Greetings! 

 
The government is working hard to convince the sector not to lose faith in the Big Society agenda, announcing new details of the Big Society Bank, reinstating the Financial Inclusion Fund which will spare hundreds of Citizens Advice jobs from the axe, and making its first grants to Transition Fund applicants. 
 

Government awards first million from £100m Transition Fund
  

The government has today awarded a total of £1.7m from its £100m Transition Fund to 18 charities.  

Big Society Bank interest rates could be too high for many, warns CAF
  

The Charities Aid Foundation has warned that Big Society Bank loans could be too expensive for many charities and social enterprises.

Public to have say in Parliament on new vetting and barring rules
  

Charities will be able to influence the direction of new vetting and barring rules as part of new government measures to allow anyone to comment on new legislation as it goes through Parliament.

Big Lottery Fund to help Big Society Bank launch
  

The government is working with the Big Lottery Fund on interim arrangements that will enable the Big Society Bank to make investments as soon as money becomes available from dormant accounts in the summer, even though European Commission approval is still being sought for the funds to be used.

Curley calls on MPs to secure investment for local support organisations
  

Kevin Curley, Navca chief executive, used the launch of the membership body's Leadership Report yesterday to ask MPs to encourage local councillors not to cut funding to support organisations.

London Air Ambulance secures seven-year helicopter finance deal
  

London's Air Ambulance, the charity that was embroiled in scandal in 2009 when it sacked its new chief executive after he raised concerns about its governance, has agreed a new seven-year financing deal for its helicopter.

Citizens Advice hopes government announcement will save most of 900 jobs under threat
  

Citizens Advice is hoping that most of the 900 jobs it was expecting to cut will be saved as a result of the government's commitment to continue the Financial Inclusion Fund for another year.

The National Council for Voluntary Organisations has launched a seven-point action plan aimed at saving the Big Society concept in the face of "bad press".

Charity Technology Survey 2011 - win a £100 Amazon voucher

 

The Charity Technology Survey, is your chance to input into the most comprehensive analysis of IT, accounting and CRM software in the charity sector, and win £100 in the process.  

Valuing volunteer time
  

There are tools available to help charities put a value on the contribution of their volunteers, as Daniel Stevens explains.

Big Society Bank should offer grants, as well as loans
  

The government's recent document on the Big Society Bank makes clear that it will not give out grants. Daniela Barone Soares, chief executive of Impetus Trust, argues that this will limit the Bank's capacity in the sector. 

Mind the chandelier!
  

With a raft of issues to keep on top of during the coalition's Big Society shake-up, David Davison warns not to overlook pensions in your budgets. 

Nurturing our charities in a time of cuts
  

After losing a grant which provided 12 per cent of its income, June O'Sullivan provides an insight from the Paddington Farm Trust on how the current government regime is affecting its activities.

"I am reminded of a lady explaining that while she had managed to save a national helpline from the government funding cuts ... the helpline will presently have far fewer help centres to refer users to. So can we expect the CAB's to be working from far fewer locations as Loal Authority cuts bite?"

"How about committing to more than a year's funding? It's difficult to build up a high quality service when you are issuing redundancy notices to staff every January."

"If lifetime legacies are such an important giving tool then why didn't NCVO do more than give them a passing mention in their recently published Funding Commission."

They said it...

Times columnist Camilla Cavendish