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Frequently asked questions

Q:  What is involved in starting a new group?

A:  Starting a group can be a very rewarding experience but can also be hard work. It requires a certain amount of organisational skills and a number of people to help run it.

We suggest that you start by looking at our Information Pack called “Starting a New Group” and doing some research.  The Resource Sheet in the Starting a New Group Pack will point you in the right direction, you can read around the subject and find out more about what is involved.

 

Q:  How can we fund the group?

A:  Voluntary organisations are usually funded from a variety of sources, that way you are not reliant on just one source of income.  Consider a mix of income from donations – from people or organisations that support your work.

 

Membership – would people who use your service pay an annual membership to enjoy some of the benefits, such as a newsletter, invitations to events, the satisfaction of knowing that their subscription funds your essential work. 

Grants can also be a useful source of funding for projects, pieces of work with a start and end date.  Thinking creatively about how you describe and cost elements of your work, which will enable you to apply for project grants.  Seek advice from our development worker about how to do this.

Charging for elements of your work.  Sometimes it can be hard to ask for money from people who are using your service, but hardly anything is free.  Be open with service users about how your group is funded.  If you have to hire a hall and serve tea and biscuits consider making a small charge to cover your costs.  Introducing charges can be harder to explain further down the line, so do try and do this right from the start. 

Fundraising events can also be a good way to develop team spirit, involve volunteers, have some fun as well as raise some money.  We have two Information fact sheets on fundraising. 

As your group develops , you may also consider Legacies , tax effective Gift Aid for donations, and contracting for work that is commissioned by Statutory Organisations.

  

Q:  Does my group need to have a bank account?

A:  Once you have any income or expenses you will need to open a bank account in the name of the group, to bank the takings and also so that you can write cheques to pay expenses such as hire of venue, speakers etc.  There is more information about bank accounts in the Starting a New Group factsheet.

 

Q:  Do we need to register as a Charity?

A:  The Charity Commission says “If you hope or intend that your new charity will have an income of more than £5,000 each year then you are required by law to register with us.” 

 

Q:  Will we stand a better chance of getting funding if we are a registered charity?

A:  Organisations do not have to be registered charities to be accepted for a lottery grant. There are many different lottery grants distributors and each have their own grant eligibility requirements.  There are other funders who will also give money to voluntary groups with charitiable aims who are not registered charities.  The Charity Commission itself recognises the difficult funding climate that the charitable sector are operating in saying “Many charities often find it difficult to get access to the limited funding that is available to the charitable sector and this can be a particular problem for new charities. This is because local authorities, the public and organisations who give money to charities often prefer to give to charities that they are already familiar with and which have a proven track record.” 

The Charity Commission suggest that people thinking about setting up a new charity look first to see if there is another group doing similar work to what you are planning to do and whether you could work together. 

 

Q:  We need to write a policy on Equal Opportunities, Child Protection, Making a Complaint etc ……… can you help?

A:  Yes, we have a range of resources to help with all of these and many more.  We have some model documents which you might find useful as a starting point.  We also have resources which would help you decide what to include in your policy and how to implement it into your groups work.  It is important that the policy and any procedures that support it reflect the way your group is set up and works. 

 

Q:  We are thinking about adopting a quality standard but don’t know where to start.

A:  The Voluntary Sector have been taking great strides to ensure that the way we work and the services we offer are of a high standard.  Some public sector funders are making quality standards a prerequisite for delivering contracts. Quality standards can be a useful way of achieving this.  However, it can be really puzzling to work out which quality standard would suit you best.  Our development worker  would be able to help you get started. 

 

Q:  We are bewildered by the legal requirements that cover voluntary organisations – can you help?

A:  Yes, that is part of what we do.  We are not expert in legal matters but we can help you understand the issues and then find the best person to help.  We may also be able to help you get the advice free of charge.  We may also be able to help you develop a policy or put in place a way of working that will ensure your organisation is complying with the latest regulations.

We suggest that you first talk through your concerns with our development worker and we can support you as we work out a plan to move forward.

 

Q:  We are employing staff for the first time – what do we need to put in place?

A:  We suggest that you contact CVS Community Finance and consider using their enhanced Payroll Service.  In addition to processing the payroll for your employee/s they can supply you will a basic contract of terms and conditions of employment, give general personnel advice

http://www.cvsnorthamptonshire.org.uk

 

The ACAS website is a great source of information and advice with downloadable documents to ensure that you comply with the latest requirements.  www.acas.org.uk