Greetings! 

It's an online global phenomenon acting for local causes and the UK alone is hosting 28 official events, Twestival is happening now and at last count has raised almost $216,000. Also, with the excitement of yesterday's Budget reaching calm, we look at the real implications for the sector. 

Twestival raises $215,800 in two and a half hours
  

Twestival Local 2011 launched this morning in an international effort to fundraise for local charities, and has successfully raised almost $216,000 in its first two and a half hours.

Holy Trinity Monastery launches £2m charitable bond
  

Nuns at Holy Trinity Monastery have launched a charitable bond to raise £2m to purchase a permanent home for the monastery to grow and expand its charitable outreach work.

CAF enables its first overseas loan
  

The Charities Aid Foundation has processed its first overseas loan on behalf of CAF donor Roger Ross, who has lent £1m to the World Peace Festival taking place in Berlin this summer.

Budget announcements on gift aid and inheritance tax welcomed by charity sector
  

Changes to gift aid, inheritance tax and mileage rates have been welcomed by sector leaders after a Budget announcement hailed as the "best Budget for charities in years".

Budget unveils 'most radical reforms to charitable giving for 20 years'
  

Charities will no longer have to obtain signed gift aid declarations on the first £5,000 of small donations per year in order for those donations to qualify for the tax relief, Chancellor George Osbourne announced in his Budget speech today.

Implications of the budget
  

Nick Brooks, head of not-for-profit at chartered accountants Kingston Smith LLP, provides a break-down analysis of the implications of yesterday's budget for the charity and voluntary sector.

The Philanthropy Review must be doing something right...
  

Hats off to the Philanthropy Review, says Tania Mason, for doing in a few short weeks what others have been unable to achieve in a lot longer.

"As a member, I'm very proud the Institute of Fundraising has been recognised for its contribution to civil society. It does a great job and additional money will allow for a number of new projects."

"Andrew I appreciate your point about not rushing in where we have not been asked and where we may not actually be wanted or needed. I have, however, found myself putting out a recurrent message recently about the need for us all to, equally, be also be willing to hold back on making any immediate judgements on the impact of this catastrophe on Japan and its (fabled?) readiness and resiliance."

They said it...