In the new era of the Charities Act, the advancement of amateur sport is a charitable aim in its own right. In today's news, the Charity Commission has decided that a bridge club can be a charity, but a tennis and squash club doesn't meet the criteria. Confused? Read on...
 

Lawn tennis club fails public benefit test
 

A Hertfordshire lawn tennis club that charges £339 for full annual membership has been told by the Charity Commission that it is not providing sufficient public benefit and must draw up a new plan for meeting this requirement.

OCS strategic partners form consortia to bid for £9m funding pot
 

A number of Office for Civil Society strategic partners have confirmed that they are bidding in consortia for the £9m transition fund the OCS has set up as part of its plan to phase out the strategic partner programme in 2014.

Commission registers first charitable bridge club and opens consultation on sports and games
 

The Charity Commission has opened a consultation on the advancement of amateur sport as a charitable aim and is particularly inviting comments on whether games such as chess, bridge and cribbage can be deemed to promote people's health.

Navca chief warns community organisers not to disrupt existing work
 

Navca chief executive Kevin Curley has issued a warning to Locality, prime contractor for the new community organisers programme, not to ignore or duplicate the work already being done by Navca members when it rolls out the £20m programme.

Department for Education announces £120m payment-by-results funding for charities
 

The Department for Education has announced over 100 charities which will receive funding from its new £120m, outcome-based grant, to equip the voluntary sector to operate within a payments-by-results environment and lever in private investment.

Booktrust saves three literary programmes after government funding u-turn
 

Booktrust has secured government funding to save its three book-gifting programmes after a proposed 100 percent statutory funding cut sparked public outrage.

New £20m social enterprise fund for Yorkshire and Humber
 

A funding pot of almost £20m has been created by a consortium of social finance providers to support small and medium-sized social enterprises in Yorkshire and the Humber.

The Charity Pay Ratio Survey: a balancing act
 

Gareth Jones looks at the results of the first Charity Pay Ratio Survey and considers the merits of imposing a pay ratio cap on high-earning staff. 

Asserting yourself
 

Learning to be more assertive will bring benefits to both you and your organisation, says Peter Mitchell.

Building the budget
 

As a head of finance in the thick of the action, Alistair Gibbons' budget is his bedrock for the year ahead.

Back to the front: an interview with Hazel Blears
 

Former cabinet minister Hazel Blears is leading Labour's new Social Action Forum. She told Andrew Hind that she is determined to reclaim the Big Society territory from the government. 

Social returns
 

John Tate predicts turbulence in the social-media market and considers the best strategy for charities.

Equity rules: why high charity salaries equal success
 

Christian Aid has a 6:1 pay ratio policy. Martin Birch believes that moral justice demands it.