NAVCA News
Browse our latests news articles below
April 2013 quarterly survey
NAVCA has published the findings of our fourth quarterly survey of members. The survey takes the temperature of NAVCA members and tracks trends in local voluntary action. NAVCA has a representative panel of members who we ask to complete a short survey every three months. The survey tracks trends among NAVCA members. The first survey took place in July 2012....
Charity Commission must do more to maintain public trust in charities
NAVCA has supported calls for the Charity Commission to take stronger action to protect the public respect and trust for charities. Stuart Etherington, Chief Executive of NCVO, has today said that the Charity Commission must learn from the mistakes it made in the recent Cup Trust tax-avoidance case. He has called for the Commission to show more teeth in order to rebuild its credibility with the sector and with Government, and to regain respect...
NAVCA confirmed as health and care strategic partner
The Department of Health has announced that NAVCA is one of the 21 voluntary sector organisations that will be part of the Health and Care Voluntary Sector Strategic Partner Programme for 2013-14. This strengthens the support NAVCA can offer members to build the capacity and capability of local charities and community groups. It will also help NAVCA members get their views heard by the Department of Health, about how to best support local voluntary action....
NAVCA concern over additionality comments
NAVCA is concerned by comments reported yesterday from Ceri Doyle, director of strategy, performance and learning at the Big Lottery Fund, that BIG will be looking at the principle of additionality and producing a policy. The comments were made at a funding conference earlier this week. Additionality is a fundamental principle under-pinning the lottery and NAVCA believes that if it is to be changed a wide ranging debate is needed first....
NAVCA welcomes EIF
NAVCA warmly welcomes the launch of the Early Intervention Foundation (EIF) at 10 Downing Street on 15 April 2013. This follows the signing of a contract on 5 February 2013 between the Department for Education and the Early Intervention Foundation Consortium led by 4Children, which includes NAVCA and the Local Government Association. The EIF has been established to champion and support greater use of early intervention approaches. The EIF initiative has received widespread, cross-party support....
Making membership matter
One of the things we're currently talking to members about is improving membership schemes alongside other income generation activities. Bill Freeman has written the first of two blogs sharing ideas and approaches members can use to improve their membership schemes....
NAVCA budget statement
Following the Budget announcement by George Osborne today, Joe Irvin, Chief Executive of NAVCA, said;...
NAVCA welcomes local Healthwatch guidance
NAVCA has welcomed new guidance, 'Local Healthwatch Regulations Explained', published by the Department of Health and the Local Government Association. NAVCA was concerned that the regulations were unclear and might lead some to conclude that they might prevent a local Healthwatch engaging in local campaigns. We have worked with the DH and LGA to get clarification in this guidance that campaigning is a legitimate and vital role for local Healthwatch....
NAVCA supports Ethical Care Charter
NAVCA is giving its support to the Ethical Care Charter drawn up by UNISON. The Charter establishes a minimum baseline for the safety, quality and dignity of homecare and local authorities are being invited to sign up to the Charter. NAVCA has a long record of encouraging intelligent commissioning and has been an outspoken promoter of issues such as grant funding and social value....
Considering the voluntary sector in Local Authority budget decisions
Local authorities are finalising their budgets for 2013-14. NAVCA has joined with ACEVO, NCVO and Compact Voice to write to them all asking that they consider the value of voluntary and community organisations in delivering services and support to their local communities. They have also urged them to continue to support this vital work....
NAVCA and Locality call for £150m fund for poorest communities
With the budget just a week away, NAVCA and Locality have called for the Chancellor George Osborne to create a fund to help micro social enterprise and local charities generate growth in the poorest areas. To tackle the stalling economic growth, they want a fund of £150 million to provide £3 million growth funding to the 50 most deprived areas in England....
NAVCA publish Transforming Local Infrastructure analysis
NAVCA has today published a report analysing the work that the 74 areas receiving Transforming Local Infrastructure (TLI) investment set out to do, much of which is well underway as the project enters its final phase. The report pulls together common themes or similar areas of work based on the original funding bids. The report provides a valuable national perspective of the 74 local programmes and allows the sharing of information and ideas between the programmes. It will also help those who are not receiving TLI funding to get a greater awareness of the work that is going on so they can get some benefit from this work....
NAVCA and Community Matters announce merger will not proceed
Having thoroughly investigated all options, NAVCA and Community Matters have announced that the proposed merger between the two organisations will not proceed. They will both now plan their futures as separate organisations. Both bodies have rising pension debt on withdrawal with the Pensions Trust and after a detailed appraisal of the situation, both felt unable to pursue a merger for fear that a merged organisation would be hindered by pension deficits with the potential to escalate....
Minister told pension liabilities hurting charities
NAVCA, NCVO and the Charity Finance Group have written a joint response to the government's 'pensions and growth' consultation. The consultation response has been submitted along with a letter to DWP Minister Steve Webb MP telling him that pension liabilities are having a detrimental impact on charities across the country....
Measuring Child Poverty
NAVCA has responded to the Government's consultation on measuring child poverty. The Government is seeking to introduce a single national child poverty measure that draws on various dimensions of poverty. In principle NAVCA believes that a multidimensional approach is the right one, as it is important to have an understanding of the various aspects of child poverty....
Survey shows a dip in optimism
NAVCA has published the results of its third quarterly survey of members. The survey takes the temperature of NAVCA members and tracks trends in local voluntary action. Overall the survey shows a drop in optimism among NAVCA members view of the prospects over the coming three months....
Date set for Early Intervention Foundation launch
NAVCA are delighted that the Department for Education and the Early Intervention Foundation Consortium, have signed a contract which will see the creation of an independent Early Intervention Foundation (EIF) on 4 March. NAVCA is a supporter of the foundation, chaired by MP Graham Allen....
Francis Report
NAVCA believes the Francis Report highlights a need for public bodies to work with local charities and community groups....
Social Value Roundtable
NAVCA's Chief Executive, Joe Irvin attended Social Value roundtable hosted by Chris White MP in the Palace of Westminster last week. It was attended by other senior figures from the charity, social enterprise and community sectors including NCVO, SEUK, ACEVO and Co-operatives UK. They issued a communiqué in support of the Public Services (Social Value) Act....
David Beckham charity trendsetter?
David Beckham's announcement that he will donate his salary from Paris St-Germain to Paris based childrens' charities can make him a trend setter in the charity sector. Traditionally larger national and international charities have been the beneficiaries of major giving. David Beckham's intention to support charities working in Paris highlights the possibilities of local giving....
NAVCA welcomes report calling for more power for councils
NAVCA has welcomed the House of Commons' Political and Constitutional Reform Committee report on the relationship between local and national government. A major recommendation of the committee is the introduction of a statutory code that would define the rights, powers and independence of local government. It has also called for more financial powers for local government including the ability to raise extra funds with the consent of local electors....
Interactive Training Day – Criminal Justice Commissioning & Collaboration
Join us on 18 or 22 February for a Criminal Justice Commissioning & Collaboration training event that will explore how collaboration could help you succeed in the criminal justice commissioning environment....
NAVCA Chief Executive joins ACEVO board
Joe Irvin, NAVCA’s Chief Executive, has joined the board of ACEVO. Joe was elected as a trustee of the Chief Executives organisation at their AGM on the 17 January. Joe has filled the post that was created by Cath Lee, former Chief Executive of the Small Charities Coalition, who stepped down after a year as a trustee....
NAVCA welcomes Councillors on the Frontline report
NAVCA has welcomed the Communities and Local Government Select Committee’s new inquiry report Councillors on the Frontline. The report recognises and promotes positive engagement of councillors with their communities. Through NAVCA, our members contributed examples of successful partnership working between NAVCA members, local charities and community groups and councillors to the inquiry....
NAVCA welcomes local giving report
NAVCA has welcomed a new report published looking at local giving and ways that NAVCA members can support it. Local Giving: possibilities for support and development organisations has been produced by the Centre for Regional Economic and Social Research (CRESR) at Sheffield Hallam University. The report presents findings from a small research study into local giving. The findings are intended to provide the basis for strengthening the contribution of NAVCA members to local giving and philanthropy for social action....
