Introduction to Engaging with Businesses: Five Things I Wish I Knew

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Get synergised, have created this basic introduction to working with business on behalf of Support Cambridgeshire. We regularly collaborate with Get Synergised to support groups looking to make connections with businesses. This particular training is aimed at small charities and voluntary groups, whether you are at the beginning of your journey in engaging with businesses or seeking a refresher. 

 

Introduction to Engaging with Businesses: 5 Things I Wish I Knew

Hello and welcome to this Introduction to Engaging with Businesses: 5 Things I Wish I Knew, a recording for Support Cambridgeshire delivered by Get Synergised in partnership with Cambridge CVS and Hunts Forum.

This is one of several recordings developed to support small charities and voluntary groups in engaging with businesses. This recording includes some tips for success and is supported by a transcript and links that will take you to additional resources and information on the Get Synergised website.

Title Page

Introduction to Engaging with Businesses: 5 Things I Wish I Knew

If you are beginning your journey in engaging with businesses or seeking a refresher, this on-demand training video presents five insights that you probably wish you knew.

By avoiding common pitfalls, you’ll be well-prepared to cultivate partnerships with businesses eager to support you and your mission to help diversify income and resources for greater sustainability.

Slide 1

Firstly – Why Does Partnering with Businesses Benefit Your Organisation?

  • Expanded Resources: Businesses can provide financial support, in-kind donations, and access to expertise, enhancing your organisation’s capabilities and impact.
  • Enhanced Visibility and Credibility: Partnering with reputable businesses can elevate your organisation’s profile and credibility within the community and among stakeholders.
  • Innovative Solutions: Collaboration with businesses can spark innovation and creativity, leading to new ideas and approaches for tackling social challenges.
  • Sustainable Relationships: Establishing partnerships with businesses fosters long-term relationships built on shared values, which can lead to ongoing support and collaboration.

Now we know that, let’s delve into the 5 Things I Wish I Knew.

Slide 2

Introduction to Engaging with Businesses: 5 Things I Wish I Knew

  1. Think About What You Might Need from a Business
  2. Take Time to Build Relationships
  3. Align Goals and Values
  4. Confidently Make That Initial Ask and Contact
  5. Always Follow Up, Celebrate Success, and Give Thanks

Slide 3

Think About What You Might Need from a Business

When engaging with businesses, it’s crucial to consider and request support beyond just financial contributions – although monetary support is indeed significant. Businesses are busy, so a well-defined request helps them understand exactly how they can contribute and what is needed. Here are some points on how to prepare to maximise your chances of success:

  • Time:
    • Volunteer Opportunities: Clearly outline how much time you need from business volunteers and what specific activities they will be involved in. For example, you might need volunteers for pro bono expertise or a fundraising event.
    • Flexible Options: Offer flexible volunteering opportunities that can fit into busy schedules on both sides, such as virtual volunteering or short-term projects.
  • Skills:
    • Skill-Based Volunteering: Identify specific skills that would benefit your nonprofit and seek volunteers who can provide those skills. For example, you might need help with marketing, graphic design, legal advice, or IT support.
    • Professional Development: Highlight how volunteering can also benefit their employees by providing professional development opportunities and enhancing their skills.
  • Expertise:
    • Advisory Roles: Invite business leaders to join advisory boards, trustee boards, or committees where their expertise can guide your non-profit’s strategy and operations.
    • Workshops and Training: Request experts to conduct workshops or training sessions for your staff or beneficiaries. For instance, financial experts could offer financial literacy workshops.
  • Resources:
    • In-Kind Donations: Specify what physical resources or equipment you need. This could range from office supplies, technology, or transportation.
    • Rooms and Space: Request meeting rooms or event spaces that the business can provide.
  • Finance:
    • Monetary Donations: Clearly outline the financial support you need, specifying amounts and how the funds will be used.
    • Sponsorship Opportunities: Offer sponsorship packages for events or programmes, detailing the benefits the business will receive in return, such as branding opportunities, meeting ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) goals, recognition, and networking.

Slide 4

Take Time to Build Relationships

  • Personal Connections: Develop personal relationships with key individuals in the business, rather than just seeking money and going in with a hard ask. Take the time to understand their motivations, interests, and values. Personal connections and warm introductions can strengthen the partnership and facilitate smoother collaboration.
  • Understand the Business: Research the company if you can. Understand their mission, values, corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives, and any past involvement with non-profits. This helps tailor your approach and shows that you’ve done your homework.
  • Identify the Right Person: Find out who the decision-makers are through a bit of research or asking others if you can. This might be someone in the CSR department, marketing, HR, or even the CEO, depending on the size and structure of the business.

Slide 5

Align Goals and Values

  • Good Fit: When looking for businesses to meet your asks, think about which businesses would be a good fit, might share your values, where they might be located, and what industries might be able to help you with what you need.
  • Know Your Own Mission, Vision, and Values: Be clear about your own non-profit’s mission, vision, and values to find the best alignment with potential business partners.

 

Slide 6

Confidently Make That Initial Ask and Contact

  • Personalise Your Approach: Tailor your message/email to the specific business and individual. Mention any common ground and keep your message brief and to the point, including a clear call to action that encourages a response.
  • Highlight What’s in It for Them: Shift the focus to their interests – why should they care? Clearly explain how your non-profit’s mission aligns with their goals and values.
  • Utilise Storytelling: Craft a compelling narrative that introduces your non-profit, what you do, the impact you make, and how it relates to the business. Explain the reason for reaching out and the potential synergy between your missions.
  • Utilise Existing Networks: If possible, leverage mutual connections to facilitate an introduction. A warm introduction significantly enhances the likelihood of a positive response.
  • Attend Networking Events: Engage in events where business leaders are present. These venues offer opportunities for face-to-face interactions and deeper engagement.
  • Phone Calls: Direct calls can sometimes be more effective. Be prepared with a concise pitch and ready to address any inquiries.
  • Utilise Social Media: Platforms like LinkedIn are effective for connecting with business professionals. Craft a concise and polite message outlining your purpose or share your organisation’s needs on the platform.
  • Propose a Meeting: Request a brief meeting to explore potential collaboration. Offer flexible scheduling options and suggest a few dates and times that work for them.
  • Articulate What You Can Offer: Describe the mutual benefits of collaboration, emphasising how their involvement will create a positive impact and meet their CSR goals, among other business benefits. Use stories, data, and examples to illustrate the value and potential returns on their investment.

Slide 7

Always Follow Up, Celebrate Success, and Give Thanks

  • Prompt Follow-Up: If you don’t receive a response within a week or two, send a polite follow-up email or call to reiterate your interest and inquire about their decision.
  • Share Impact Stories: Share stories and experiences that illustrate the impact of your partnership. Highlighting real examples and successes can reinforce the value of the collaboration and inspire continued support.
  • Thank Them: Regardless of the outcome, thank them for their time and consideration. This leaves a positive impression and opens the door for future opportunities.

Slide 8

Case Study Examples

  • Mills & Reeve and Hannah Nunn Kick Starter Coffee
  • Tees Law and Cambridge Acorn Project Legal Clinic

Slide 9

Benefits of Adopting Effective Partnership Strategies

  • Saves time and money
  • Enhance ROI (Return on Investment)
  • Maximise resource collaboration potential
  • Support sustainability of your organisation

Slide 10

Final Words – Image slide

We hope that you have enjoyed this short video, “An Introduction to Engaging with Businesses: 5 Things I Wish I Knew.” Hopefully, you now feel more equipped with some key points to get you off the starting block or to refresh your partnership strategy in this area for greater success.

Building influential relationships with corporate business partners, if done correctly, will help you diversify your income and resources while also boosting your credibility, profiling your organisation, reaching new audiences, making an even greater impact in your community, and sustaining your operations.

If you’re seeking to take your corporate partnership to the next level, we encourage you to enrol in our Foundation Course, “Winning Corporate Partnerships in 5 Steps.” This course will teach you to understand what businesses are looking for to attract their attention and how to use your time more efficiently to achieve better results with a proven strategic, relationship-first approach. It will also give you an overview of our strategic blueprint to help you build your Corporate Partnership Strategy.

Discover more about our courses, or subscribe to our newsletter for insightful tips and updates by taking a look at our website – www.getsynergised.com

Brought to you in collaboration with Support Cambridgeshire, CCVS, Hunts Forum and Get Synergised

 

 

Legal issues around managing volunteers in England and Wales

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Slide 1 Title slide

Hello and welcome to this recording from Support Cambridgeshire. This training introduces the key legal issues around managing volunteers.

  • The guidance links, available in the transcript you will find alongside this recording, will provide you with all the materials we mention.
  • Please note that this guidance is not intended to replace advice from a legal professional.
  • Slide 2 Outline of session
  • This session will give you headline information to put in place the policies and procedures to help you deliver your legal responsibilities to volunteers and those they support. We will look at:
  • – Employment rights
  • – Who can legally volunteer
  • – Key legislation covering:
  • Equality
  • Health and Safety
  • Data Protection
  • Copyright
  • Safeguarding

Slide 3 What is a volunteer?

There is no legal definition of a volunteer but the following is used by the Disclosure and Barring Service (more on them later)

A person engaged in an activity which involves spending time, unpaid (except for travel and other approved out-of-pocket expenses), doing something which aims to benefit some third party other than, or in addition to, a close relative.

Slide 4 – Trustees as volunteers

Trustees are responsible for the governing of a charity and usually have more responsibility and liability than non-trustee volunteers.  We have a specific training available for trustees  ‘What do trustees have to do?’ which can be found in the guidance links

Slide 5 – Why understanding legal issues matters

Failure to understand how legislation relates to volunteers could result in organisations facing legal action:

  • with volunteers claiming employment rights
  • around failure to protect volunteers
  • and around failure to provide training and support to ensure volunteers are able to perform their roles without causing harm to beneficiaries or the wider public.

An organisation’s lack of legal understanding can also result in negative consequences for volunteers themselves, impacting on their finances and wellbeing.

 

Slide 6 – Volunteers claiming employment rights

Volunteers do not have the same legal rights as people with employment contracts unless a contract is inadvertently created:

It is worth being aware of what creates a contract –

  • A contract is a legally binding relationship between 2 parties.  A contract needs 4 elements to be legally binding.
    • An offer – this is a promise by one party with the intention of creating a legal obligation
    • Acceptance – the response to the offer which can be written or verbal
    • Consideration –. this can be a payment or something in kind such as equipment or training not directly related to the volunteer’s role
    • An intention by both parties to create a legally binding relationship that a reasonable person would accept as intending to create a contract.

By contrast volunteering is a gift relationship and is not legally binding on either party.

There have been cases where volunteers have been able to take an organisation to an employment tribunal and prove that a contract exists.  .  For more details see the guidance links

Slide 7 Minimising the risk of giving volunteers employment rights

If a contract is created with a volunteer they could be awarded employee status, which in the worst-case scenario, could make them eligible for the national minimum wage backdated for the entire period of their volunteering.  This could have serious consequences for a charity.

The danger of creating a case for employed status is minimised by ensuring that there is no  legally binding contract in place and that there are clear policies and procedures specifically for volunteers that avoid using language associated with employment.  For example, volunteers perform a role and not a job and are reimbursed for expenses and not paid.  Good records need to be kept of training undertaken and expense payments received.

The organisation might consider putting in place a volunteer strategy and a volunteer policy which will clarify how the organisation interacts with volunteers, clearly demonstrate how volunteering differs from the work of any employees.

Volunteer role descriptions clarify the purpose, qualities and requirements of a role helping distinguish them from employee job descriptions.

Volunteer agreements are statements of mutual expectation that can be ended at any time by either party and are not legally binding.

Slide 8 Managing expenses

Mismanagement of expenses can cause problems for your volunteers and you could be seen to be paying a consideration which is one element of a contract.

The Inland Revenue rules permit volunteers to reclaim costs incurred or which will be incurred whilst volunteering including mileage, a reasonable meal, specialist clothing and care costs for dependents.  However, although it is best practice to offer expenses organisations are not legally obliged to pay them.

Payments made to volunteers that are more than out of pocket expenses may be treated as taxable income.  If the volunteer is in receipt of benefits any over payment may impact on benefit payments as they will be treated as if they are in paid work.

By collecting and keeping the right documentation as outlined in an expenses policy you protect both the organisation and the volunteer.

See the link in the guidance notes on volunteering and claiming benefit payments

Slide 9 – Who can legally volunteer?

We often get asked questions about whether the law allows certain groups of people to volunteer.  The good news is that most people are legally able to volunteer.  The exceptions being those whose visa status excludes them and those who do not meet the required criminal or safeguarding records checks for a particular role

  • People on benefits can volunteer if they continue to meet all the conditions of their benefit. It is advisable for people on benefit to inform the benefits office that they are volunteering
  • The legal restrictions on employing young people do not apply to volunteers. However, under 18’s are legally classed as vulnerable and safeguarding guidelines will apply. It is also necessary to check if under 18’s are covered by your insurance and you should put in place a separate risk assessment.  There is a guidance link for a handbook on managing young volunteers at the end of the transcript.
  • Visitors from overseas can volunteer if their visa allows them and it is advisable to ask them to check with the immigration service. Those on tourist visas can volunteer as can refugees and asylum seekers. Some larger organisations insist on Right to Work checks for volunteers – this check is to ensure a job applicant is eligible to work in the UK and is only legally required for employees.
  • People with criminal convictions are legally permitted to volunteer and where a person has completed their rehabilitation, they do not have to disclose a conviction unless the role meets certain exemption requirements. Exemptions will usually apply to roles with access to children or adults at risk of abuse.

Slide 10 – Equality Act 2010

In this section we will work through the key legislation those managing volunteers need to consider.  We will highlight key areas to be aware of and look at how to mitigate the risk of facing legal action.  Starting with the equality legislation.

The equality Act protects people against discrimination, harassment or victimisation because they have, are perceived to have or are associated with someone else with any of the protected characteristics, which are:

  • Age
  • Disability
  • Gender reassignment
  • Marriage and civil partnership
  • Pregnancy, maternity (including breast feeding) and paternity
  • Race
  • Religion and belief
  • Sex
  • Sexual orientation

Slide 11 – Volunteers as service users

Volunteers do not have the same legal protect as employees, however service users are protected.  The Equality and Human Rights Commission has advised that volunteers could (in some circumstances) be seen as service users creating the potential for a legal case to be brought.  Many organisations address this head-by adding a clause like the following to their volunteer equality statement

We do not intend to create a contractual relationship with our volunteers but as a matter of respect and dignity we want to treat volunteers inclusively and fairly wherever reasonable.

Slide 12 – Volunteers as service deliverers

If your organisation provides advice in person or online, a community centre, shop, club, care home, or a private club or association with more than 25 members then the Equality Act applies to your services.

Where volunteers help you deliver your services they are seen as service deliverers carrying out your instructions. If, in their planning or delivery of these instructions the volunteer does something defined as unlawful discrimination, harassment or victimisation, you can be held legally responsible for what they have done.

Slide 13 – Minimising the risk

Put in place an Equality Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) policy and procedure for volunteers to follow

Offer training and ongoing support to ensure volunteers understand how to behave and carry out their tasks keeping within the law.  Check out the guidance links for more on this.

Slide 14- Health & Safety

Volunteers are not protected by all the same health and safety legislation as protects employees.  However, an organisation has a duty of care to anyone they encounter to ensure they do not cause any unreasonable harm.

As service deliverers, volunteers need to be trained and supported to ensure public safety. It is best practice to put in place a health and safety policy and procedure for volunteers to follow.  This will include putting in place risk assessments for activities and venues.

Although there is generally no legal obligation to insure volunteers, the Charity Commission strongly advised that volunteers are covered by the same level of insurance as employees. We have an on-demand trainings available on health and safety and on insurance (see guidance links)

 

Slide 15 – Data protection

The regulator for all organisations managing data is the Information Commissioners Office (ICO) which produces a wealth of guidance. Most volunteer-involving organisations hold information on their volunteers. This information is likely to be personal data (that identifies an individual) and may also include sensitive data (which is confidential data such an individual’s medical record which must be kept particularly secure). This information is likely to be personal data and may also include sensitive data.  Volunteers data is protected and volunteers can view their own records through subject access requests including access to references given by 3rd parties.

As service deliverers, volunteer must comply with data protection legislation- There is no volunteer exemption and any organisation that asks volunteers to process data must manage the risks adequately.

The NCVO data protection and volunteers guidance in the guidance links explains the legal requirements for handling data (The data protection principles) and the reasons (the lawful basis) you must establish for processing data.  Please note that in most cases not for profit organisations managing their own data  do not have to register with the ICO

Slide 17- Minimising risk

To minimise risk put in place a data protection policy and procedure for volunteers to follow.  Ensure you have in place a privacy statement that can be shown to anyone whose data is being collected.  In the guidance links there is a Create your own privacy statement tool.  Ask volunteers to complete an information consent form for their own data (see guidance links for a template).  Ask volunteers to sign an agreement covering data protection and confidentiality (example shown in guidance links)

Offer training and ongoing support to ensure volunteers understand how to carry out their tasks keeping within the law.

Slide 18 – Copyright

When an employee creates something as part of their contract of employment, whether it is a blog, photo or illustration, the material belongs to the employer.  This is NOT the case for volunteers who retain the copyright for whatever they create.  This can be challenging when a volunteer decides to withdraw their permission for something the organisation has invested in.  For example, a logo or a photograph used in a printed leaflet or on a display board.

A volunteer can be asked to complete a deed of assignment to transfer copyright to the organisation –  an example is shown in the guidance links.  An alternative is to agree a licence where the volunteer retains ownership but allows use of the material, this is usually in return for a consideration.  If a license is agreed legal advice should be sought to avoid complications over whether any payment could contribute to the creation of an employment contract.

Slide 19 – Safeguarding

Charities have a responsibility to keep everyone who is in contact with the organisation safe, including online.

  • You must minimise the risks of any harm or abuse
  • Ensure everyone has confidence their concerns will be dealt with appropriately
  • Ensure everyone at the charity understands their role in ensuring safeguarding

Slide 20 – Child protection

People working with children are expected to report concerns about a child’s welfare to the relevant agencies.

Organisations that work with children and families must have safeguarding policies and procedures in place.

A summary of all key legislation is available from Writing safeguarding policies and procedures | NSPCC Learning

Slide 21 – Adult at risk protection

The Care Act 2014 applies to any person 18 plus who:

  • Has needs for care and support
  • Is experiencing, or at risk of, abuse or neglect.
  • Is unable to protect themselves from the risk or experience of abuse or neglect.

Only those that meet the adult at risk criteria should be referred to adult safeguarding.

Slide 22 – Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS)

The DBS maintains a record of a person’s criminal convictions and cautions and decide who should be barred from working with vulnerable groups and put on the barred list.  The DBS maintains 4 different levels of check (these together with more detail on the definitions of regulated activity are explained in the Safeguarding for volunteer managers guidance link).

Before an organisation considers asking a volunteer to assist them in making an application for a DBS check, they are legally responsible for ensuring that they are entitled to submit a check for the role – not all roles are eligible for DBS checks.  There is a link to an eligibility tool shown in the guidance links.

DBS checks can only be carried out for successful applicants who are appointed to a role, so when you make an offer to a volunteer you should clearly say that it is subject to a satisfactory DBS check

You should be aware that under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 people do not have to disclose spent convictions in an application form unless the role is exempt from the Act.

Slide 23 – Regulated activity

Regulated Activity is a legal phrase used to describe specific circumstances where individuals are working or volunteering with children or vulnerable adults because of help or treatment they are receiving.  A definition of regulated activity is show in the guidance links.

Anyone volunteering in regulated activity will be required to have an Enhanced DBS with barred list check.  The barred list is a database that contains the details of individuals who have been banned from working with children or vulnerable adults due to past behaviour or offences.

It is illegal to knowingly allow a person on the barred list to work or volunteer in regulated activity.

Anyone who supervises staff or volunteers who carry out Regulated Activities will also need the same level of check.

 

Slide 24 – DBS further information

  • Unless an organisation is requesting large numbers of DBS checks they will be required to use an umbrella body to submit their DBS forms. The DBS does not charge for volunteer DBS checks but the umbrella body will charge an administrative fee.
  • The DBS update service (see guidance links) is a subscription service that is free for volunteers. The update service keeps the certificate up to date adding any new convictions and can be shared with other volunteering organisations if the volunteer wishes to share it.  Volunteers must choose to register for the update service themselves within 30 days of their certificate being issued.
  • DBS checks can only be done for people aged over 16
  • Any DBS certificate information is confidential. It should be kept securely and only seen by those who need to see it as part of their duties
  • DBS checks for refugees and asylum seekers require a particular approach involving fingerprinting (see guidance links)
  • DBS checks are not suitable for people (other than refugees and asylum seekers) who have recently lived outside the UK but it might be possible to obtain a similar check from the country where they were last resident. See guidance link for Getting a criminal record check from outside the UK

Slide 25 A culture of safeguarding

Organisations need to put in place a culture of safeguarding – DBS checks will only show up concerns for people who have been convicted of offences or placed on the barred list and not all roles are eligible for these checks.  Therefore, the way your organisation recruits, inducts, trains and supervises volunteers encouraging people to be open and share any concerns is key.  For more on a developing a culture of safeguarding see the guidance links below.

Offer training and ongoing support to ensure volunteers understand how to behave and carry out their tasks keeping within the law.  See the guidance links below for training you can share with volunteers.

Put in place safeguarding policies and procedures for volunteers to follow.  There is safeguarding policy guidance shown in the guidance links which takes you through what a child and an adult safeguarding policy and procedure should cover

Slide 26 To find out more

For more detail on all of the topics covered here check out the guidance links in the recording transcript.

You can also contact our team at for help including help with policies and templates

Info@supportcambridgeshire.org.uk

 

Guidance links

Employed status links:

Guidance on volunteer strategy (NCVO)

Volunteer policy (CCVS)

NCVO on tribunal decisions relating to volunteers claiming employed status

Volunteer role description template

Volunteer agreement template

Example expenses form

NCVO guidance on volunteer expenses

Who can legally volunteer links:

Volunteering and claiming benefits

Permission to work and volunteer for asylum seekers

Right to work checks

Guidance on asking about criminal history

Young Volunteers Handbook (Community First

Equality Diversity and Inclusion links:

Example equal opportunities form

Equity, diversity and inclusion in volunteering (NCVO)

Health and Safety links:

CCVS on demand H&S training and templates

Volunteering: How to manage risk (HSE)

Volunteering and health and safety (NCVO)

NCVO guide on insurance and volunteers

Volunteer drivers (NCVO)

On demand training on a range of topics including:

Insurance for small charity and voluntary groups

What do trustees have to do?

Data protection links:

NCVO data protection and volunteers guidance

Advice for small organisations (ICO)

Registration self assessment (ICO)

Create your own privacy notice (ICO)

information consent form

Parkinson’s UK data protection and confidentiality agreement

Copyright links:

Deed of assignment example

Copyright and volunteers (NCVO)

Safeguarding links:

Safeguarding for volunteer managers (NCVO)

Safeguarding board on-demand training

Safeguarding policy guidance (Support Cambs)

NSPCC resources

Anne Craft Trust

DBS links:

Eligibility tool DBS

A guide to DBS checks (DBS)

DBS eligibility guidance

Find an DBS umbrella body

DBS checks for refugees and asylum seekers

Getting a criminal record check from outside UK

Where are your next generation of volunteers – June 2024

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We have compiled a selection of presentations made at the ‘Where are your next generation of volunteers?’ event.

 

Background

Nationally, volunteer numbers have been falling since 2020, and considerable changes have occurred in how the public wants to volunteer. There has also been a rise in younger people (16 to 25-year-olds) wanting to give back to their communities, contribute to their environment, and make a difference in their neighbourhoods.

With mental health becoming more prominent in younger people, they are realising that volunteering can be a way to feel better about themselves and less isolated.

The issue is that limited volunteer roles are directed at that young audience. While those under 16 face later issues around insurance, those over 18 find expectations and commitments, along with a lack of expenses, a turn-off.

It makes sense for any group to start thinking about how they can adapt and bring down barriers so that younger people can get involved in volunteering.

‘Where are your next generation of volunteers?’ is an event run by Support Cambridgeshire in June as part of the Volunteer Month events aimed at doing just that. It also shows groups in practical ways what they can do to make volunteering for their organisation more appealing to younger people.

The event featured a range of exciting speakers who discussed the barriers young people currently face in volunteering. Representatives from the Student Community Action and National Citizen Service (NCS) also discussed how groups can engage with them. Finally, we ended with Future Creative, a project that engaged young people and learned from that project.

Below are the four presentations from each speaker.

Engaging Young People – Breaking down the barriers 

Eva talks through her experiences as a younger volunteer but also what she has seen in her career on what groups should be doing to break down those barriers there currently are for young people to support their communities actively.

Biography- Click Here 

Contact: Eva.Woods@peterborough.gov.uk –

Cambridge Student Community Action – Student Volunteering

Nicky, the general manager at SCA, talks through what it is they do, but also how they can be that link with organisations and the learning they have taken from their projects in engaging with more younger people in the city.

Biography – Click Here

Website: http://cambridgesca.org.uk/ 

National Citizen Service (NCS) – Groups of younger people

Kim, the NCS programme manager at Cambridgeshire County Council, talks about what NCS is and how community groups can dip their toe into working with younger people through this program. Insurance is covered, and the younger people work together on a community project for a chosen organisation.

Biography: Click Here

Contact:  Kim.jeffries@cambridgeshire.gov.uk

Future Creative – A tested project

Imogen spoke about the Future Creative programme, which ended recently in Kirklees. Which aimed to engage younger people in volunteering in a way not done before, she talks about what they did differently and what they learnt long the way.

Biography:  Click Here

Contact: Imogen@tslkirlees.org.uk

 

Want to talk to one of us?

If you want to talk to a member of the Support Cambridgeshire team, simply email info@supportcambridgeshire.org.uk, and we will find the right staff member for your enquiry. Remember you can promote all volunteer roles through Volunteer Cambs—and there is now a tag for younger people to search for roles suitable for them!

Funding Application Tips

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Slide 1

Hello and welcome to this recording from Support Cambridgeshire, a partnership of Cambridge CVS and Hunts Forum. This is one of several recordings we have developed to support small charities.

To accompany the recording there are guidance links, available at the end of the transcript which will provide you with any materials or links we mention.

Slide 2 What we’ll cover:

  • The basics you need in place before you apply
  • Your case for support evidencing the need for what you do
  • Different types of funding
  • Identifying the right funders to support your organisation
  • Planning your budget
  • Creating a funding plan
  • Demonstrating value

 

Slide 3 Are the basics in place?

Most funders will be expecting you to have some basics in place, it is how funders reassure themselves that you as organisation are set up to do a good job managing any funds awarded.   The basics will usually include:

  • Being an eligible organisation for that funder. Having a committee with at least 2 unrelated people and a governing document which outlines how you are run including how many trustee or committee members you need to make decisions and a windup clause to show what would happen to funds in the event of you organisation closing.
  • A bank account in the name of the group that requires at least 2 unrelated people to sign off on each transaction.  Although if the group is new or set up to deliver a single project the funder may agree to your funds being hosted by another voluntary group.
  • A copy of your latest set of accounts or if the funder will accept applications from new groups you will need to create a budget of projected income and expenditure.
  • Funders may also ask to see key policies and procedures such as those covering Health & Safety, Safeguarding, equality diversity and inclusion , data protection, financial controls and risk management.

Slide 4 What is your case for support?

Most funders receive far more applications than they can possibly fund so they have to make a choice and this is partly based on how strong a case you make. Can you clearly explain:

  • What is the need you are set up to address? For example, what barriers prevent beneficiaries from accessing the support or care they need?
  • Who are you making a difference to and how have you involved them in developing your ideas?
  • How are you qualified to deliver this work and how will you work alongside other relevant organisations?
  • What evidence do you have that your approach is the right one? There are links to sources of evidence you might find useful in the guidance links at the end of the transcript accompanying this recording.

Slide 5  What sort of funding are you looking for?

Some funders will fund a wide range of different sorts of expenditure, but others may be very specific, so it is worth being clear what it is you are looking for

  • Are you looking for:
    • Startup costs to give you some seed funding to get started or maybe to fund a pilot project before looking for ways to scale up your ideas.
    • Core costs that contribute to the overall running of your organisation?
    • Capital costs for a building or to purchase a high value item?
    • Project or revenue costs to help you deliver a specific project? Are you looking for costs to help you continue with an existing project or to help you extend a project or develop a completely new project. It is worth being aware that most funders will not fund a project or purchase you have already started so you need to factor in funders decision times in your planning.  .

Slide 6 Identifying the right funders

  • There isn’t just one place to look for funders. A good starting point is The Support Cambridgeshire funding portal which you can find on the Support Cambridgeshire website – you can search funds relevant for groups in Cambridgeshire for free.  You can also subscribe to our mailing list and receive regular funding alerts.  It is also good to see which funders funds other organisations in your area or similar organisations delivering similar sorts of project elsewhere – information about funders will be in an organisation’s annual accounts – easily available if they are a charity on the Charity Commission website. You are probably aware of other funding directories and free ones include Charity Excellence and Induct Grantway which are nationally rather than locally focussed.  We have a spreadsheet of smaller funds called the Invisible Grant Makers which we can access for member organisations. We run a fundraisers network to share information and offer support.  We also arrange events to bring funders and those looking for funds together to offer guidance and support.

 

Slide 7 What do funders require?

Some smaller trusts and foundations may be quite general in what they say they will consider funding. However larger foundations, lotteries and statutory funders will have funding priorities which they will outline in their guidelines.  To stand a chance of being successful applicants will need to demonstrate that what they do fits with the funder’s priorities.

Funders may also specify the type of funding they will offer.  For example, they may only fund capital costs or project costs for new beneficiary groups.

They may have other eligibility criteria such as specific locations or they may specify specific groups of beneficiaries.

Many of the larger funders for larger grant pots have put in place a 2 stage application process.  At the first stage they are looking to check your project meets their criteria and for some funders that can be achieved by submitting something other than a form such as a simple video.  If a funder decides your project is something they might realistically fund they may then invite you to develop stage 2 of your application which is more detailed and may even involve a presentation.

If you are requesting a smaller sum you will usually just go through a one stage application process.

Slide 8  Planning your budget?

  • Read the funder guidelines carefully to clarify what will they fund. For example will they allow you to apply for Full Cost Recovery (FCR)  This means getting funding for the total costs of running your project including overhead costs such as staff costs, heating and rent.  There is a link to more guidance on FCR in the guidance links.
  • Will the grant give you all the money your need? If not can you explain how you can realistically secure the balance needed within the timescales permitted. Funders usually specify a timescale for spending funds and most will not fund retrospectively, by which I mean for activities that have already taken place or items already purchased.
  • Think about whether your budget is realistic? Funders know what things cost and putting in the lowest possible cost may lead to concerns about your ability to deliver.  Conversely putting in high costs that don’t reflect value for money may count against you.
  • Funders are also likely to ask you about how you will sustain your project or activities when their support comes to an end. It may be that their funding will build your capacity to raise funds in other ways or that you intend to apply for further grants so that the gains made are not lost.
  • Finally, make sure you budget adds up correctly – this is a common mistake and one that will make a funder question your ability to manage their funds effectively.

 

Slide 9  Creating a plan

  • Grant funding is one way you can seek to raise funds and you probably also raise money in other ways such as through donations or running fundraising events. It can be helpful to incorporate grant applications into a wider plan reflecting timescales and resources you’ll need to allocate.  Funders operate to different time scales, with different deadlines and lead times.  Having identified which funders you want to apply to you need to factor all of these differences in.

We’ve shown here an extract from a simple fundraising plan which would help you map out your approach to raising funds.   You can see that it takes into account how long funders take to make decisions and the resources and costs involved.  You can also add in key operational dates for your organisation for example when you might be especially busy or when cashflow might be a particular concern.

Slide 10  How to show the value of what you do?

Most funders will require you to monitor and evaluate your project to collect information to demonstrate the difference your project or activities make to your beneficiaries.  For example, if your project is set up to reduce loneliness how can you reflect this – funders will often specify the sorts of proofs they require.  Some will expect you to put in place a way of measuring the difference made, they may want to know numbers attending events or they may want to read case studies sharing the impact.  It is common for funders to ask you at the application stage to explain how you will evaluate your project.  Usually, the more money you ask for the greater the level of monitoring and evaluation required.  There are links in the guidance to offer more information on monitoring and evaluation.

 

Slide 11 To sum up

  • Get the basics in place and develop a plan around fundraising. Create a case for support which includes sharing evidence of need. Do your research and make sure you know what funders are looking for and whether they are a good fit for you.  Think about how you will demonstrate the difference your work makes to the people you are set up to help.  Look for ways to convey your vision be positive and persuasive and use your stories.  Be resilient there is a lot of competition for grants and you are very unlikely to be successful every time but ask for feedback where available on any failed bids and take the opportunity to learn and develop your skills.  Look for guidance and support, Support Cambridgeshire can help we have lots of resources and networks you can tap into so get in touch.

Slide 12 To find out more and for further help and guidance please contact us at info@supportcambridgeshire.org.uk

 

Guidance links:

For evidence of need look at:

To find funders check out:

For National lottery guidance on Full Cost Recovery

For Tools to help you gather and use evidence and learning

What is a Committee? Roles and Responsibilities

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Slide 1

Welcome to this introduction to roles and responsibilities within committees, for small charities and voluntary groups by Support Cambridgeshire, a partnership between CCVS and Hunts Forum.

This short online module will give you an understanding of what a committee is, the roles and responsibilities within a committee, as well as some tips for success.

It is supported by a transcript and guidance links, that will take you to additional resources and information.

Slide 2

What is a Committee?

Every community group or organisation (most are Associations) and registered charity has a governing body, a group of people that manages its affairs or leads it into the future.

Slide 3

Most community associations and all charities have a constitution (or set of rules). A section of this defines the committee, including its size and how often it should meet.

Slide 4

The committee tends to be drawn from members of the association and is elected by them, usually at an annual general meeting (AGM). A very small group may meet informally and have no elected committee.

In this instance the entire association is the management committee and so are responsible for managing its affairs. Many associations with modest aims and activities run very successfully like this.

Slide 5

There are often different roles within a committee, and I will talk through these during this module.

Although responsibilities may vary within a committee, all members have the same legal and financial responsibilities.

Slide 6

Roles within a committee

The Chair

The chair is a trustee with a specific role on the board, they are elected or appointed, the main responsibilities of the chair are to

  • lead meetings of the committee, acting as the chair, moving the meeting forward.
  • Ensure clear policies and priorities, keeping you on track.
  • Act as the main spokesperson, for example, representing you group at functions, meetings or in the press.
  • takes urgent action (but not decision-making unless authorised) between meetings when it isn’t possible or practical to hold a meeting.
  • Then also, depending on the size of your group, supporting, and supervising the staff or chief executive and acting as a channel of communication between the board and staff team.

The responsibilities listed aren’t exclusively roles for the chair, but this gives you an understanding of what the role can include.

Slide 7

In addition to chair, some boards have the specific role of vice-chair.

The vice-chair’s role varies from charity to charity. In some charities the vice-chair acts as a deputy for the chair, taking on the chair’s role when the chair is absent. In others, the vice-chair is the ‘chair in waiting’ or ‘chair designate’ and will take over the chair’s role in the future.

Slide 8

There is also the Treasurer.

Generally, the treasurer helps committees carry out their financial responsibilities.

They might do this by:

  • presenting financial reports to the board in a format that helps the board understand the charity’s financial position.
  • advising the board on how to carry out its financial responsibilities.
  • working with professional advisors
  • overseeing the preparation and scrutiny of annual accounts

In small charities they take on some or all day-to-day financial duties, such as book-keeping, budgeting, and preparation of reports.

The work of the treasurer can vary significantly, depending on the size of your group or charities.

Slide 9

Then there is also the secretary.

Not all groups will have a secretary role, but it can help ensure that someone is taking lead on the admin and organisation of committee meetings.

They would generally be responsible for

  • Recording the decisions of the Committee
  • Ensuring minutes and papers are sent out in advance of meetings and that rooms are booked, or online meeting requests sent.
  • Dealing with any correspondence on behalf of the group.

You might also have sub-committees, depending on the size of your association or charity, to help you tackle particular tasks or topics.

More detail on these roles can be found on this web page, including links to template role descriptions.

Slide 10

What are the shared responsibilities of a committee?

Members of a committee are essentially a team that have joint responsibility for keeping a community group or charity on track.

For example, it is important to review your activities to ensure you continue to deliver what you were set-up for. The way you are involved will depend on the size of your group or charity.

Examples include:

Following your rules

Whilst some committee members might lead on elements, all should be familiar with your constitution. The constitution will set out things such as how often meetings should take place or who is entitled to attend.

Planning events & activities

If you are a small charity or association, members of the committee will likely play keys roles in the day to day running of your group’s activities, as well as making decisions about your future and finance’s.

Finance & Fundraising

Every committee member is responsible for making sure that the association accounts for its money properly. Fundraising is also an important task. This can include working out a basic budget and how your groups will raise funds.

Policies and procedures

Depending on what your group do, you will need policies and procedures to ensure you are doing it safely. Common policies needed by groups include health & safety, data protection and safeguarding. More information about policies is included within this module’s transcript.

Equal opportunities

Equal opportunities is something that should underpin everything that your group does, from running it’s activities to running its committee. The committee should ensure that is welcoming and considerate to all members and that all voices are heard and respected.

Insurance and liability

You will need to make sure you that have the right insurance in place, depending on what your group does. You can watch ‘introduction to insurance’ 0n-demand module for more information on this.

Get help if needed

Remember that you are not alone, and you’re not expected to know everything. Get expert advice if you need it and talk to your local CVS for support.

You can watch our ‘what trustees do’ on-demand module for more information on the responsibilities of trustees.

Slide 11

In summary, here are some tips for running successful committees.

  • Stay open and welcoming, this can help you develop the skills on the committee and bring in new viewpoints and ideas.
  • Think about how you can develop your committees’ skills or whether there are skills gaps you would like to recruit for
  • Can you offer flexibility, for example, can you arrange meetings at time that will suit people that are working or have caring responsibilities
  • Make sure meetings are constructive & to the point, that different opinions are valued, and everyone is treated with respect
  • Try to ensure the committee stay in the loop & get involved, this will help you move ideas forward and make the most of the team
  • Know, remember, prioritise the group’s purpose, this should be what you always go back to
  • And act as ambassadors, the committees can help raise awareness of your group, so be proud and champion what you do.

Slide 12

We hope that you have found this module helpful. Please do contact us on info@supportcambridgeshire.org.uk if you would like further support. Thank you.

 

Guidance links: 

Starting your own community group — first steps

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Hello and welcome to this video from Support Cambridgeshire, a partnership of Cambridge CVS and Hunts Forum. This module is the first of several we have developed to help people set up their own community group.

We have made this video for people who are considering setting up a formal group to benefit others in their local community – this first session considers what to think about before you start setting things up and we would recommend getting in touch with us to have a chat about what you want to do. if you are already steaming ahead and want to know more about how you might structure your group, we have other recordings you can look at. Guidance links to more information and templates are included in this transcript.

People start community groups for lots of reasons, they might want to:

  • Organise an event
  • Set up a group to support others
  • Set up a group to share common interests
  • Raise funds to help their community
  • Create and manage community spaces

Whatever your ideas before you get started it is worth asking yourself – What do you know about the people you want to help?

  • Can you consult with them to find out if they think your ideas are the best way to help them?
  • Is anyone else supporting the people you want to help? Have you spoken to them about your ideas? Could they offer some guidance or could you share resources?
  • Could you run what you want to do under the wing of another organisation and learn how they operate?

Who is helping you?

  • Do you have the right skills for this undertaking? If not you’ll need to find people who do
  • Do you have people willing to be actively involved and people willing to join your committee or will you need recruit them?

What will your role be?

This is something to consider as it may influence the structure you might go on to choose for your group

  • Are you happy to donate your time and skills for free long term?
  • Do you want to take a leadership role, helping steer the group forward?
  • If you need to be paid for your time at some point It is worth being aware that trustees of charities are not usually paid. So you will need to either hand over control to others or choose a non-charitable structure for your group. We talk more about options for structuring groups in another recording.

If you have considered all these questions and are still keen to set up your community group you might consider holding a public meeting to make more people aware of your ideas, engage more supporters and identify any key challenges you may not have already considered.

  • Find an accessible venue – think about when people will be available – if you want to attract people who work and have children you might organise an evening session and avoid school holidays. Could people participate virtually as well as in person? Does the venue have public liability insurance that will cover your event? You will need to undertake a risk assessment for the venue – here is a link to a checklist
  • Can you create an incentive to get people along? Could you get a local business to sponsor refreshments or get an interesting speaker? Maybe you could piggyback on an existing event?
  • Work out how you’ll convey what you want to achieve – you need a clear concise message you can put on a poster, on Facebook or anywhere your potential supporters might see it such as in the local newsletter, shops, library, community or sports centre.
  • Create an agenda Set out the objectives for the meeting and make sureyou agree next steps. If your meeting is well organised it suggests yourgroup will be well run and people may be more willing to get involved.
  • You will want to ask those attending to sign up to hear more about yourgroup or to offer support. How will you collect this information and how will you ensure you work within data protection legislation – more on this in a moment.
  • If you want to take photographs or video at the meeting, you will need to ask for permission. Here is a template for a permission form.

At this stage, it is worth being aware of some initial data protection guidance.

  • Only collect the information you need
  • Have a written statement called a privacy notice explaining what you will do with people’s data, how long you’ll keep it for and how you will keep it safe. Ask people to tick a box to say that they agree to you contacting them by email or by phone. You also need to tell them how they can ask you to delete their data. Here is a link to a Sample privacy notice 

Hopefully, after your public meeting, you now have a team of people interested in helping you get the group set up and start arranging activities. Your next step is to set up your group deciding how you’ll be structured. We have further recordings looking at whether your group is charitable and what governance structure you might choose.

Check out other recordings in this series and to get more help and support contact us on info@supportcambridgeshire.org.uk

Is your group a charity?

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Hello and welcome to this recording from Support Cambridgeshire, a partnership of Cambridge CVS and Hunts Forum. This module is the 2nd of several short recordings we have developed to help people set up their own community group. We consider how you know if your group is a charity and what this means. There are links to useful information to support you in the transcript.

Why does it matter?

  • Charities can access grant funding and tax advantages unavailable to other groups
  • People are more likely to donate to a charity
  • Because of these advantages, charities are required to follow rules set by the Charity Commission even if they are not registered.

What makes a group charitable?

  • Charities are independent organisations, which are established for purposes that add value to the community, or a significant section of the community, and which are not permitted by their constitution to make a profit for private distribution. Charities do not include local government or other statutory authorities.
  • To be charitable an organisation must be set up exclusively to achieve charitable purposes as defined by charity law
  • You must also be set up for public benefit to ensure the benefit will outweigh any potential harm and will apply to a sufficient section of the public.

If your group’s aims meet both these criteria, then you are a charity even though you may not be registered with the Charity Commission.

Who runs a charity

  • Charities are managed by volunteers known as trustees, although some groups call them something else such as committee members, governors or directors, Charity trustees are the people who share ultimate responsibility for governing a charity and directing how it is managed and run.

What are charitable purposes?

  • As already mentioned, to be a charity you must be set up exclusively to deliver one or more of the 13 charitable purposes defined in charity law
  • Charitable purposes include the prevention or relief of poverty, the relief of those in needs by reason of youth, age, ill health, disability, financial hardship or other disadvantage and the advancement of animal welfare. The guidance in the accompanying links explains how the law interprets these purposes in very specific ways.
  • If the aims of your group are not exclusively about one or more of the charitable purposes outlined in legislation and/or you are not benefiting a sufficient section of the public then it is not a charity.

Can you meet the public benefit test?

  • It must be clear what the benefits of your charity are
  • They must be related to the aims of the charity
  • The benefit must outweigh any harm
  • The benefit must be for the public or a section of the public
  • Where the benefit is to a section of the public, the opportunity to benefit must not be unreasonably restricted:
    o by the ability to pay any fees charged
    o People in poverty must not be excluded from the opportunity to benefit
    o Any private benefits must be incidental

The Charity Commission give some examples:

If you were set up to display art under the advancement of art purpose, you may need to provide evidence of artistic merit. Or if you were set up to run training programmes under an advancement of education purpose you would need to show evidence of learning having taken place.

Many organisations are set up to do things which benefit a particular community or group of people, or that are generally understood to be ‘good’. Not all of these organisations will be capable of being charities. This is because not everything that benefits the community, or a group of people is necessarily charitable. Crucially, an organisation should identify precisely what activities it undertakes, and show that it carries out its activities amongst people who are disadvantaged in some way may be by their age or ill health or because they are experiencing financial hardship. The organisation must demonstrate that its activities deliver improvement for the people it is set up to help.

You are NOT a charity if…

  • You are not set up to exclusively deliver one or more of the 13 charitable purposes and you are not benefiting a sufficient section of the public.

If you are not a charity

  • You can write your own rules within the law
  • You do not have to report to the Charity Commission.
  • If you are setting up a sports club there is likely to be an umbrella organisation for your sport that can offer a template and Sport England can also offer advice. There is a link to this in the information in the transcript of the recording.

Your next steps?

If you think your group is charitable check out our recording What structure will you choose?

Need some help? For more support, you can contact us on info@supportcambridgeshire.org.uk

Guidance links

Guidance on charitable purposes

Public benefit rules for charities

Governing documents for non-charitable groups

Sport England club matters

What structure will you choose?

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Hello and welcome to this recording from Support Cambridgeshire, a partnership of Cambridge CVS and Hunts Forum. This module is one of several short recordings we have developed to help people set up their own community groups. This part considers which governing structure you might select for your group. Alongside these recordings, you will find guidance links in this transcript.

These are the main legal structures for charities

  • Type 1 An unregistered charity or association or a registered charity
  • Type 2 A charitable Incorporated Organisation also known as a CIO
  • Type 3 A company limited by guarantee
  • Type 4 A trust
  • Type 5 A community benefit society

Do you need to be incorporated?

What your charity wants to do is likely to dictate the structure, but it also links to how much risk your trustees are willing to take – which comes down to whether you need to be incorporated.

Incorporated groups have a legal standing similar to a person, which means the group can make legal commitments, such as entering into contracts, rather than the trustees as individuals having to make this commitment. This means trustees of incorporated groups are not personally liable for the group’s actions. An incorporated structure is most appropriate for groups which intend to trade, raise large sums and or enter into legally binding contracts such as employing staff and managing property.

Conversely, unincorporated groups cannot enter into contracts in their own right and a trustee must enter the contract in their own name – for example setting up an insurance policy for the group. An unincorporated structure is most appropriate for groups with low incomes and without employees or property.

Income below £5,000pa

  • If you are likely to start up with an annual income of below £5000 pa – the two most popular structures are to set up as an unregistered charity (also known as a charitable association) or as Charitable Incorporated Organisation.
  • Unlike a registered charity, an unregistered charity is, as the name suggests, not registered with the Charity Commission because its income is below £5000 pa. But both registered and unregistered charities will be run by a group of trustees, are unincorporated so trustees are personally responsible for any of the charity’s financial and legal obligations and are required to comply with Charity Commission rules. However, unregistered charities do not send in a report of their activities or accounts to the Charity Commission.
  • To set up an unregistered charity all you need to do is to find at least one other person willing to be a trustee and complete and sign a constitution we would recommend using the charity commission template and the link is in the transcript associated with this recording. You don’t need to register your group anywhere you can just get started. If the group’s income reaches £5000 per year it will then need to register with the Charity Commission – if this looks like it might happen to your group get in touch as we can help with this.
  • The second option is to set up as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) which as the name suggests is incorporated – so it exists as a separate legal entity. You can set up from the beginning as a CIO as there is no minimum income requirement. There are two types of CIO: an Association model which has voting members and trustees, and a Foundation model which does not have voting members and is run by appointed trustees. CIOs are registered with the Charity Commission and must provide accounts and annual returns. To set up a CIO is more complex than an unregistered charity and we would recommend speaking to us for guidance.

Income above £5,000 pa

  • If you have an annual income of above £5000 – the two most popular options for governance structure are to become a registered charity or a CIO.
  • To apply to become either a registered charity or a CIO you have to meet various legal requirements to prove you are a charity in the eyes of the law and once you are registered you have to comply with Charity Commission rules, which includes sending in reports and accounts – the level of reporting depends on the income.
  • However, as you may recall a registered charity is not incorporated so the option most groups will go with is to set up as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) which we discussed on the previous slide.

Other options?

There are other structures you can use to set up a charity, but they are less frequently used:

  • A charitable company is a limited company registered with companies house that has charitable aims – charitable companies are set up using a Memorandum and Articles of Association rather than a constitution However once income reaches £5000 per annum the company must also register with the Charity Commission and will then need to report to both regulators annually.
  • If you are setting up a committee to manage a particular asset or legacy you might set up as a Charitable Trust
  • Where communities are managing community assets such as a community shop or community owned pub they may choose to become a Community Benefit Society which is owned and run by its members for the benefit of the wider community. If these societies meet charitable criteria, they can call themselves charities. They are registered with the Financial Conduct Authority and not the Charity Commission. They are incorporated and can have paid directors.

This chart summarises which charity structure is incorporated. This means the name and therefore the liability on any contracts is the charity’s and not the trustees. The chart also highlights who the legal regulator is for each legal structure i.e. the organisation that sets the rules and who the charity has to report to.

How will you be funded?

Another consideration in your choice of structure, is how you expect to fund your activities. If you anticipate your funding coming from small donations or grants then your trustees may feel that their level of liability is acceptable and they are happy to work within an unincorporated structure. But once your organisation starts entering into contracts with grant funders or commissioners for larger amounts or engages in the sale of good or services in a more major way the financial risks increase, and trustees are more likely to want an incorporated structure to limit their liability. Some charities are run as social enterprises which means that rather than seeking donations and grants they obtain most of their funding by offering goods or services to consumers or commissioners.

Social enterprises

A Social enterprise is not a legal structure in its own right, it describes a business that is driven by social objectives rather than profit. A charity can be set up to act as a social enterprise but it is limited by charity law so for example if your charity is set up to advance education you can only sell services connected to education. Social enterprises can also be set up as social businesses, these do not have to follow Charity law. One form a social business might take is as a Community Interest Company (CIC) these straddle the boundary between charity and business ploughing significant parts of any profit back to support social aims but still being able to offer dividends to private investors . There are links on this topic below.

Need some help contact us on info@supportcambridgeshire.org.uk

Guidance links

How to choose a structure

Model governing documents

How to write you charity’s governing document

How to register your charity

How to change your charity’s structure

Setting up a social enterprise

The Essential trustee: what you need to know

Writing or amending your governing document

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Hello and welcome to this recording from Support Cambridgeshire, a partnership of Cambridge CVS and Hunts Forum. This recording is one of several we have developed to help people set up their own community group.

We have made this recording for people who are considering setting up a formal group to benefit others in their local community or who may already be set up and want to amend their governing document. This recording summarises what you need to consider, and we would recommend getting in touch with us to have a chat about what you want to do. There are links to useful information to support you in the transcript document.

What is a governing document?

  • Your governing document acts as the charity’s “rule book” and should specify the rights and obligations of the charity’s trustees, and any members. It also includes guidance on the way in which the charity can act, helping to ensure that its activities are aimed at benefiting the public and stay charitable. Most charities are regulated by the Charity Commission and it is highly recommended that you use their model documents when creating your governing document. Links to these are with the information alongside this recording. Occasionally an existing registered charity may be unable to find the latest version of its governing document and they can submit an enquiry form to the Charity Commission to obtain a copy.
  • Charitable governing documents are usually known as constitutions and the Charity Commission offers templates to meet the needs of the different charitable structures. If your group is also registered with Companies’ House as a charitable company, its governing document will be called a memorandum and articles of association. See our recording on structuring your charity for more on this topic.

What should a governing document cover?

  • The name of your charity and any other names it might also be known as
  • The purposes you are set up to deliver – they are described as objects when you write them into your document. These are one or more of the 13 charitable purposes outlined in charity law – you can find out more about these in recording 2 of this series, The charity’s income and property must be applied only for the purposes set out in the governing document.
  • The document will also cover who you will benefit – which might be defined by particular characteristics or geography or both.
  • How you will operate – if you follow the Charity Commission template it will require you to make some decisions about the numbers of trustees you will have and how many need to be present at a meeting to make a decision, you’ll also need to decide how often you’ll have meetings and if you will have remote and/or face to face meetings. Most charities have a minimum of 2-3 trustees and will require at least 2 to be present to make any decisions. If you are hoping to get some grant funding, you may find some funders will specify how many trustees (who are not related to each other) should be present to make a decision also known as being quorate– it is worth checking what your potential grant funder rules are on this.
  • The dissolution or wind up clause covers how you will distribute any remaining assets in the event of your charity closing. This stipulates that any assets remaining after any liabilities have been met will be distributed to another charity usually one with a similar mission or location.

Creating an objects clause

  • The Charity commission templates ask you to fill in your charitable objects. If you are an unregistered charity or association and you are confident your annual turnover will stay below £5000 the wording you use in your objects clause will not be scrutinised by the Charity Commission although it may be seen by supporters and potential funders – so it should still be a good reflection of what your group aims to do, where, for who and how.
  • The example of a charitable object shown on the slide is provided by the Charity Commission and links to more guidance can be found in the information available in the guidance links.

Example: For the public benefit, the relief and assistance of people in need (what)in any part of the world (where) who are the victims of war or natural disaster or catastrophe (who) by supplying them with medical aid(how).

  • The Charity Commission provides examples of charitable objects on its website. If one of those describes the aims of your own charity, you can copy it. Your charity registration will take less time if you can use one of those example objects without any alteration.
  • Another tip is to look on the register of charities to find other recently set up charities with a structure, mission and activities similar to yours and use that as the basis to create your wording. You must write your charitable objects correctly or when you try to register your charity with the charity commission your application may be rejected.

Adopting your governing document

Having completed your document, the next step is for the trustees to sign the document and minute their agreement to adopt the governing document. If you have an income of under £5000 and are an unregistered charity or charitable association you don’t need to send your document anywhere else. Charities registered with a regulator will need to submit their governing document to that regulator.

Amending your governing document

  • At some point you may need to amend your governing document, for example to keep pace of changes in the law or to enable you to operate more efficiently. An example of this would be, charities established before the use of virtual meetings became commonplace, whose trustees want to be able to meet online but don’t have a provision for this in their governing document.
  • Your governing document should outline how you go about making necessary alterations. For administrative changes this typically involves creating a resolution outlining the desired change and sending this to the members of the charity who have voting rights (this is not always just the trustees it depends on your structure). Voting members then meet to vote on whether to accept the change. You should inform your regulator of changes to your governing document as soon as possible (Companies’ House should be informed within 15 days). Regulated changes such as to the charity’s objects, trustee benefits, and winding up clause need more consideration and may require the prior consent of the Charity Commission. We’ll look at this in the next 2 slides. If your governing document does not stipulate how you make alterations the charity commission provides guidance on how to go about it.
  • The The 2022 Charity Act brought in some changes to how charities can amend their governing documents and you should refer to Charity Commission guidance

Writing or amending your governing document

We hope you found this recording helpful please take a look at the other recordings we have made in this series on setting up a community group. And to get more help and support contact us on info@supportcambridgeshire.org.uk

Guidance links

How to write your charity’s governing document

Making changes to your governing document

Insurance for small charity and voluntary groups

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Hello, welcome to this introduction to insurance for small charities and voluntary groups by Support Cambridgeshire, a partnership between CCVS and Hunts Forum.

This short online module will help you to consider whether your small charity or voluntary group needs insurance, the different types of cover that’s available, how you can make sure you get the cover that you need, as well as providing a summary of top tips to help you through the process.

This module is supported by guidance links (see end of this webpage).

Do you need insurance?

Sometimes there are misconceptions that the need for insurance only applies to established organisations. However, this isn’t true. It is NOT only registered charities that need to think about insurance.

If you were an unregistered charity or community group that are involved with the public in anyway, insurance should be on your agenda.

But it is worth noting that not all insurance providers offer cover to unregistered charities, so you might need to shop around.

You will need to think about insurance, even if you’re renting a room in a building that is run by another group. You may be covered by their public liability insurance, however, it’s very important to check, rather than to assume.

If you are not covered by their insurance, you will need to take out your own.

Even if you don’t have staff, you may still need insurance. It’s about keeping yourselves and the public safe.

What types of cover might you need?

What you will need will depend on the type of charity that you are, the types of activity that you run, and what assets you have.

If you are a small charity or community group, it is likely that you will need public liability insurance.

Public Liability Insurance

It’s difficult to think of an example where a charity group or organisation does not need to consider public liability insurance. Most charities have public liability insurance as an enabler of their services, events, and fundraising activities.

You will need public liability insurance if you interact with the public in anyway:

  • It protects against accidental property damage or injury to a member of the public.
  • It will cover the payment of legal costs and damages to defend a claim against your organisation.
  • It can also provide cover for your volunteers. However, check this with your provider as approaches can vary.

Public liability can also include product liability if you make or sell goods. And property owners’ liability if you’re responsible for, or own a building.

What other types of cover might you need?

In this section I will talk through other types of insurance cover that you may find helpful and relevant to your organisation.

  • Trustee indemnity insurance. Regardless of good intent, trustees can be held liable for poor decisions or wrongful actions, if they have caused a loss to the group. Trustee indemnity insurance covers the legal expenses of defending a trustee against disqualification investigations or even extradition proceedings. Trustees should give serious consideration to this cover. Without it, should an allegation of mismanagement be made against them, they may need to defend the claim out of their own personal wealth.
  • Personal accident insurance. This provides a financial benefit should an employee, volunteer or trustee suffer accidental bodily injury whilst carrying out their duties for your organisation.
  • Insurance for vehicles kept on the road will cover the vehicles that you own as an organisation.
  • Product liability insurance is relevant if you make or sell goods. This may be covered under public liability insurance, however, if not, you may need to take it out separately.
  • Professional indemnity insurance. This insurance covers your group against poor or negligent advice provided to service users, which has resulted in them suffering a financial loss. It’s generally considered essential if your group provides advice and an example would be offering counselling sessions. It covers the legal costs in defending a claim as well as any compensation or damages payable to the claimant.
  • Employers’ liability insurance. If your community group has employees, employer liability insurance is a legal requirement. It covers your group against allegations of injury or illness suffered by staff during their employment. Without it, your group could face a fine of up to £2500 for every day it is uninsured.
  • Buildings and contents insurance. If your charity owns a property, you may want to insure it against damage from risks such as flood, fire, or malicious damage. Whether it’s a large community building or a small wooden pavilion, it can help.
  • If your charity is not responsible for insuring the premises itself, but you still want to protect the contents held within it, then contents insurance will be relevant for you. This will protect items such as office equipment, furniture and tools.

So how do you make sure that you’re getting the cover that you need?

Make sure that the person talking to the insurance companies knows about how you operate and the services that you provide.

This will enable you to act together with the insurance provider to ensure that all your activities and assets are covered.

It is also helpful to keep a note of the conversations that you have. This will help you to compare the different offers, make sure that you’re getting the best quote and have something to look back on at a later date.

Preparing for a quote

During the process of getting a quote, you will be asked questions about your organisation.

Within this section, I will talk through some of the key things that the insurance provider is likely to ask you about, so that you can be prepared.

  • People: If you have paid staff, you may be asked for payroll numbers. If you have volunteers, you might be asked how many. You might also be asked the total number of volunteer hours, perhaps in an average week.
  • Events: And then, if you hold a lot of fundraising events, you’ll need to know how many events you run each year, how many people attend and how much cover you need for money that is being handled during the event.
  • Buildings: If you need cover for a building, your insurer may want to know the cost of rebuilding your property.
  • Safety: If you work closely with children or adults at risk, you may also be asked about your safeguarding policies and procedures. It is also very likely that you’ll be asked if your organisation completes risk assessments.

Risk assessments in five steps

Having your risk assessment in place and documented is important, as it creates awareness of the risks and hazards your organisation faces and reduces the likelihood of damage.

It also provides crucial evidence in defending a claim. To help you prepare and maintain your risk assessment you can follow these five simple steps. We’ve also provided some further information in the guidance links.

  • Firstly, identify the hazards associated with your work or services.
  • Identify who might be harmed, and how. This might include your staff, volunteers, service users and members of the public, etc.
  • Evaluate the risks and controls. What are you already doing? What measures are in place? What further action do you need to take?
  • Record, communicate and retain documentation. It is important to keep a record of the controls that you put in place. This will usually be in a form of a risk assessment and a health and safety policy. This is key to demonstrating that your organisation has considered all the guidance and, if something were to happen, took reasonable steps to measure and manage risk.
  • Lastly, remember to monitor the controls that you’ve put in place and review them, as things change. Your risk assessments should be working documents, rather than something that sits on the shelf.

Key points to bear in mind

In summary, if you’re a small charity or voluntary group that needs to get insurance, you might like to keep these key points in mind.

  • Firstly, it is the management committee’s responsibility to make sure that you have the insurance that you need.
  • Secondly, do your homework. Make sure you understand what your organisation’s activities and assets are, to make sure that you get the best cover for you.
  • If you are unsure or have more complex needs as an organisation, talk to an insurance broker if you can.
  • Also remember to update your policies as needed.
  • If your situation changes and you start delivering new activities or have different assets, remember to contact your insurer and update your policy.

We hope that you have found this module helpful

However, if you need some help, do contact us on info@supportcambridgeshire.org.uk and don’t forget to check out our guidance links for more information.

Guidance links and sources

Insurance

Risk assessments

Contacts for insurance: please note, this does not constitute a recommendation for any of the companies or their products by Support Cambridgeshire.

Insurance brokers and companies

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