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SFP Monthly Newsletter - Issue 73, July/August 2009

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Support and news from the Sustainable Funding Project
2009 Diary Dates
Planning and financial management
Donations
Grant funding
Public Service Delivery
Trading and social enterprise
Loan finance and social investment

Are you a funding advisor? Read the infrastructure version

View past newsletter editions
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Support and news from SFP

Funding Central
Over 2600 registrations, have you signed up?
Free online registration

Launched on 17 June, Funding Central is a free online guide to 4,000 income and finance opportunities.

The site is for the whole voluntary and community sector, including social enterprises.

Funding Central allows you to easily identify relevant sources of funding and access support and advice - you can search according to the needs of your organisation of those that you support.

Registration is free, easy and enables you to save your searches, tailor funding alerts and updates, plus generate reports based on your preferences which can be accessed from any internet connection - visit Funding Central

2009 Annual Gathering a success

We held our Annual Gathering on 17 June at the Wellcome Centre – thank you to everyone who filled in their evaluation forms and provided feedback.

Delegates found the day very useful and enjoyed the range of plenary sessions, workshops and the food! Those of you who attended also enjoyed the chance to be one of the first to log on to Funding Central during the drink’s reception.

The Good Guide to Trading – Getting Ready for Enterprise
Order your copy

Our new guide takes you through the process of launching a successful trading initiative from start to finish – giving lots of useful information on the way. The chapters can be worked through in order or used as standalone sections. Aimed at anyone with responsibility for raising money, the guide will be useful to organisations that are:

new to trading but would like to explore the options
already undertaking some trading activity but need some guidance on how to do it
already trading who wish to expand or refocus their activities: order your copy online

New case study: Torrs Hydro

Read about Torrs Hydro, a community owned company that generates electricity from a small hydroelectric plant.

Key themes include community investment, effective marketing and choosing the right organisational form.

Download: Torrs Hydro case study
(PDF 3800 kb)

Sustainable Funding + 1 = Public Service Delivery Network

The Public Service Delivery Network (PSDN) is a free user-led resource for anyone interested in issues around third sector commissioning and service delivery. It aims to build knowledge and relationships across sectors to transform public services.

Established in 2006, the network has over 1500 members across England, including voluntary sector service providers, public sector commissioners, support agencies and policy makers.

The network provides you with:

Research and information on developments in public service delivery
Monthly updates and detailed guides to explore key issues
Discussion and debate, online and at events
An annual conference and regular training events
Networking opportunities, online and in person
Best practice examples and case studies
Tailored advice and support for voluntary and public sector organisations

The NCVO Public Service Delivery Network is available to provide speakers and facilitators and tailored training and advice for voluntary and public sector organisations.
Visit PSDN online

2009 Diary Dates

Sustainable Funding Project

We are running a number of workshops and events across the country – visit our events calendar for details and learn more about our package of workshops

Last chance
Sharpen your marketing theory and practice
NCVO Summer Marketing Conference
7 July 2009, London

Get the tools you need to ensure that your organisation stands out in a crowded marketplace and that you are engaging with a range of audiences.

One of the worlds most recognised and highly respected marketers Drayton Bird will give the keynote address and show you how direct marketing can make a real difference to your organisation.

For more and to book visit
www.ncvo-vol.org.uk/marketingjuly09 or call Matt on 020 7520 3160

Social Firms UK Annual Conference
July 13-14 2009, Manchester

Working with people normally excluded from the workplace, social firms work in different jobs markets. Support body Social Firms UK is holding its annual conference on 13-14 July at Manchester Metropolitan University. You can find out more from the Social Firms UK website

Communities Assets Enterprise 2009
13-15 September 2009, London

The Development Trusts Association (DTA) is holding their annual national conference - this year’s theme is Surviving and Thriving: local solutions to the global crisis. For more information, visit the DTA website

New Public Service Delivery Network events
“Navigating Funding Agreements” and “Tendering for Better Services”
24 September and 22 October 2009, London

Designed for a mixed audience of voluntary and public sector delegates and led by legal and procurement experts, these new Public Service Delivery Network training events will provide you with:

a clear and comprehensive overview of what to cover in and what to expect from funding agreements
practical insights about how commissioners and providers can approach tendering processes to buy and bid to deliver better services.

Sayer Vincent Charity Accountants’ Conference
17-18 September 2009, Leeds

Focused on practical training workshops plus technical updates, this conference will help you to get fit for change and able to respond to challenges.

There will be a choice of longer sessions for hands-on workshop training sessions as well as roundtable interest groups, one-to-one advice surgeries, software demonstrations, training in softer skills and free resources. Read the full programme

Planning and Financial Management

Latest Charity Forecast survey reveals increased economic optimism - results now available

This key research report reveals how leaders are planning and thinking, showing parallels with indicators from other sectors. This sixth edition of the report revealed that a growing number of charity leaders believe economic conditions in the UK will improve over the next 12 months, with overall confidence levels up 28 percentage points compared to the previous quarter (January to March 2009).

Charity Forecast reports are available as PDF’s only – buy a single copy or subscribe to 4 issues

Trustees: ask yourself the hard questions

The Charity Commission has launched the 'Big Board Talk' initiative, designed to encourage trustees to ask a range of questions about how well placed they are to cope during the recession.

Read the 15 question checklist at the Charity Commission website

Employer supported volunteering – 5 minute survey

The Red Foundation’s Corporate Community Investment service (redcci) is looking into the growing trend towards volunteering supported by companies and other employers.

If you are with a volunteer receiving or employee organisation, including in the public sector, take the 5 minute online volunteering survey

Best practice guidance on expenses

The Independent Expert Group on Expenses working group will develop best practice guidance on how charities should report the expense claims of their senior managers and trustees.

The group, chaired by former Charity Commissioner Lindsay Driscoll has been established by NCVO and Charity Finance Directors’ Group in response to a debate about whether charities should publicly disclose their chief executives’ expenses.

Guidance is aimed to be available in 4 months - read the full article online at Charity Finance

New accounting standard for heritage assets

On 19 June the new accounting standard for heritage assets was published - effective for accounting periods beginning on or after 1 April 2010. A heritage asset is defined as “a tangible asset with historical, artistic, scientific, technological, geophysical or environmental qualities that is held and maintained principally for its contribution to knowledge and culture.”

It is expected that charities will include all purchased heritage assets in its balance sheet. When acquiring assets through donations, charities should attempt to value the assets in order to include them within the financial statements. However if this is not possible, notes to accountants should explain the significance and nature of the assets, and reasons why they could not be capitalised. The full version of FRS 30 (includes examples) can be downloaded from the FRC website

Donations

What is 2% of your salary really worth?

Lord Joffe (the man who defended Nelson Mandela at trial) has been promoting the “Geared for Giving” campaign. This initiative is aimed at encouraging employers to offer payroll giving schemes, enabling workers to donate a percentage of their salary to charity each month.

He says to ask yourself – could you live on 98% of your salary?

Read the full article at the Times online and visit the Geared for Giving website

10 tips for smarter giving

A new paper which aims to advise donors on how to fund strategically during an economic downturn has been published by the Institute for Philanthropy.

‘Giving in the Recession’ looks at how giving is being affected by the current financial climate and suggests 10 tips for ‘smarter funding’ plus case studies.

Download the paper (918 kb PDF)

Women’s giving and receiving grows fastest says report

A new report has found that foundation giving targeting women and girls has grown more than overall foundation giving in recent years, along with women's funds’ giving.

“Accelerating Change for Women and Girls: The Role of Women's Funds” examines giving patterns and trends among larger private and community foundations and the distinctive contributions of women's funds to philanthropy.

Read more about the report at the Philanthropy Giving website

Grant Funding

Big Lottery Fund announces new strategy

The Big Lottery Fund (BLF) has announced that the voluntary and community sector will receive at least 80% of its funding (rather than the current 60-70%), an extra £45m to help organisations though the recession. Read more about how the extra funds will be distributed at the Big Lottery Fund website

A range of organisations, including NCVO believe that all grants should go to voluntary and community organisations.

Read these comments at Third Sector Online and download NCVO’s response to the Big Thinking Consultation (February 2009 – 104 kb PDF)

Reminder: Government's Hardship Fund opening late July
Register by email

The Hardship Fund will provide grant support to third sector organisations in England delivering front-line services to the most vulnerable and disadvantaged people in society that have been affected by the recession.

Grants of between £50,000-£250,000 will be available to organisations with a turnover of at least £200,000 that are in financial hardship which is impacting on their ability to deliver services in health and social care, housing support, education and training; information, advice and guidance.

The fund will go live later in July – email hardshipfund@cdf.org.uk to register your interest and receive more details.

V funds to kick-start youth led projects

The Match Fund brings together private sector partners and charities to create innovative volunteering opportunities, matching up to 100% of any new investment in youth volunteering and significantly increasing impact.

The next deadline is 17 July for projects starting October 2009 – read more about the match fund

vcashpoint offers 16-25 year olds up to £2500 to set up a volunteering project in their local area. This could be anything from break dancing classes to courses in theatre production skills.

Rounds close on 17 August 2009, 25 January and 10 May 2010 - find out how to apply

Children in Need launches new £3m scheme
Application deadline 31 July

The Fun and Friendship programme will help organisations that support independent socialising for disabled youngsters aged between 12-18, offering grants of £300,000 over 3 years.

Applicants should demonstrate that programmes improve social interaction, involve young people in development and are committed to share what they have learnt.

For more information, visit the Children in Need website

Changing spaces – Local food grant scheme
Deadline 21 August 2009

The Local Food programme, managed by the Royal Society of Wildlife Trusts (RSWT) and funded by a £50 million grant from the Big Lottery Fund has seen unprecedented demand from projects that aim to make local food more accessible and affordable to communities.

Due to the high level of interest, applicants are being asked to submit first round applications by August 2009 - details are available at the Local Food website

Comic relief programme re-launched

Grants of £25,000 to £40,000 are available for a wide range of activities – from mental health to sports projects.

Read the essential information about how to apply at the Comic Relief website

Public Service Delivery

Share your mental health innovation ideas
Deadline 12 August 2009 (event on 4 September)

Innovation Exchange is looking for great third sector innovations in mental health. Working with the North West JIP, it is holding a Festival of Ideas on 4 September in Manchester.

The event will bring together leading innovators, commissioners and investors to meet, learn about and critique these innovations and develop them together. The best respondents to the ‘call for ideas’ will receive invites to the event.

More information is available at the Innovation Exchange website

Future Jobs Fund
Futurebuilders offering help with bids

Your organisation may have a great idea that could be implemented through the £1bn DWP Future Jobs Fund. If you need assistance with partnership working, collaboration or start-up funding, Futurebuilders may be able to help. They offer a range of funds and loans and are keen to help organisations with their Future Jobs bids.

Innovation Seminar Report

On 1 June, the Public Service Delivery Network (PSDN) held a free seminar on Promoting Innovation: Sourcing, encouraging and developing innovation in the third sector. A wide variety of delegates from infrastructure organisations, government and local authorities attended to hear about and discuss guest speakers’ experiences of promoting innovation.

The key themes drawn out were the necessity of an innovative culture within your organisation, where ideas are listened to and failure is allowed; the importance of communication from top to bottom and back again; and the need to engage proactively with beneficiaries and stakeholders.

A full report will be sent to the delegates next month with a link to it published in our next newsletter.

Join the network and get the report

Help to cut red tape

Intelligent Monitoring and Principles of Proportionate Monitoring have been published to help public bodies reduce their monitoring demands on charities.

Both publications state that cutting unnecessary red tape would enable third sector organisations to provide more effective services.

Read more about Intelligent Monitoring at the National Audit Office website and Principles of Proportionate Monitoring at the Office of the Third Sector website

Trading and social enterprise

Social entrepreneur website revamp

UnLtdWorld the social network for social entrepreneurs has changed its look and added new useful features. These include launching a discovery stream, partner platform and enabling users to set up a company profile.

These and existing functions will allow users to streamline their activities and enhance contact with relevant people, collaborate, access research and expertise and advertise your events.

Social enterprise investment fund
No deadlines – rolling applications accepted

The Department of Health’s Social Enterprise Investment Fund is managed by Futurebuilders in partnership with Partnerships UK. There is over £70 million available as loans and grants to social enterprises delivering innovative health and social care services for local communities.

Visit the Department of Health website for more information.

Loan finance and social investment

£9.5m loans available from Barclays + interest

Barclays has agreed to loan community and voluntary organisations £9.5m to match the amount being loaned by the Government's Modernisation Fund. The fund has been established to encourage organisations to merge, work in partnership or restructure in response to the economic downturn.

Barclays will provide professional support, can fund requests over the Modernisation fund limit of £500,000 but deals attract interest, unlike those available from Futurebuilders England – read the full article at Third Sector Online

Interested in collaboration?
Visit NCVO’s Collaborative Working Team

Bank charges: how they stack up

An interesting article in the Guardian discusses charities’ experiences with both high street and sector based banks. The Charities Aid Foundation says it is costing charities about £20m per year. 2 small organisations comment on how the charges can add up and the options available to charities – read the Guardian article

Next steps: read about sources of loan finance

Investing for Impact in Developing Countries
How charities can invest for a social and financial return seminar - 16 September 2009, London

High-profile speakers will discuss how investments can be made responsibly in developing countries - through equity investments and products such as microfinance and immunisation bonds - and why these have attracted the interest of mainstream investors.

For more details or to reserve a free place visit the
Charity SRI website

Your guide to 20 social impact and quality tools

Tools for you covers 20 different approaches, includes a tool decider and comparison chart to help development workers and frontline organisations navigate the world of social impact and quality measurement. For more information, visit the New Economics Foundation website