Useful information – w/c 19/01/26

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: 22/01/26 – items added on this date are marked as [NEW])

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 and news? Check out Focus on Funding here


Training & Events

Introducing the Charity Digital Strategy Accelerator

This free training course for charities gives you everything you need to create a digital strategy that is impactful, realistic, and forward-thinking.

Find out more and register your interest here

 

Brand Reputation Training for Charities

20th January 2026, online. In today’s fast-moving digital landscape, a charity’s reputation is one of its most valuable assets.

Trust, public perception, and the ability to raise funds or deliver services can be significantly impacted by how well a charity manages its brand. From copyright and trade marks to online abuse and data breaches, reputation management is essential. This practical, expert-led training will help you understand the legal and strategic tools needed to safeguard your charity’s identity and uphold public trust.

Find out more and book here

 

Supercharge your use of social media

20th January 2026, online. This course aims, in just three hours, to supercharge your use of social media. We’ll explore how you can pick the right platforms for your charity and how to know whether you should invest, or divest, in other platforms.

We’ll show you how to increase social media engagement, how to extend your reach, and how to ensure you target the most rewarding demographics.

Find out more and book here

 

Getting started with Google for Nonprofits

21st January 2026, online. This course provides an introduction to the Google for Nonprofits program, which offers eligible UK charities free access to a suite of Google tools, including Google Workspace, Google Ad Grants, the YouTube Nonprofit Program, and Google Earth and Maps.

We will explore these tools and highlight how UK charities are already using them to enhance their operations and impact.

Find out more and book here

 

Measure, Share, Grow: How to Effectively Communicate Your Social Impact

Thursday 22nd January, Online. Social enterprises create meaningful change – but are you telling that story effectively?

For social enterprises, effectively communicating your impact is paramount for building trust with your community and beneficiaries, attracting supporters and funders, and advocating for change.

This interactive workshop from PNE will give you tips and tools to confidently showcase your achievements and create powerful resources that move beyond the numbers to craft compelling narratives that resonate with funders, partners, and the communities you serve. Learn how to identify your key impact metrics, develop compelling communication strategies including impact reports and social media content, and effectively demonstrate the positive change you’re driving in your area.

Find out more and book here

 

Webinar: Navigating the new charity SORP – practical guidance for finance professionals

Thursday 22nd January, online. There are changes to charity reporting and accounting in 2026… According to the Charity Commission, these changes include income and lease arrangements, new tiers to ensure reporting is proportionate to charity size, and trustee annual report requirements.

For charity finance professionals, who are so often under significant time pressure, these changes may appear daunting. This webinar, in partnership with accounting software providers AccountsIQ, will guide charity finance professionals through the latest updates to SORP and what this means for effective, transparent reporting.

The session will highlight the key changes and outline practical steps for implementing the new requirements, as well as how to overcome any potential challenges or roadblocks. Attendees will gain clarity on how to adapt their reporting processes, improve compliance, and strengthen the overall quality of their charity’s financial reporting.

Find out more and book here

 

Supporter Experience: The playbook for planning, delivering and measuring an excellent supporter experience

Thursday 22nd January, online.

In a world where supporter retention is crucial for sustainable fundraising, investing in an excellent supporter experience is no longer a “nice-to-have”. From the first interaction to long-term engagement, every touchpoint matters – because more loyal supporters, who love what you do and why you do it, will raise 20% more income over three years.

Whether you’re just starting out or looking to refine your approach, this Accelerator course will help you to build a strong foundation for successful supporter experience planning.

Based in robust research and evidence, we’ll dive into the key ingredients of an excellent experience, interrogate what these ingredients look like for your organisation, and come away with the start of an action plan for your team to start making real change and seeing the results.

Find out more and book here

 

Data Protection Training for Charities

27th January 2026, online. It is important for every charity leader to ensure their organisation is fully compliant with the latest data protection regulations.

This half-day course will guide you through the key points to consider and what measures you should have in place. You will also learn how to avoid some common data protection pitfalls.

Find out more and book here

 

Operational Plans

Tuesday 27th January, online. Operational plans are often called many things, but it’s the plan that lasts for about a year and is often in-depth. This is perhaps one of the most important documents an organisation has.

It should set out what you are going to do for the coming year and often forms the basis of how you report your progress to trustees and stakeholders. The workshop will look at ways to create this document to make your life easy.

Find out more and book here

 

Brunch Bites: Power Up With a Streamlined Cloud Setup

Wednesday 28th January, online. In this webinar Qlic IT will share actionable insights to help your organisation simplify, streamline and strengthen its cloud setup.

From improving performance and security to making day-to-day working easier for staff, this bite-sized webinar will help you get more value from your cloud systems with confidence.

Find out more and book here

 

Free Charity Trading Essentials webinar

Wednesday 28th January, online. This practical session, delivered in partnership with Withers LLP, explores charity trading and when to consider a trading subsidiary. It’s designed for charity leaders, trustees, finance teams, and anyone involved in income generation.

Charity trading is increasingly on the agenda for organisations exploring income diversification and financial sustainability. This session is a useful opportunity to understand the key considerations, hear real-world examples, and get up to date guidance – whether you’re advising groups on trading or considering it for your own organisation.

Attendees will learn:

  • What trading means and the different types of trading activity
  • When it’s appropriate to set up a trading subsidiary and key considerations
  • Where to find guidance to ensure trading activities comply with charity law
  • Real-life insights from a charity already trading

Find out more and book here

 

How to master bid-writing

28th January 2026, online. Join Charity Digital for a one-hour intensive masterclass on the fundamentals of bid-writing. Attendee will learn exactly how to craft successful bids from one of the charity sector’s experts.

Grant expert and Director of Get Grants, John Ellery, will explore the process of grant-funding, focussing on the core challenges faced by charities. John will cover, among other things, the importance of ‘being fundable’, the right funders for you to approach, how to make an application stand out, and tips to increase your chance of success.

Find out more and book here

 

Digital Exclusion Workshop

Wednesday 28th January, Whitehaven. Digital Unite is running a free 2 hour workshop on  on the topic of Digital Exclusion.

It is open to representatives of voluntary and community groups throughout Cumbria.

Click on the thumbnail image to view a flyer with more information.

 

Cybersecurity without the blockers – scalable security for non-profit AI adoption

Wednesday 28th January, Online. Ensure your non-profit’s AI journey is both ambitious and secure.

Join host Zoe Amar, alongside Jean-Paul van Ravensberg, Senior Security Advisor & Architect at Microsoft, for a webinar that shows how to implement practical, innovation-friendly security measures that support your AI initiatives rather than hold them back.

  • Discover how to implement robust, scalable security that enables your AI ambitions.
  • Learn practical approaches to safely pilot AI projects before full deployment.
  • Understand the essential security foundations your charity needs before starting AI initiatives.
  • Explore size-specific strategies for both small large nonprofit organisations.
  • Gain expert insights through live Q&A addressing your specific security concerns.

Register here

 

How to transform volunteer and donor management with monday.com’s CRM

Thursday 29th January, online. This webinar with monday.com will explore how the platform can transform donor and volunteer management and help charities deliver successful projects.

During the session, you’ll learn about monday.com’s Nonprofit Program and how to apply for 10 free seats, discover how to get started managing donors, volunteers, and more using monday.com’s CRM, and see how easy it is to customise workflows, connect tasks, and integrate with other tools.

Find out more and book here

 

Finance for Trustees

29th January 2026, online. How confident are you that you really understand your charity’s finances?

It’s a complicated business, what with managing different types of funds and income, the accounting and reporting rules, as well as dealing with tax and VAT. This course, lead by the team from leading accountancy firm BDO, will give you the tools to get to grips with how all that works in your own organisation, and includes time to chat with fellow trustees over the practicalities and challenges you face.

Find out more and book here

 

Protecting your Legacy Income

3rd February, online. Managing your charity’s legacy income can be a lengthy and complex process. From the various tax considerations (Inheritance, Capital Gains), to dealing with contested legacies and all of the administration in between, there are many factors that can delay legacy income reaching your charity.

Led by the legacy protection team at VWV, this course has been designed to give clear and practical legal advice for breaking down these obstacles as well as tools for recognising legacy risks early on in the process.

Find out more and book here

 

Practical uses of AI for your charity

3rd February, 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.

Find out more and book here

 

The Digitally Informed Trustee

Wednesday 4th February, online. Trustees are the backbone of every charity. Trustees play a vital role in governance, yet many feel underprepared when it comes to digital tools—from managing cybersecurity risks to understanding data dashboards and AI systems. This first event in our series will help trustees build confidence in navigating essential digital technologies.

The webinar will be hosted by Mark Wood, Chair of Trustees at Barnardo’s, and will include a session from Holly Riley, Head of Policy at the Charity Commission, on the importance of embracing digital innovation.

Find out more and book here

 

Preventing Charity Fraud

5th February, online. Combining 25 years’ expertise as a charity lawyer and governance trainer with frontline experience from various voluntary leadership sector roles, Claris D’cruz will lead this half-day training course to help your charity prevent and deal with fraud or suspected fraud.

This training is relevant to charity trustees, CEOs, finance directors, finance managers, charity advisors and anyone with responsibility for dealing with fraud in their charity.

Throughout the morning we will explore the types of fraud and financial crime to be aware of, the controls and procedures to prevent fraud and how to handle a fraudulent incident.

Find out more and book here

 

How to read a lease – free webinar for charities

Thursday 5th February, online. The Ethical Property Foundation (EPF) is running a free webinar for charities and community groups on how to read and understand a lease. The session will be led by expert solicitors and surveyors and will cover the essentials of leases, key terms, rights and responsibilities, and common risks to look out for.

Attendees will also receive a practical information pack and access to free follow-up advice. EPF is the UK’s leading property advice charity for the voluntary sector and the Charity Commission’s referral partner for land and property advice.

Find out more and register here

 

Moving beyond Us and Them – Othering in action

Thursday 5th February, online. In a world where reactions, assumptions, and categorising people is becoming more and more common, it’s easy for ‘us and them’ thinking to take hold, even in spaces built for connection or in places where different people need to come together around a shared purpose. This is known as othering, and it’s something we all do to other people, but it gets in the way of belonging and connection we seek and often need to make progress on things we care about.

In this session, Letesia Gibson, Founder and Programme Leader at behaviour change consultancy New Ways, will explore how othering shows up in our organisations, and how it can shape dynamics within teams, services and communities. Drawing on real world examples that will feel familiar across the sector, she’ll unpack some of the subtle ways othering creates distance, and share practical ways to replace it with curiosity, care and connection

Find out more and book here

 

How to manage charity finances – CPD Accredited

10th February, 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.

More information here

 

[NEW] Charities SORP Training: Lease Accounting

Tuesday 10th February, online. Programme highlights include:

  • Understand and apply the new requirements for lease accounting under the SORP 2026
  • Recognise exemptions to the requirements for lease accounting
  • Calculate the lease liability and apply an appropriate discount rate
  • Case study applying the revised lease accounting model
  • Practical considerations for charities in collating and processing data
  • Social donation element- how to recognise when this is relevant
  • Determining the discount rate
  • Impact on reserves

Find out more and book here

 

4C Webinar: “More than a Funder”: Towards Community-Driven Philanthropy

Wednesday 11th February, online. Join Mark Wear (National Lottery), Dr Suzanne Wilson and Dr Katherine Jewell (University of Lancashire) as they introduce a new 5-year Lottery-funded project taking place in locations across Cumberland, which will use the Connected Communities approach as a vehicle for identifying funding priorities in local areas.

The project has grown out of the Lottery’s commitment to become ‘more than a funder’, with the aspiration that the Connected Communities findings will form the foundation of future Lottery funding applications for projects that are identified in local communities. The webinar will outline the research and projects leading up to this initiative, provide an overview of the work to be undertaken over the course of the project, and discuss potential future applications of the approach within Lottery funding processes. This seminar is part of the series presented by the University of Lancashire’s Centre in Community Connectedness & Co-operation (4C), supported by the Institute for Planetary Resilience & Community Transformation (PACT).

To secure a place, please register here For more information, please don’t hesitate to contact Suzanne Wilson (swilson21@lancashire.ac.uk) or Katherine Jewell (KJewell1@lancashire.ac.uk)

 

Working smarter with AI: A practical introduction

11th February, online. Join Charity Digital for a one-hour session to help you put artificial intelligence into practice.

For just £20, you’ll learn how to find real value with AI from one of the charity sector’s experts.

Find out more and book here

 

Free to attend virtual summit: Pounds & Purpose

Thursday 12th February, Online. Charities face rising costs, reduced donations and growing demand for services. Many teams are stretched. Financial decisions feel tougher. The stakes feel higher.

Join Third Sector for Pounds & Purpose, the must-attend one-day virtual summit taking place on 12 February 2026. Chaired by Emily Burt, editor of Third Sector, this event provides practical, strategic guidance to help you navigate financial pressure, regulatory change and rapid shifts in technology. You’ll hear from sector leaders and finance specialists who will share clear, usable actions you can apply today.

Register your place

 

Management Accounts for Small Organisations

Thursday 12th February, online. What do management accounts look like and why should you do them? The session will look at: why we do them, how to do them, when to do them, what we do with them.

This session is delivered by HSl Accountancy Solutions.

Find out more and book here

 

The Art of Being an Effective Chair

12th–13th February 2026, online. The role of the chair of the board or a committee is more demanding and can be more complex than most people realise.

This course will help you to chair well and to ensure that board governs effectively and that board committees add value to the governance process. Scenarios and case studies help develop skills in practical ways.

Find out more and book here

 

Use data to grow your impact

25th February, online. Marketing analytics expert, Dr Simon (Seongsoo) Jang, Associate Professor at Cardiff University, will cover the importance of intuitive- and data-driven decision-making, practical tips for maximising impact, real-life examples of successful marketing and analytics campaigns, and so much more.

Jang will introduce four core marketing principles that will revolutionise your charity’s approach to data. By the end of the hour-long session, you’ll be able to integrate the principles directly into your charity.

Find out more and book here

 

Contract Training for Charities – Managing Contracts with Confidence

26th February 2026, online. For a charity entering into a contract with any other party, there are a number of key factors to consider.

In this half-day session Ed Rimmell, partner at VWV, will share his expertise on managing charity contracts effectively to ensure risks are mitigated, all parties fully understand what has been agreed and what to do if a dispute arises. Ed will also guide you through some common and important contract clauses which are often poorly understood.

Find out more and book here

 

Harmless Conference

Friday 27th February, online & in-person (Nottingham). The national centre of excellence for self harm and suicide prevention conference – The Uncomfortable Truth: Confronting Barriers to Connection in Self Harm and Suicide Prevention.

Aims & Objectives: This CPD-accredited event brings together experts, leading academics and professionals from across the sector for a powerful day of evidence-based insights, practical solutions and shared experiences, with a strategic focus on:

  • Collaborative Partnership
  • Service-User Representation
  • Effective Practice
  • Driving Change
  • Overcoming Stigma & Discrimination

Find out more and book here

 

VCSE National Summit

11th March, online. A free national training and inspiration day for VCSEs across the UK – Join a unique, nationwide webinar designed to help VCSEs – charities, social enterprises, schools, clubs and local initiatives strengthen their role in today’s social value and procurement landscape. The event caters organisation in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

This free event will equip you with practical ideas and confidence to engage with councils, public sector commissioners and corporate supporters, become a trusted social value partner, and access new opportunities for funding, other resources and commercial partnerships. You’ll gain insight into public sector procurement and social value requirements, learn how to raise resources more effectively, and explore how digital tools can support your mission.

By registering, you’ll join organisations across the UK who are stepping forward as vital social impact partners, improving lives, communities and the environment—together.

Find out more and book here

 

Exercise Impassible

11th March 2026, This Table Top Exercise is a training opportunity being led by Counter Terrorism Police North West – there is an opportunity for Voluntary Organisations to participate. All expressions of interest should be directed in the first instance to Alison Love alison.love@cumbria.gov.uk from the Cumbria LRF team who is collating responses prior to submission.

This exercise will explore the Local, Regional and UK’s readiness to respond to a Maritime Terrorism incident on Lake Windermere. It aims to improve multi-agency coordination, strengthen Local Resilience Forum (LRF) capabilities, and support the development of inland maritime contingency plans in line with JESIP and developing MMER Joint Operating Procedures (JOPS).

Growing reliance on inland waterways for recreation, logistics, business and infrastructure makes them potential targets for hostile acts. Lake Windermere’s geographic location, coupled with a high volume of international tourism makes it a potential target for such an act.

 

Village Halls Week 2026

16th-22nd March. The campaign aims to highlight the importance of village halls to the health and wellbeing of rural communities across England, Wales and Scotland.

You can register for campaign updates here

 

Where Are Your Next Generation of Volunteers

Tuesday 24th March, online. Volunteer numbers have been falling since 2020. Considerable changes have occurred in how the public wants to volunteer. There has also been a rise in younger people wanting to give back to their communities, contribute to their environment, and make a difference in their neighbourhoods.

It is important for any group to start thinking about how it can adapt and remove the barriers so that younger people can get involved in volunteering. This session will offer you some practical ways to make volunteering for your organisation more appealing to younger people.

Find out more and book here

 

Award in Safeguarding for Work, Education and Life Level 1

From Monday 13th April, for 10 weeks, in Kendal. This level 1 course aims to give you an improved knowledge of the meaning of safeguarding in the workplace, education and in life in general. You will learn about different forms of abuse and learn ways that you can recognise if abuse may be taking place. You will find out about the safeguarding issues caused by modern technology and learn about discrimination and victimisation. Finally you will learn what to do if your have safeguarding concerns and the importance of disclosing information to professionals.

This is an ideal introductory course for anyone working or volunteering with children or vulnerable adults or who would like to improve their understanding of safeguarding in general.

Find out more and book here – if you experience any issues trying to sign up, please email helen.edmonds@westmorlandandfurness.gov.uk

 

Reserves: What They Are and How to Calculate Them

Thursday 21st April, 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.

Find out more and book here

 

Details of the event are listed in black font, plus puple boxes with white font. A Red circle with cut-outs (like a cassette spool) appears in the background.Suicide Prevention Conference

Thursday 23rd April, Rheged, Penrith. This year’s theme, “Take action. Prevent suicide.”, focuses on the practical steps we can all take to save lives and support those affected by suicide across Cumbria.

This full-day event brings together inspirational speakers, interactive workshops, and hands-on training to equip individuals, organisations, and community groups with the skills and confidence to help create a Suicide Safer Cumbria.

Whether you work in a school, a workplace, health or public services, the third or faith sectors, a sports club, or are attending as an individual – join us in our mission.

Find out more here

 

How to Make Your Social Media More Engaging

Thurs 30th April, online. Do you get the most engagement from your Facebook, Instagram or X (Twitter) posts? Why do some posts get more clicks than others?

How to increase engagement.

Find out more and book here

 

Impact Reporting for Charities

Tuesday 16th June, online. Funders want proof of the difference your organisation makes. They want to understand your charity’s impact across services and locations, and what the benefit is of the services they have agreed to fund.

Amongst other things this session looks at ‘what is impact and how do you measure it’, ‘what does impact look like’ and how do you engage with your stakeholders to maximise impact.

Find out more and book here


News & Information

The best online event platforms for charities

Charity Digital have picked out some of the best low-cost or free online event platforms available to charities now.

Read the article here

 

Cumberland Council newsletter

You can read Cumberland Council’s newsletter from 18/01/26 here, including:

  • Cumbria to host two stages of men’s 2027 Tour de France
  • Pride of Place Neighbourhood Board chair
  • Budget consultation

 

Westmorland & Furness Council newsletter

You can read Westmorland & Furness Council’s newsletter from 16/01/26 here, including:

  • A message from our new Chief Executive, Miranda Cannon
  • Ofsted praises council for support to care experienced young people
  • Tour de France heads to Westmorland and Furness

 

Major charities leave X after AI images controversy

Major charities including the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) have stopped posting on social media platform X due to controversy surrounding its artificial intelligence tool’s image-creating function.

X’s AI tool Grok has been used to digitally manipulate images of people, often women and children, to depict them in a sexualised manner, removing clothing or depicting them in bikinis, it has been widely reported this month.

RSPB announced on Monday that it was leaving Elon Musk’s social media platform and branded the images created by its AI tool Grok a safeguarding risk.

Read the article here

 

How to run an effective focus group

Explore how to run effective focus groups, with top tips on planning a focus group, how to act during the session, and steps to take after the focus group.

Read the article here

 

Optimising For AI Search: The Definitive Guide For Charities

The way people find information online is changing fast. AI search tools like ChatGPT and Google’s AI Overviews have already changed how people find and consume information. These systems synthesize answers from many pages and often present a short summary with source links, meaning users increasingly get the information they need without clicking through to the original site.

This guide from Platypus Digital aims to help charities ensure their content is visible, credible, and ready for these AI systems.

 

Building a charity hub: why and how to centralise your digital resources

When people visit a charity’s website, they’re often looking for answers in the moment they need them most. Whether that’s a parent trying to understand a diagnosis, a patient looking for symptoms to watch out for, or a professional supporting a family, they need resources that are clear, trustworthy, and easy to share.

This guide from Few and Far explains how by centralising your digital resources, you can create a one-stop destination that makes life easier for supporters and builds trust in your organisation.

 

Third Sector Podcast: Under the bonnet of the People’s Postcode Lottery

In this episode of Third Sector Podcast, Deputy Andy Ricketts and Lucinda Rouse are joined by Clara Govier, Managing Director of the People’s Postcode Lottery. Clara outlines the process for disbursing funds to charities and explains what the People’s Postcode Lottery looks for in prospective charity partners.

She also gives her thoughts on how funders could work together more effectively and puts forward the case for lifting the sales cap on charity lotteries.

Listen to the podcast

 

Connecting communities, enabling common ground: the role of local infrastructure

Many communities across the country are feeling the effects of disconnection and isolation. Economic insecurity, the loss of shared spaces, polarisation online, and ongoing inequalities have created conditions where hate and extreme politics are taking hold. NAVCA has published a new report, Connecting Communities, enabling common ground, which explores the vital role of Local Infrastructure Organisations and the wider voluntary, community and social enterprise sector in building connections and fostering social cohesion.

Read the accompanying blog on the NAVCA website to find out more and download the report.


Surveys, Research, Feedback & Reports

LGBTQIA+ charities and staff surveyed on effects of Supreme Court ruling

A survey to better understand how LGBTQIA+ civil society organisations and their staff are being affected by last year’s Supreme Court ruling has been launched.

Proud Changemakers, established in 2023 by a group of LGBTQIA+ charity workers, launched the survey this week to provide what it describes as “an important step towards understanding how this challenging environment is impacting LGBTQIA+ people and the charities they connect with”.

The survey is open to anyone who works, volunteers or receives support from any civil society organisations and aims to “capture experiences that people and charities may be having as a result of recent legal and regulatory changes relating to sex and gender in the law”.

Read more here

 

Charities facing mission-limiting hostility, fear and intimidation

The charity sector has navigated a period of significant difficulty in recent months – feeling increasingly unsafe and under threat amid rising societal tensions. NCVO has recently published a new report which explores impact of rise in extremism and social division on the voluntary sector.

In October 2025, NCVO held a week of listening sessions with representatives from 46 voluntary organisations to hear more about the realities they face. Across these five sessions, participants described rising levels of fear, intimidation and online hate. The report shares testimonies from attendees that reveals a serious threat preventing organisations from delivering their core missions safely.

Read the report here

 

Third Sector Trends in England and Wales 2025

The latest Third Sector Trends in England and Wales 2025 has been released, covering income sources, assets and financial wellbeing.

Third Sector Trends has been surveying the voluntary, community and social enterprise sector every three years since 2010. In 2025, 8,680 responses were received across England and Wales. This is the only large-scale and fully representative longitudinal national survey in the UK which can produce robust and detailed comparative analysis at regional and national level.

The report highlights that:

  • Grants are now even more popular as a principal source of income
  • Trusts and foundations are shifting towards longer-term grants
  • The third sector is turning its back on contracts to deliver public services
  • The appeal and reliance upon earned income is weakening
  • Financial reserves have held up well since 2022
  • Many in the third sector have a very positive outlook on future finances

You can read the full report here

 

47% of UK adults likely to volunteer in 2026, survey says

Some 47% of British adults are likely to volunteer at some point this year, according to a new survey.

Half of the 5,000 respondents to Marie Curie’s online survey said time was the biggest barrier to volunteering, followed by concerns about commitment (22%), uncertainty about how to get involved (18%) and a lack of awareness of local opportunities (17%).

Of those respondents who had volunteered, 56% said that giving back to their community inspired them to do so, while 49% said it gave them a sense of pride and purpose.

Read more here


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.