Commission pleads with Treasury for access to its own reserves

18 August 2010

Greetings!

The government is steaming ahead with its Big Society pledges, establishing a deregulation taskforce and announcing the first public sector services that will be run by public sector staff working with charities. Meanwhile, the Treasury is being stingy with the Charity Commission's reserves, sending the message that good frugal management doesn't pay off...

Commission pleads with Treasury for access to its own reserves

The Charity Commission is lobbying the Treasury to allow it to spend £1.5m in reserves that the Commission has accumulated in recent years.

NCVO president to lead de-regulation task force

Nick Hurd and Mark Prisk have announced the taskforce assembled to flush out bureaucracy from the voluntary sector.

Funding Commission proposes £10m 'Big Ask' campaign

The Funding Commission has proposed a £10m 'Big Ask' campaign to bolster fundraising and promote the work of civil society organisations.

New toolkit will help councils assess Compact savings

The Commission for the Compact is poised to launch a toolkit that will demonstrate to local authorities how much money they can save by using the Compact in their dealings with voluntary sector groups.

Bullying UK faces closure in two weeks time

Online bullying specialist Bullying UK will close at the end of the month unless it can raise £50,000, its chief executive has warned.

DEC Pakistan Flood Appeal raises £19m

More than £19m has been raised for the flood crisis in Pakistan by the Disasters Emergency Committee appeal.

Virgin Trains charity discount offer will leave charities stranded, says DSC

Changes to the Virgin Trains charity discount scheme will leave many charities worse off, according to claims by the Directory of Social Change.

Government to treat v differently in strategic partner review

Government strategic partner v is 'being treated differently' from other strategic partners who are facing a government review, Civil Society has learned.

Tomorrow's People compromised political neutrality in Tory manifesto, says Commission

The Charity Commission has concluded that Tomorrow's People adversely affected its independence and political neutrality by submitting comments to the Conservative Party which were then included in the party's manifesto before the election in May.

Plans afoot for global fundraising concert series in 2012

The world could be due for another global charity effort, with early stages of planning underway for a cross-continent concert series against human trafficking in 2012.

Shaw Trust relieved at DWP decision on Work Choice contracts

The Shaw Trust has had confirmation from the Department of Work and Pensions that the Work Choice programme will go ahead and that the contract awarded to it by the previous government would stand.

Public sector pathfinder mutuals announced

Francis Maude, minister for the Cabinet Office has announced the first twelve mutuals to act as pathfinders for the new bottom-up regulation strategy of the Big Society plans.

Featured film

Britain's Kindest Kid 2010

A national competition to find Britain's Kindest Kid 2010 has been launched by Five News with presenter Natasha Kaplinsky and the Charities Aid Foundation.

Now in its third year, the competition "recognises the extraordinary achivements of kids who have shown real kindness or given up their time for a good cause to help others".

Features

Millions giving more

The second in a series of articles by Fiona Ellis and Richard Gutch outlines the Funding Commission's emerging recommendations on individual giving.

Case study: Cloud computing at RNLI

Gareth Jones finds out how the RNLI is using cloud technology to track fishing vessels.

Blogs

Does this church grant rumour offer clues to future funding?

Gareth Jones asks whether the suggestion of a £5m government grant for the Church Urban Fund is a portent of things to come

To merge or not to merge - a pensions question?

Pensions present a hurdle to the possibility of merging, says David Davison, one that could prove too high for some organisations to jump

B**S** or BigSocietyspeak?

Big Society blogger Gordon Hunter casts a critical eye over the pathfinding mutuals announcement made this week by minister for the Cabinet Office Francis Maude

"You ain't seen me: right?": Effective communication online

Andrew Samuel calls for charities to ensure their online communications are more targeted and to let the user know who they're speaking to

Events

VAT & Tax Conference
18 October 2010

Charity Finance Live

18 October 2010

Civil Society IT Conference

18 November 2010

Digital Fundraising Conference
18 November 2010

Shop

Charity Finance Yearbook 2010 & Accounts Compliance Checklist 2010

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Bundle offer: Save £20 by ordering the Charity Finance Yearbook 2010 and the Accounts Compliance Checklist 2010 together. Additionally, prices are frozen at 2009 rates so this package represents fantastic value for money.

Training

Training courses for trustees

Attending our one-day courses is a highly effective way of ensuring new and existing trustees fully understand their roles, responsibilities and liabilities.

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Civil Society eNews Contacts

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