NCVO and the Foundation for Social Improvement have partnered to take on the Small Charities Coalition (SCC) Helpdesk and some other services for small organisations at the end of this month.
SCC is set to close on 31 March and has been looking for a new partner to take on its services that support smaller charities. After receiving six strong proposals, the SCC chose the FSI and NCVO’s partnership.
The services that will be transferred to the new partnership will be the SCC Helpdesk, The Charity Set Up Tool and a maintenance and resource hub for small charities.
The SCC Helpdesk operates five days a week online and by telephone. Part of the transfer will include transferring one staff member, Amy Walton, advice and mentoring manager, to the new partnership.
FSI and NCVO plan to create a small charities advisory group that ensures charities voices are heard during the transfer of SCC services to the infrastructure bodies.
Debt of gratitude
Joyce Fraser, chair at the Small Charities Coalition, said: “We are delighted with today’s announcement and could have barely hoped for this when we announced SCC’s closure in December.
“We look forward to seeing the Helpdesk continue its invaluable work through the new partnership of FSI and NCVO. Critical in this handover is not just the continuation of a distinct small charities service, but continuation of its personalised approach and tone, cutting the jargon and demystifying the difficult.
“We owe an enormous debt of gratitude to the infrastructure organisations and funders for their support and engagement in particular over the last few months. Today’s announcement would not have been possible without them.”
Legacy
NCVO and FSI said they aim to continue the SCC’s legacy in the sector.
Sarah Vibert, CEO of NCVO, said: “I know from running a small charity just how valuable the support provided by the Small Charities Coalition has been for smaller voluntary organisations, which make up the majority of our sector.
“I am delighted that alongside colleagues at the FSI and with the insight of a new small charities advisory group, NCVO will play a part in securing the legacy of the Small Charities Coalition. Together we will build on this legacy to ensure there is a distinct and comprehensive support offer for small charities, which evolves to meet changing needs.”
Tailored events for small charities
According to NCVO, 82% of the charities in the UK are small charities. Some 92% of NCVO’s members are small charities, which emphasises the demand for these services. FSI and NCVO will offer more support for these organisations during its Small Charity Week campaign this year.
Stuart Thomason, CEO of the FSI, said: “The FSI have provided a free advice hub for small charities for over 15 years, and we are pleased to expand this offer alongside NCVO. We will continue to offer free and heavily subsided capacity building support for people building impactful organisations.
“We are also committed to developing new learning networks to support small charities advocating for change in key policy areas and we are looking forward to working with NCVO to amplify these positive messages of social action through Small Charity Week and other tailored events.”
Further announcements will be made via SCC’s website and mailing list over the coming weeks. Anyone with queries should contact the SCC board of trustees on [email protected].
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