NCVO has announced it will be taking over the key small charity assets of the Foundation for Social Improvement (FSI) after it closed this week due to funding issues.
The company ceased operations on 2 May and transferred the running of Small Charity Week to NCVO, which it had already planned to partner with on the project.
Longer-term management of FSI’s assets will be determined after NCVO works with others across the sector, it said. The membership body said it will announce more information in future.
A statement on FSI’s website reads: “NCVO has the capacity and power to connect and collaborate, demonstrated by the support we have received from them. We believe they are best placed to ensure that our assets, such as Small Charity Week, will be shared in partnership with others, which NCVO will continue to explore over the coming months.”
Upon the closure, NCVO is offering FSI members a free membership if its annual turnover is under £50,000. This membership includes access to NCVO templates, charity guidance and 30% off its training and events.
NCVO: ‘We are extremely saddened’
Sarah Vibert, chief executive of NCVO, said: “We are extremely saddened by the closure of the FSI but are determined to ensure the specialist support provided by the FSI is not lost.
“We will support the maintenance of some of the FSI’s core small charity assets while working with the support of the Small Charities Advisory Panel, to seek new partnerships for the future delivery and evolution, which will benefit all small voluntary organisations. We are also looking forward to welcoming members of the FSI into our own 17,00 plus strong membership community.”
Noorzaman Rashid, chair of the FSI, said: “Our focus since our announcement has been working with others to protect the important work FSI has done to benefit small charities and voluntary organisations. As we must cease our activities today (3 May 2023), we have agreed to transfer our key assets to NCVO. We believe NCVO has the capacity and power to connect and collaborate with others - and we believe this is a key way to ensure our legacy of small charity support lives on.”
According to FSI’s annual accounts for the financial year ending June 2021, its total income was £439,000 with an expenditure of £411,000. In 2018, its income and expenditure was over £600,000.
Meanwhile, NCVO financial accounts ending March 2022 show a total income of £5.3m and expenditure of £6.3m.
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