Enterprising Communities from SmithMartin LLP

community development and enterprise creation

Charity Governance Awards 2017

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On January 12, 2017

In Awards, Charities, governance, News

If you have a fantastic and supportive board, then the Charity Governance Awards 2017 deadline has just been extended to midnight on Monday 23rd January, 2017.

The awards, organised by The Clothworkers Company include cash awards of £5,000 to the winners.

 Will your name be announced?

 

“The Charity Governance Awards is an exciting not-for-profit initiative created to celebrate outstanding governance in charities both small and large.

We all know that effective governance makes a difference. And by sharing examples of inspirational trustees and brilliant boards we want to show how great governance and doing good go hand-in-hand.”

Source: https://www.charitygovernanceawards.co.uk/

There are seven categories of award to be achieved…

  1. Board Diversity and Inclusivity
  2. Embracing Digital
  3. Embracing Opportunity and Harnessing Risk
  4. Improving Impact – charities with 3 paid staff or fewer (including charities with no paid staff)
  5. Improving Impact – charities with 4–25 paid staff
  6. Improving impact – charities with 26 paid staff or more
  7. Managing Turnaround

You can simply enter on-line on this web page.  Here you will find the qualifications necessary to enter, as well as an on-line application form.

If you do, we wish you all success!

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How do charities work?

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On December 19, 2016

In Charities, governance, Volunteering

How Charities Work - web site page image

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NCVO have been working on a new draft web site to explain the working of charities. How Charities Work.

A useful new on-line resource both for existing charites and their boards, but particularly for the public in general. Helping to explain sometimes seemingly arcane rules, or the not often declared constraints that modern charities work under.

‘Charities want to make sure that their supporters and the wider public have complete confidence in how they work, because ultimately they can only do what they do thanks to your support.

Charities in the UK play a vital role in society – they make a difference to millions of lives in our country and across the world.

They can only make the difference they do because of you, whether you’re volunteering, donating goods or money, sponsoring a friend in a marathon, attending a fundraising event, or spreading the word. Charities harness the public’s goodwill and combine it with professional expertise to create the biggest possible impact.

So they want to make sure you can find answers to any questions you may have about how they work’.

Source: NCVO How Charities Work web site – accessed 19.12.2016

The site contains dedicated briefings on the size of charities, charity fraud and contentious fund-raising practices. One article also asks if there are too many charities?

if you are creating a new community enterprise, or have concerns about the debate over charity activities, then we recommend this new site from NCVO as a great way to begin your journey.

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Good Governance Code changes…

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On November 23, 2016

In Charities, governance

goodgovernanceimage

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Launched as part of the recent Trustees Week, there is a new version of the original Code of Good Governance available for review.

Last updated in 2010, this new draft code has a number of changes which can help Charity Boards to track and successfully demonstrate inclusivity and a broader effectiveness.

For charities, indeed any sort of third sector organisation, interested in developing goood governance practice, this is an excellent primer and source of operational philosophy for your group..

The main changes to the last edition of the Code include:

• a new section on the importance of effective leadership

• recognising that the culture and behaviours of the charity and its board (for example its governing body or management committee) are as important as its governance structures and processes

• reflecting the board’s outward-facing role, including the relationship between what an individual charity does and the implication for the wider sector

• recognising that diversity, in all its forms, is most important for promoting good governance

• expecting more from and being clearer about recommended good practice in some areas, such as board membership and tenure

Source: www.governancecode.org   Accessed: 23.11.2016  (.pdf version)

Have your say:

The consultation for the new draft runs to the beginning of February in 2017. You can have your say and express your opinion about the new draft by visiting the Governance Code survey page here.

The good governance code is jointly owned and developed by NCVO, ACEVO, SCC, ICSA & WCVA.

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Charity Trustees: Making Digital Work?

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On October 6, 2016

In Charities, governance, Marketing

 

 Helping to map your charity digital enagagement…

 

The Charity Commission have just published a new paper outlining a series of useful questions on policy, strategy, effectiveness and outcome linked to the digital engagement of of trustees, staff, volunteers, service users and customers. Read more…

The twelve key questions are designed to help trustees map a digital strategy for their organisation, to measure its effectiveness and to ensue that digital process and delivery help staff, volunteers and end users for a charitable sevice to get the best from their experience.

The twelve headline questions from the Commission are offered below…

  • How are we adapting our governance processes to reflect decision making in the digital age?
  • Are new trustees being briefed?
  • Have we got the right team in place to help us capitalise on the opportunities and manage the risks in digital?
  • How does digital fit into our organisational strategy?
  • How can the board influence the charity to create a culture in which digital can flourish?
  • As more people seek help and information online, how could our charity support them?
  • Is our charity using digital to build its brand?
  • Is our charity equipped to manage reputational risk online?
  • How will our charity use digital to fundraise, and how will this be aligned to our ethics and values?
  • Are our IT systems and data secure?
  • Do we understand what success looks like on digital?
  • What are the resource implications of digital?

You can explore the detail, and the important subsidiary questions to be asked at board meetings, or policy setting engagements for your organisation, here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/making-digital-work-12-questions-for-trustees-to-consider/making-digital-work-12-questions-for-trustees-to-consider    Accessed: 06.10.2016

Whatever the size of your charitable work or delivery mechanism, these key questions can help you as trustees determine the right path for your digital strategy.

The guidance was developed by the Charity Commission, Grant Thornton and Zoe Amar Communications.

SmithMartin LLP are charity strategists and digital creators for web, new media and webmail services for charities across the UK.

We are happy to talk to you about digital engagement or process development across your twelve key questions. Contact our team here.

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Charity Writing and Communications Training Days

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On September 26, 2016

In Charities, Marketing

Charity Writing and Communications Training Days: 25-26 October 2016, London

 

Getting cfeative with text…

‘Come to the Charity Writing and Communications Training Days 2016 for all the communications training and inspiration you need this year.

You’ll leave brimming with ideas and enthusiasm to generate more impact and more income for your charity – guaranteed.

Choose from practical, interactive workshops, led by the sector’s top trainers and experts. PLUS, a programme of inspirational talks from charities doing innovative and exciting communications work, packed full of advice for your organisation.

You’ll also have the chance to get one to one advice from our speakers and other experts, and to meet your fellow delegates in our all-day networking space’.  Read more here…

Source: Directory of Social Change web pages. Accessed 26.09.2016

This is a great event, spread over two days, that provides a real opportunityto improve your wroting and marketing skills.

Sessions for both days (pdf) are focused on  the practical outcomes needed to achieve increased effectiveness in your group or organisation.

Speakers and session facilitator details are also available on-line from the DSC web pages here.

Book your place and start down the road to more effective copy!

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Social Investment Tax Relief Fund?

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On September 20, 2016

In Charities, community economics, enterprise, funding, Social enterprise

Investment in Britain’s children, youth and vulnerable communities…

supportingfamiliesimage‘The Bright Futures Fund represents a real opportunity for ambitious charities and social enterprises to access the capital they need to expand and scale their work, with a particular focus on those that are working to improve the lives of children, young people and other vulnerable groups throughout the UK.

The Fund has a specific focus on organisations which are delivering effective interventions to improve the lives of children, young people and vulnerable groups. Some of the issues that investees will tackle include helping children to avoid entering foster care; ensuring access to education; and improving the most important early years of a child’s life’.

Source: Bright Futures SITR Fund  http://www.brightfuturesfund.co.uk/    Accessed: 20.09.2016

You can explore SITR, and view some interesting case studies, on the web pages of Big Society Capital here.

pdfIcon4Whether as an investee, or an investor, there is a wealth of information available from Big Society Capital, including an SITR Property Guidance Paper which some charity Boards may find useful.

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Get ready for Social Saturday 2016

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On August 5, 2016

In community, community economics, enterprise, social business, Social enterprise

Social Saturday Badge image large

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15th October 2016, a key date for your diary and community action list.

‘Social Saturday is a platform on which you can promote your social enterprise. So why not get involved in this national campaign, raise awareness about the work you do and encourage people to buy social.

Social Saturday is dedicated to the UK’s growing social enterprise movement. So wherever you are, join in and let’s put social enterprises on the map’.

Source: The Social Saturday web pages   Accessed: 05.08.2016

You can download pre-formatted letters and templates for letters of invitation, press releases and much more. All available from the pages of the Social Saturday web site.

You can tweet and message about your enterprise using the Social Saturday new media guide, and have the opportunity share your social business with the Social Saturday team as well.

This is how it went in 2015…

Find it all on-line here…get involved for 2016.

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Power to Change – fund now open

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On July 28, 2016

In community economics, enterprise, funding, Social enterprise

Power to Change – business in community hands has re-opened their £10m fund to help community businesses of all types to apply for money to develop their work.

”Power to Change awards grants to grow and develop community businesses.

The second window for applications to our £10 million Community Business Fund is now open until 31 August. We will also have an application window open in October.

Through the fund, we will award grants between £50,000 – £300,000 to community businesses in England.”

Source: Power to Change web pages  Accessed: 28.07.2016

Your community enterprise must meet the following criteria…

  • Locally rooted
  • Accountable to the local community
  • Trading for the benefit of the local community
  • Have broad community impact

Community Leadership:

There is also a community leader development scheme embedded within the work of Power to Change. The Leadership Academy, in partnership with the RSA, the Real Ideas Organisation and Sheffield University Management School, provides individuals with opportunities to develop their skills.

See more here.

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Social Enterprise Awards 2016

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On June 10, 2016

In community economics, enterprise, Social enterprise, Uncategorized

socialenterpriseawardsLogoApplications are now open for the range of awards and celebrations that make up the Socila Enterprise Awards 2016.

You can view the criteria and award categories on the pages of socialenterprise.org.uk here.

You can see the application process in detail on this page.

The closing date for the application process is Friday the 8th July, 2016. To qualify your organisation has to have or have been…

”A social enterprise that has been operating for more than 2 years and can evidence the criteria below but that has also demonstrated and promoted social enterprise beyond the sector.

Criteria:

  • Excellent vision and strategic direction
  • Clear leadership and management of the organisation
  • A high degree of customer satisfaction
  • A clearly evidenced social, environmental and community impact
  • Show sustainability in terms of profit and growth
  • Good brand awareness and communication outputs
  • Evidence of creativity and innovation”
Source: socialenterprise.org.uk  (Accessed 17.06.2016)

If you do enter, the very best of luck.

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Have an enterprising 2016

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On December 19, 2015

In community, community economics, enterprise, social business

partnershipxmasbanner2015

Enjoy 500 free things on the internet for Christmas.

 A great collection of links and resources, whether you are a reader, writer, social entrpreneur, thoughtful learner or just interested in change and growth for 2016. See the list here…

With thanks to Kevin de Asis for a great collection!

Happy Christmas.

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Helping community enterprise flourish

 

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