock £300m
If 130 grantmaking trusts and foundations (GMTFs) increased their charitable expenditure to 3%, it would unlock an extra £300m for charities, according to new research.
Pro Bono Economics (PBE) examined the levels of reported charitable expenditure and net assets of around 2,000 GMTFs registered with the Charity Commission.
NAVCA monitoring impact of local councils’ financial woes on charity sector
NAVCA is monitoring the impact of local authorities’ ongoing financial crisis on the voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) sector as more are finding themselves in financial distress.
The umbrella body told Civil Society that it is aware of some councils who have issued a section 114 notice and the potential risk for others to follow suit and is looking at how this could affect voluntary organisations.
National Living Wage/Minimum Wage Reminder
Employers have a legal responsibility to pay anyone aged 23 or over at least the National Living Wage, and to pay anyone younger at least the National Minimum Wage (NMW), the amount of which varies depending on age and employment status i.e., whether they are an apprentice or not. Current rates are:
National Living Wage
- For workers aged 23 and over = £10.42
National Minimum Wage
- For workers aged 21-22 = £10.18
- For workers aged 18-20 = £7.49
- For workers and apprentices aged 16-18 = £5.28
- For apprentices aged 19 or over in their first year = £5.28
- For apprentices aged 19 or over who have completed their first year = National Minimum Wage or National Living Wage for their age
Access vital funding prospects with this new guide
The Directory of Grant Making Trusts 2024/25 is out now, offering key information you need to seek your charity’s share of around £6.9 billion – the annual total awarded by over 2,000 funders featured in this edition.
Includes data sourced from grant-making charities, each with the potential to give at least £50,000 per year.
Find out more and buy your copy here
Webinar: How to market fundraising events
In this webinar, Charity Digital share tips for charities on how to boost participation and support for their fundraising events, whether it’s a fun run or a live stream.
Cumberland Council Newsletter
View the Cumberland Council newsletter from 22/10/23 here, including:
- Community Wheels – paving the way to a greener Cumberland, one ride at a time
- Share your feedback on Senhouse Street, Maryport parking proposals
- Government signs off new regeneration investment for Maryport
Westmorland and Furness Council Newsletter
View the Westmorland and Furness Council newsletter from 20/10/23 here, including:
- £8.1 million worth of prosperity funding to boost Westmorland and Furness communities
- Council commits to new community compact
- Remarkable resident named ‘Cumbria Woman of the Year’
Lords committee set to scrutinise charity regulator’s ‘independence and accountability’
A House of Lords committee has announced it will investigate regulators including the Charity Commission over their roles, remit, independence and how they are held accountable.
The inquiry, opened by the Industry and Regulators Committee this week, will focus on regulators that “have a statutory role established by parliament and are organized as public bodies”.
Increasing number of charity leaders seeking support, sector body reports
Membership body ACEVO received increased requests for one-to-one support from charity chief executives last year.
ACEVO’s member support team responded to 341 governance and support calls and 71 crisis calls, an average of 1.6 per day during the year, according to its accounts for the year to March 2023.
Lottery funding for good causes to ‘barely increase’ next year despite pledge
The new National Lottery operator has said funding to good causes will not significantly increase in its first year as operator.
Allwyn has pledged to donate £38bn to the National Lottery’s good causes in the next 10 years, more than double the £17.9bn that previous operator Camelot raised in the previous decade.
Commission CEO reports charity applications rise and suggests help for those closing
The Charity Commission has seen an increase in applications for charity registrations, its chief executive has said as she suggested more help for those closing.
Helen Stephenson said some charities have a “lifecycle” and more help could be given to those organisations wanting to wind down and transfer their assets elsewhere.
Some politicians ‘outright hostile towards civil society’, warns think tank CEO
Politicians should take the charity sector more seriously with some “outright hostile towards civil society”, the chief executive of New Philanthropy Capital (NPC) has said.
Dan Corry predicted that charities, civil society and philanthropy would not feature prominently in major political parties’ manifesto ahead of the next general election.
Second Cost Of Living payment – Communicating Help for Households toolkit
Eligible households will receive the second Cost of Living Payment of £300 between 31 October and 19 November. The third payment of £299 will be paid by Spring 2024.
The DWP has produced a Cost of Living Stakeholder toolkit to help you communicate the upcoming payment to the people you support. The toolkit includes information about the eligibility criteria, details about how and when payments will be made and a range of materials for your organisations to use to ensure people have access to the right information.
Register your space on the Warm Welcome map
If you’re running a Warm Space, register your location with the Warm Welcomes map. Every space needs to re-register, even if you were part of the campaign last year.
Don’t worry if you don’t have all the details yet, you can log back in and update your space and add more details at any time, but it really helps the Warm Welcomes team to know where and when spaces are planning on running in advance.
Charity leaders predict culture wars will intensify in the lead-up to general election
Charity leaders have warned that “culture wars” that can divide the sector are likely to increase as the next general election approaches.
Speaking at NCVO’s annual general meeting, Sarah Vibert, chief executive of NCVO, said culture wars had created a “challenging environment” for charities such as those who campaign on trans rights.
Chancellor urged to act as underfunded contracts pose ‘serious threat’ to charities
Charity sector bodies have urged chancellor Jeremy Hunt to provide more funding to public bodies and warned that underfunded contracts “are now posing a serious threat” to charities.
The Civil Society Group said in a letter to Hunt that high inflation had eroded the value of grants and contracts in recent years and urged him to address the issue in his autumn statement on 22 November.
Surveys, Research, Feedback and Reports
Housing market drives legacy income to record £4bn, experts report
Charities in the UK are likely to have received more than £4bn through legacy income for the first time last year, driven by a buoyant housing market, according to new research.
Legacy Foresight’s latest annual market briefing estimates that money donated in wills reached £4bn in 2022-23, with almost 140,000 bequests made, marking an annual income growth of 6.5%.
Creating Collaborations in Health and Social Care Commissioning
Voluntary, community and social enterprises (VCSEs) contribute substantially to the English health and care system. To tackle health and care priorities, including addressing inequalities, the importance of commissioners and VCSEs working together is clear.
New research explores VCSE sector and health and care commissioning relationships, practices and experiences to better understand the realities of commissioning and where improvements could be made.
There are four helpful and accessible research briefings available here
Chronic underfunding of public services pushing charities to crisis point, NCVO warns
Charities are being “pushed to the brink” by subsidising underfunded public services, umbrella body NCVO has warned.
Research published recently by NCVO shows charities are being forced to subsidise underfunded government public services, with 73% of charities surveyed stating they cannot meet demand for the public services they deliver with the funding they receive.
Increasing number of people in UK donating to charity, CAF reports
An increasing proportion of the British public are donating to charity, according to research by the Charities Aid Foundation (CAF).
CAF’s latest World Giving Index includes data from 142 countries where people were asked three questions: have they helped a stranger, given money or volunteered for a good cause over the past month.
Complaints about door-to-door fundraising rose by 110% last year, report says
Complaints to charities about door-to-door fundraising more than doubled from 1,936 in 2021-22 to 4,056 in 2022-23, according to a new report.
The regulator’s latest annual complaints report examined complaints escalated to the regulator from 5 April 2022 to 31 March 2023, alongside a sample of 57 of the UK’s largest fundraising charities.
‘Profound’ gender imbalance in the charity sector, say researchers
There is a “profound” gender imbalance at UK charities due to women being underrepresented in positions of power despite the sector’s largely female workforce, researchers have warned.
Pro Bono Economics’ report says women make up 68% of the charity sector’s employees but between 56% and 63% of its chief executives, according to its analysis of ACEVO’s pay and equalities surveys.
Shoppers turning to charity shops due to the cost-of-living crisis, research suggests
Almost half (48%) of people in England and Wales are shopping more in charity shops or considering doing so because of the rising cost of living, according to new research.
Some 53% of people surveyed said they were more likely to shop in charity shops as items are cheaper second-hand, while 37% said they would do so as they like supporting charitable causes.
Charity leaders increasingly concerned about employee burnout, research finds
Charity decision-makers are increasingly concerned about employee burnout, as organisations “try to do more with less” during the cost-of-living crisis, according to new research.
Some 30% of 251 leaders surveyed for this year’s Charity Risk Barometer said they had become more concerned about a loss of funding in the past 12 months.
Joint Local Health and Wellbeing Strategy
Westmorland and Furness’ Health and Wellbeing Board is developing a new Joint Local Health and Wellbeing Strategy. This will describe how partners and organisations across Westmorland and Furness will work together to improve the health and wellbeing of the local population and reduce inequalities.
In order to guide priority setting, we would like to hear from our residents and communities to understand their priorities for improving health and wellbeing. We have developed a short survey to gather this information and will present the findings to the Health and Wellbeing Board and other key partners to inform the strategy.
Report: Climate change and the charity sector
Charity Digital share the results from their recent Climate Action survey, looking at charity attitudes towards the environmental sustainability and how the sector is tackling the climate crisis.
Tony Chapman: Are charities feeling the political chill?
The director of policy and practice at St Chad’s College, Durham University, explores the findings from the most recent Third Sector Trends report.
A Tale of Two Sectors – VCSE Sector Barometer
Pro Bono Economics and Nottingham Trent University have published findings from the fourth round of the BCSE barometer survey.
It shows that there are big differences in how small and large charities are coping with the current situation where costs and demand continues to increase.
JRF Report: Destitution in the UK 2023
Destitution has risen sharply over the past three years and is no longer rare in the UK. In the course of 2022 around 1.8M households experienced destitution at some point in the year. This is defined as not being able to afford basic physical needs of being warm, dry, clean and fed.
This is around 3.8M people of which around 1M were children. Single people aged 25-44 are most likely to experience destitution, but families and older people are increasingly affected. The report strongly makes the case for designing out destitution in our welfare and immigration systems.
‘Urgent help needed’ as fifth of charities fear having to pause work this winter
NCVO has reported that one in five charities may need to pause operations this winter and called for urgent help.
Some 19% of charities said they could be forced to pause operations this winter if current conditions do not improve, in response to a survey by the umbrella body.
6% of UK foundation grants awarded to tackle injustice in 2022, finds report
Less than 6% of all UK foundation giving went towards work tackling injustice last year, researchers have found.
The second edition of Funding Justice, released last month and carried out by the Civic Power Fund and The Hour is Late, looked at 18,816 grants from 60 known social justice funders totalling £952.4m, or 21% of UK foundation giving, in 2021-22.
Nearly a third of charities reporting an increase in staff burnout, survey finds
Three in 10 charities have seen an increase in staff burnout or exhaustion related to their work in the past year, a survey has revealed.
The study by Pro Bono Economics (PBE) and Nottingham Trent University also found that 26% of charities reported a rise in reports of low wellbeing among staff, while 25% had seen an increase in sickness absence.
UK charity shops generated £75bn of social value last year, finds report
Charity shops in the UK generated £75.3bn of social value in 2022, a new report has found.
The first-ever report on the social return on investment of the UK’s estimated 10,178 charity shops finds that for every pound invested in the charity retail sector between January and December 2022, £7.35 of social value was created.
£370m fundraised by retailers and their customers last year, report finds
Retailers and their customers fundraised £370m for charities and good causes in the last financial year, according to a report by the British Retail Consortium (BRC).
Some 34 retailers including Tesco, Lidl and ASDA contributed to the report, which says that they collectively raised £200m for good causes through fundraising, with an additional £150m donated directly by the businesses themselves.
Homecare Services in Cumberland – Request for Views
Cumberland Council is in the process of recommissioning its homecare service. Homecare services are provided to people to assist them in maintaining their independence. People may receive care within their own home or as a way of supporting them to access the community.
The Council will use the results of this consultation to help us shape the specification for new homecare services and to make sure it meets the needs of residents.
Find out more and give your view here
Social Prescribing Link Worker Survey
The NHS England Social Prescribing Team has published this year’s annual Social Prescribing Link Worker (SPLW) survey, which gives SPLWs the opportunity to share their experiences and perspectives of their role over the last 12 months.
Responses from the last survey were used to inform the development of the SPLW Workforce Development Framework which was published in January 2023, and based on survey feedback, the social prescribing e-learning modules have been refreshed. Feedback continues to inform the work of NHS England, including policy and strategy development and ongoing work around career progression.
Tipping Point: The Cost of Living Crisis – report by VCS Emergencies Partnership
This report describes some of the ways the voluntary and community sector (VCS) has been responding to the challenge of the cost of living crisis, focusing on the early part of 2023.
It draws out insights, knowledge and practical ideas to help inform future preparedness and response to an ongoing crisis that will escalate again as winter approaches.
NAVCA Annual Report 2022/23
This document shows the impact we’ve had this year, the work we’ve done to support members, and how we’re continuing to learn, develop and achieve more as an organisation.
From distributing over £1 million in grant funding to members to support their communities, to running our Annual Conference, it’s been an exciting year. In the report, you can read more about NAVCA and our impact.
70% of Conservative voters back charities’ political activity, poll suggests
Most Conservative voters disagree with criticisms of charities for being too political in their activities, according to a New Philanthropy Capital (NPC) poll.
Some 22% of Conservative supporters said that charities were “too political” versus 63% who said they “get it about right” and 7% who thought charities should be more political.
Reflection Point – The 2023 Newton Charity Investment Survey
This year’s survey suggests that while inflation remains a universal concern and lower levels of returns are a widespread issue, charities are experiencing varying pressures as a result of the cost-of-living crisis.
Meanwhile, although charities are becoming more concerned about the threat of climate change, their views on environmental, social and governance issues in general are changing, with ethical exclusions becoming more commonplace, and approaches to net zero differing.
Disclaimer
The information above is provided in good faith. Whilst every care is taken to ensure that it is correct, Cumbria CVS cannot accept liability for any omissions or inaccuracies and does not take responsibility for the quality for any services or products mentioned.
