Research

Explore the findings from research projects into the ICT needs of the voluntary and community sector.

This research looks into the take up of, and attitudes to, ICT as well as research into the funding needs of the sector.

Research topics

Future foresight - Changing ICT: What will it mean for your organisation?
Delivering ICT support
Funding ICT
ICT accessibility
Software and hardware
The ICT Hub

Future foresight - Changing ICT: What will it mean for your organisation?

Rob Gear's presentation on cloud computing.
Robin Hamman's presentation on social media.
Paul Golding's presentation on ubiquitous connectivity.
Amy Sample Ward's presentation on online revenue generation.

Delivering ICT support

Specialist Infrastructure Development Project (March 2008)

Commissioned projects developed by six national specialist infrastructure organisations to further improve the reach of ICT Hub materials nationally. The key findings and learning are contained within the individual reports:

Arts (Word 126 KB)
BME (Word 86 KB)
Faith (Word 113 KB)
Homelessness (Word 100 KB)
Hospices (Word 77 KB)
LGBT (Word 130 KB)

In search of cost effective ICT services for the third sector - Is social enterprise the solution? (April 2008)

Report commissioned by the ICT Hub to look at social enterprise as a model for delivering ICT support within the voluntary and community sector.

Download social enterprise report (PDF 336 KB)

Sustainable Technical Support Research, GMCVO (January 2007)

An investigation into sustainable technical support projects in England and possible sources of funders.

Download sustainble technical support research (Word 53 KB)

Supporting information: Download iT4Communities report on the value of pro bono ICT support (Word 110 KB)

Circuit Rider Project Evaluation (March 2007)

Report studying the Lasa Circuit Rider Project, set up in May 2005 to support voluntary and community organisations in building their ICT capacity.

Download Circuit Rider Evaluation report (PDF 316 KB)

Results of survey of volunteering effort (November 2006)

Report summarising a survey of volunteers, volunteering through iT4Communities.

Download results of survey of volunteering effort (PDF 20 KB)

Funding ICT

Sources of Funders Research (Jan 2007, updated March 2008)

This research has sourced and increased the original list of funders that fund ICT. Also included are appendices, including a spreadsheet of the full list of funders, a more in-depth background about these funders and a funding checklist.

Please note that in updating this research, the original funders have not been re-checked, just added to. It is always advisable to thoroughly check individual guidance from funders beforemaking an application.

The inclusion of funders in this research does not guarantee that they will fund your ICT project or initiative.

Download Sources of Funders report (PDF 168 KB)

The appendices that compliment the report are useful documents for any organisation keen to start sourcing possible ICT funders.

Appendix A - Spreadsheet of funders who fund ICT (Excel 67 KB)
Appendix B - Full details of funders from Appendix A (PDF 709 KB)
Appendix C - Community Foundations - list of examples of ICT-related awards (PDF 35 KB)
Appendix D - Fundraising Checklist (PDF 26 KB)
Appendix E - Useful Resources (PDF 44 KB)

ICT Hub/ WCIT Funding Research (2006)

In 2006 the Information Technologists' Livery Company and the ICT Hub undertook a survey of voluntary and community sector organisations to gain a fuller understanding of the sector's experience of seeking funding for ICT.

Download WCIT funding research (PDF 2.15 MB)

ICT accessibility

AbilityNet State of the eNation report

Since 2003 AbilityNet has published a widely acclaimed quarterly 'State of the eNation' report, each one focussing on a different online sector. AbilityNet test representative websites forpractical accessibility and usability.

All of the "State of the eNation" reports can be downloaded from the AbilityNet website.

ICT Hub Accessibility Research (2006)

Invaluable reading if you are concerned about accessibility and want to know what is happening in the sector.

Download accessibility research (PDF 413 KB)

Software and hardware

Shared systems research (March 2008)

The ICT Hub commissioned this research looking at "shared systems" being developed and used within the voluntary and community sector. The report looks at specific examples of shared systems being used around the country, their route to inception and key learning from the organisations involved.

(In this report shared systems have been defined as pieces of hardware or software, developed and used by more than one voluntary and community organisation, for the same purpose or purposesand mutual benefit.)

Download the ICT Hub shared systems report (PDF 264 KB)

Corporate Product Needs of the Sector (March 2008)

This authoritative independent research document was commissioned by the ICT Hub to study software options for the voluntary and community sector.

Introductory Report (PDF 201 KB)
Full Report (PDF 1.8 MB)
- Section 1 : Fundraising Products (PDF 104 KB)
- Section 2 : Financial Management Products (PDF 394 KB)
- Section 3 : Contact Management Solutions (PDF 351 KB)
- Section 4 : Content Managed Websites (PDF 351 KB)
- Section 5 : Products you may need but don't have (PDF 447 KB)

Telephony Development Project (March 2008)

The ICT Hub telephony project resulted in the following resources, designed to help a variety of audiences when considering telephony solutions:

Download Good Telephony Guide (PDF 815 KB)

Download Telephony Guide for Funders (PDF 822 KB)

Download Telephony Guide for Suppliers (PDF 821 KB)

ICT Hub/ Telephone Helplines Association "Making Connections" (June 2006)

The Telephone Helplines Association were commissioned by the ICT Hub to carry out research into the understanding and take up of telephony in the voluntary and community sector.

Download the Making Connections report (Word 632 KB)

Open Source Development Project (March 2008)

The open source project resulted in the development of this introduction to Open Source solutions.

Download the "What is Open Source" booklet (PDF 148 KB)

ICT Hub/ National Computing Centre (NCC) "Sampling Survey of Free & Open Source Software (FOSS)" (Summer 2006)

This report is as a result of survey work commissioned by the National Computing Centre (NCC) to inform and guide the future work of the Open Source project within the ICT Hub.

Download 'Sampling Survey of Free & Open Source Software (FOSS)' report (PDF 196 KB)

The ICT Hub

ICT Hub final project report - independent evaluation (April 2008)

This independent evaluation was commissioned by the ICT Hub at the start of the 2.5 year project and evaluates the effectiveness of the programme as a whole.

Download a copy of the ICT Hub final report (PDF 407 KB)

NCVO research conference abstract

In this paper Paul Ticher examines the use of information and communication technology in the voluntary and community sectors.

Download the Research Conference Abstract 2007 (PDF 77 KB)

ICT Hub Baseline Research (2007)

This authoritative independent research document was commissioned by the ICT Hub to study all aspects of information and communication technology in the voluntary and community sectors. It covers ICT policy and strategy, accessibility and training and well as conducting an in-depth study of technologies and technical support available.

Download the ICT Hub Baseline Research 2007 (PDF 634 KB)

ICT Hub Baseline Line Research (2004)

Essential reading for anyone who wants to find out more about the take of up and attitudes to ICT in the voluntary and community sector.

Download ICT Hub 2004 Baseline research (PDF 333 KB)