Here Community CVS provides resources and links to help community and voluntary groups in their applications for funding, their group development and developing volunteer programmes.
If there are areas that you need support on that are not covered here, please drop us an email and we’ll do our best to provide you with the information you need. Contact us
Information on running a community and voluntary group
Know How Non Profit
This is a useful resource from the National Council for Voluntary Organisations. It contains knowledge on all aspects of running a community and voluntary groups as well as e-learning courses.
Community CVS staff can also provide you with information sheets and advice.
Information on the local area
When you are planning activities and projects, or making funding applications, it is helpful have statistics and knowledge about the local area so that you get a bigger picture of the needs of borough, as well as being able to demonstrate evidence to funders about why your project is needed.
This information on the borough council website will help you. The Integrated Strategic Needs Assessment contains information about the needs and assets of residents. It’s a story of Blackburn with Darwen. Overall it’s about how the population of the borough is made up, what we know about how healthy it is and about its people and communities. https://www.blackburn.gov.uk/Pages/Integrated-strategic-needs-assessment.aspx
Locality Profiles
Blackburn with Darwen Council and partners are beginning to plan and deliver services based on four localities with Blackburn split in to three parts and Darwen and Rural. Locality Profiles have been compiled to give a statistical overview of each locality based on data collected in the census.
Blackburn with Darwen Joint Health & Wellbeing Strategy – This PowerPoint presentation was delivered at the Local Public Service Board in April 2015 and is a useful overview about the new strategic context around the Joint Health and Well-being strategic developments, for example Transforming Lives, and Locality focus.
Funding
Funding Central – An invaluable source of information is the website Funding Central. http://www.fundingcentral.org.uk. It lists thousands of funding and finance opportunities for voluntary organisations and social enterprises registered in England. There’s also a wealth of tools and guides to support you.
The Big Lottery Awards for All funding gives groups an easy way to get small grants of between £300 and £10,000. They prioritise groups with low income and want to fund projects which address the issues, needs and aspirations of local communities and people. They’ll fund a wide range of community projects aimed at developing skills, improving health, revitalising the local environment and enabling people to become more active citizens. Click here for more information and guidance:
- https://www.biglotteryfund.org.uk/global-content/programmes/england/awards-for-all-england
- Click here for more suggestions about available grant-making bodies that you can apply too.
Grants Jargon buster
Involving Volunteers
For a comprehensive guide to setting up a volunteer programme, involving and managing volunteers click here to view our Involving Volunteers Resource” (2010). The guide contains information on all aspects of volunteer programmes, from planning, policies and procedures to motivation and retention. It also contains many sample template forms and policies that you can adapt to your requirements. NB The section on CRB checks and unemployment benefits is currently being updated. For the latest information on these issues please view relevant information sheets on www.volunteering.org.uk
You can also see a wealth of information, top tips and useful links in our Volunteer manager resources page: on the following areas:
- Networking
- Inclusion
- Motivating and Retention
- Volunteers and the law
- Recruiting volunteers
- Connecting
- Training
- Information Volunteer Managers
- Measuring Impact
- Safeguarding
- Volunteers and Benefits
Volunteering England (NCVO)
for information on current legislation changes as well as examples from other organisations the Volunteering England good practice bank is really useful. www.volunteering.org.uk
Governance, health checks and funding
If you would like examples of policies and procedures, information on good governance, example constitutions, or information about applying for funding please contact us
