Governance

Resources and support for organisations on governance issues

• NAVCA members can support local voluntary and community organisations with governance issues and developing constitutions. To contact your local member visit our directory.
• Charity Builder UK (CBUK) is an interactive, web-based service promoting compliance and simplifying administrative tasks; it doesn't just signpost advice but interacts with the user to create tailor-made documents such as staff contracts, handbooks and essential policies.
• The Charity Commission provides information on registering a charity.
• Small Charities Constitution produced by the Charity Commission in association with 9 umbrella bodies including NAVCA
• Information on legal structure and governance for local infrastructure organisations is available from NAVCA.
• The Charity Trustees Network offers a variety of resources for trustees and opportunities for face to face networking
• Stephen Kuchar, Chief Executive of Wandsworth CVS, has published the Investing in Governance framework.

Trustee Induction

Five NAVCA members have kindly agreed to share their induction packs for new trustees.

Public benefit reporting and annual reports

All charities must prepare a Trustees' Annual Report. For more information see the Charity Commission Guidance on preparing annual reports.

There is also a new duty to report on public benefit within the annual report. Annual Reports which cover any period starting on or after 1 April 2008 must include :

a report of those activities undertaken by a charity to further its charitable purposes for the public benefit;

a statement by the charity trustees as to whether they have complied with the duty in section 4 of the Charities Act 2006 to have due regard to public benefit guidance published by the Commission.

For more information See Charity Commission Guidance on public benefit reporting.

Reserves

Reserves policies made simple

This Sayer Vincent guidance was used by NAVCA when producing its own reserves policy.

Insurance

Trustees wanting advice on insurance issues should contact Tennyson Insurance.

Human Resources

Trustees of NAVCA members wanting advice on Human Resources issues should consider subscribing their organisation to the Peninsula advice service. For more information contact: Julie Patterson.