Useful information – w/c 12/05/25
May 12, 2025
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 the week. Please check back regularly. (Last update: 14/05/25 – items added on this date are marked as [NEW])
*** Please note: There will be no update next week, due to staff holidays **
You’ll also find the latest Health and Wellbeing news, events and opportunities in the current post on our News page here.
You can view previous Useful Information posts here to catch up on our archive of information.
For useful resources, information, news and events, updates on our climate commitment, blog posts from colleagues about what they’re doing (in a work capacity and privately) to minimise environmental impact and more take a look at Cumbria CVS Green
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
GDPR and Data Security
Tues 13 May, online. Who is trying to access your data and what are the implications of this?
Also, what can you do to make it more difficult for people to steal your data.
AI For Charities: What You Need To Know
13th May 2025, online. Join Qlic IT for their upcoming webinar on AI for charities.
Discover how nonprofits are already using AI, which tools are worth exploring, and how to get started in a safe, ethical, and cost-effective way.
Perfect for charity leaders, managers, and anyone curious about using AI to do more with less, no technical background required.
Making the most of M365 apps – tips and tricks
13th May, online. This three-hour session shows you how to master 365 apps. The first section will cover an overview of the apps available. It will explore web vs desktop applications, the joys of Copilot, the best way to use Microsoft Forms, and the secrets of Sway.
The second section is dedicated to Teams, exploring meeting and channel management, file storage, whiteboards and polls, and so much more.
Menopause in the Workplace: Supporting Employees Through Change
14th May 2025, online. This session provides guidance on how organisations can better support employees experiencing menopause, a natural phase of life often misunderstood or overlooked.
This training offers practical advice on how to create a supportive environment that considers physical, emotional, and social factors while reducing stigma. By understanding menopause, participants will learn how to provide appropriate support and accommodations that benefit both the individual and the broader workplace.
Cumbria Sustainability Network | Citizen Influence: Shaping local climate and nature policies
Saturday 17th May, Carlisle.How do we get our voices heard and ensure that planners and policy-makers understand our concerns about the future for climate and nature?
Find out more about the recommendations from the Cumbria Climate Assembly and gain practical tools for getting your voice heard.
The event will profile the recommendations of the first Cumbria Climate Assembly which has brought together a diverse group of 40 randomly selected people from across the county to answer the question: ‘Many people in Cumbria feel unheard and unable to influence those who make decisions on climate change action. What can be done about this?’
How to manage charity finances
20 May, online. This course aims, in just three hours, to help you make sense of your finances. It provides a simple, straightforward, plain-English introduction, covering budgeting, reporting, governance, sustainability, futureproofing, and so much more.
In two back-to-back sessions, each lasting approximately 80 minutes, the course offers key insights into the essential elements of charity finance.
Webinar – A guide to co-producing services with users
22nd May, online. This webinar will shine a light on the process of co-production, with Mind in Camden CEO, Jon Higgs, exploring practical examples, discussing remote co-design, clarifying service design funding, and so much more.
We will discuss how the ability to meet users’ needs means being able to focus a charity’s efforts to achieve deeper impact in the ways that matter most.
[NEW] Supporter Experience Conference 2025
22nd May 2025, 1online. Fundraising everywhere have put together a half-day conference dedicated to helping you smash your supporter experience strategies and raise more money with your supporters.
Whether you’re a pro seeking insider tips on crafting winning supporter stewardship strategies, or you’re fresh to the SX game and need tips on how to start, you’ll find what you need right here.
[NEW] Get Grants FREE Virtual Fundraisers Networking Event
22nd May 2025, online. Join the Get Grants team for expert insights, advice, top tips, and peer support from the Fundraising Community!
Connect with like-minded people, share fundraising frustrations and successes, get new fundraising ideas and inspiration, and much more.
[NEW] How to audit your website and identify areas for improvement
Tuesday, 27th May, online. This free webinar from HdK will explore the topic of auditing a website, with guidance on how to do it effectively and improve your digital presence as a result.
Throughout the webinar, we will be welcoming questions from participants to ensure you are able to get the best possible information for you and your organisation.
Charity Digital Academy: How to master strategic planning
28th May – 4th June 2025, online. Master your long term planning with this two part course
Our course, in two three-hour sessions, inspires charities to embrace long-term planning. The course will allow you to think strategically, understand the importance of charity governance, develop an in-depth strategic plan, understand the tensions that arise between operational and strategic priorities, keep your strategic plan on track, and so much more.
Getting to work on Modern Slavery in Cumbria
Thursday 29 May, Penrith. Our keynote is from Causeway who provide a range of services which support survivors of modern slavery to recover from trauma, be protected from further harm, and develop safe and fulfilling lives.
They receive referrals from the Salvation Army, who are the government contract holders for adult victims of modern slavery in England & Wales.
[NEW] Webinar: Robust cyber security on a shoestring
29th May 2025, online. A free webinar, in partnership with cyber security software providers Avast, exploring how charities can meet the cyber security challenges of 2025 without breaking the bank.
Charity Digital Academy: Practical uses of AI for your charity
3rd June, online. This course aims, in just three hours, to boost your everyday use of AI.
The course takes a hands-on, practical approach, showing charities how to use AI to improve meetings, boost email marketing, smash data analytics, enhance workflow efficiency, and so much more.
[NEW] Webinar: AI for charities – what leaders need to know
5th June, online. Artificial Intelligence is transforming the charity sector, helping organisations do more with less. Join our webinar to learn how AI can streamline operations, boost efficiency, and provide valuable insights for better decision-making.
Attendees can expect to learn:
- How AI can simplify day-to-day operations
- The real-world applications of AI in the charity sector
- How to identify areas within your organisation that could benefit from AI
Whether you’re curious about AI’s potential for your organisation or ready to get started, this session will demystify AI and provide clear, practical takeaways.
How to use Canva for Social Media
Monday 9 June, online. Canva is the great free-to-use online graphic design tool which you can use to create great graphics as well as presentations and videos amongst other things.
This is an introductory session about Canva with a few tips about using it for social media.
Reimagining Service Delivery Summit
12 June, online. A free online event for charity professionals to unlock new perspectives on service delivery and help maximise value to service users.
Whether you’re a charity leader or a volunteer, working in service delivery, fundraising, or marketing, this event will have something for you. Sessions will help you re-evaluate the relationship between charities and their service users, consider how digital can help charity services go further, and make more room for hope and optimism in service delivery for meaningful change.
Find out more and register here
Introduction to Improving Quality
Thurs 12th June 2025, online. Improving Quality is a clear, simple system, 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.
Introduction to Engaging with Businesses: Five Things I Wish I’d Known
Tuesday 17 June, online. A basic introduction to engaging and connecting with your local business community.
This session is aimed at small charities and voluntary groups, whether they are at the beginning of their journey in engaging with businesses or wish to develop stronger contacts.
[NEW] Crafting your perfect team: Strategies for requirements gathering and partner selection
3rd July, online. Join Hart Square for this webinar, where we’ll cover how to effectively gather your business and technical requirements to ensure your project is well defined and set up for success from the start.
We’ll share proven techniques for identifying, capturing, and documenting your requirements and how best to align stakeholders, prioritise needs, and avoid the common pitfalls at this stage of a project.
Reserves – What They Are and How to Calculate Them
Tuesday 8 July, online. Reserves are a critical element when building small charity resilience. However, they are often, for very valid reasons, miscalculated.
The session will look at Why we hold reserves, how to calculate reserves, what a good reserves policy looks like and how to report on reserves.
VCFSE News and Information
[NEW] Association of Chairs extends membership offer to whole charity boards
The Association of Chairs (AoC) has extended its membership offer to entire charity and not-for-profit boards in a bid to strengthen governance in the sector.
Last year, the AoC unveiled plans to broaden its membership and diversify its income over the next few years as part of its ongoing strategy.
At the time, the association said it wanted 20% of its members to be non-chair trustees by 2025-26, compared with around 14% now.
[NEW] The impact of Trump on UK charities
Charities must be prepared for the unexpected with Trump’s policies. This article from Charity Digital explores things to consider.
[NEW] Cumberland Council newsletter
You can read Cumberland Council’s newsletter from 09/05/25 here, including:
- Have your say on housing
- Food, health and more at Wigton event
- Summer reading challenge
[NEW] Westmorland and Furness Council newsletter
You can read Westmorland and Furness Council’s newsletter from 09/05/25 here, including:
- Supporting people living with dementia, and their carers and families
- Council sets priorities for year ahead
- Westmorland and Furness Council launches veterans survey
[NEW] Charity finance: your month-end checklist
A practical guide for charities to streamline their month-end processes, saving valuable time and ensuring smoother financial operations in 2025.
[NEW] Free Digital Knowledge Hub for not-for-profits
Fresh Egg, a digital marketing agency based in Worthing have launched CharityWise to help bridge the digital skills gap in the charity sector. It’s a completely free knowledge hub designed to support people working in purpose-led organisations such as charities, CICs and not-for-profits.
Members get access to a growing library of learning resources, as well as live online training events. Over 1,000 charities are already benefiting from the platform, and there’s no cost to join and no limit on the number of people from any one organisation.
[NEW] Using podcasting software to celebrate and affirm people with minoritised identities
Proud Changemakers have created a guide which shares how to create an LGBTQIA+ affirming podcast using Riverside software.
It emphasises amplifying minoritised voices with practical steps – from format choice to feedback. You can use this guide if you’re thinking about starting a podcast that focuses on people with minoritised identities, and need to know the kinds of things you should consider.
The guide focuses on using the Riverside podcast app, but it could be relevant to other similar tools. It covers planning, safeguarding, tool selection, recording, and distribution.
[NEW] Major funder pledges to be ‘more equitable and inclusive’ in five-year strategy
The National Lottery Community Fund (NLCF) has pledged to be “more equitable and inclusive” in a new five-year strategy.
As part of NLCF’s Evidence and Impact Strategy, published last week, the funder plans to create “the UK’s largest community learning bank” to allow sharing of best practice between community organisations.
It has also pledged to create a new diverse panel of community advisors from across the UK and improve access for charities to networks, coaching and mentoring opportunities.
[NEW] Fashion forward: How charities can ride the thrift trend
See how the vintage fashion renaissance makes sense for charity shops.
[NEW] Charity AI Task Force calls for more engagement from government
The newly formed Charity AI Task Force has called on the government to engage more with the sector on its plans for the technology.
In response to the government’s AI Opportunities Action Plan, the sector group warned that current proposals risk overlooking contributions from civil society.
Published in January as a “blueprint to turbocharge AI”, the government’s plan does not mention charities or voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) organisations.
[NEW] Charity funding made easy: Get the guide
Have you thought how much more your charity could achieve with the right resources in place? What if your charity could realise its goals sooner without depleting financial reserves?
This free guide is packed with expert insight and information including:
1. What you need to consider before applying for a loan
2. How to choose the right product and lender
3. Examples of how borrowing has helped charities to achieve their goals
Surveys, Research, Feedback and Reports
[NEW] Charity Commission releases report about Trusteeship as a positive opportunity
Trustees are at the heart of every charity, large or small. They are responsible for ensuring their organisation meets its legal and financial obligations while delivering on its charitable purposes.
To better understand who serves on today’s charity boards, the Charity Commission for England and Wales has been working with Pro Bono Economics, experts in social sector-based research, to conduct a new national survey of charity trustees.
Their findings form the basis of this report, which looks at how positive trustees are about trusteeship, and how much they benefit from the experience.
[NEW] The Power of Small: championing small organisations across the sector
Small voluntary organisations play a vital role across the sector. Whether working locally, nationally or internationally, they are embedded in communities of place, identity and experience. But despite their impact, the systems designed to support them often don’t work as they should.
NCVO have recently published their Power of Small project report. More than 600 people took part through surveys, interviews, workshops and co-design sessions, with the aim being to listen, amplify their insight and test practical ways to better support small voluntary organisations. The report highlights the barriers facing small charities including culture and power that excludes them, unstable funding, a lack of practical support, and a need for better representation in policy and funder decision-making.
[NEW] A right to voluntary service could boost trust in democracy, report says
A report has called for the government to introduce a right to voluntary service to increase participation in civil society and trust in democracy.
According to research published last week by think tanks Power to Change and More in Common, most people in the UK have little trust in government and feel they lack control over decisions affecting their local area.
However, researchers found that people involved in local civil society organisations had higher levels of political trust.
[NEW] Concerns expressed as quarter of entry-level charity roles pay below real living wage
Concerns have been expressed over salaries in the charity sector as new research shows that a quarter of entry-level and junior roles pay below the real living wage.
The recently published CharityJob Salary Report 2025, based on data from 55,486 sector jobs listed last year, also found that the median salary in the sector increased by 3% to £35,000 in 2024.
It found that the median salary for a role in London was £37,500, 24% higher than the median salary of a role outside London, which was £30,282.
Members of public think regulator or government run charities, study finds
Most members of the general public think that either the Charity Commission or the government is responsible for the activities carried out by individual charities, according to data from nfpResearch.
The study, from March this year, found that only 15% of people think that trustees are responsible and accountable for the actions of individual charities, including their direction and strategy.
Meanwhile, 34% of the public thinks that the commission is responsible and 21% thinks that the government is responsible.
Share your volunteering experiences with us!
Calling all blind and partially sighted people.
RNIB want to understand your motivations to volunteer, what stops you from volunteering, and what might encourage you to get involved with a volunteer role in the future.
Got a spare 15 minutes? Complete the latest Voice of the Customer survey here
Want to get involved in a different topic instead? Register your interest through this link
You will have the option to complete future surveys online or receive a call to go through it.
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.
