News

Earlier this year, we launched our new Allyship Champions programme, where NAVCA members learn more about being allies in their organisations and communities. In this blog post, Beck Vickers, NAVCA’s Resources Officer, reflects on her experience being part of the programme.

The NAVCA Annual Conference 2025 is your chance to connect, learn, and influence the future of local infrastructure. Whether you’ve joined us at a conference before or not, here’s why you won’t want to miss it.

It’s no surprise that funding plays a role in shaping what local infrastructure organisations (LIOs) are able to do - but it’s not the full picture. New research from the Centre for Regional Economic and Social Research at Sheffield Hallam University highlights the complex conditions that influence an LIO’s effectiveness and sustainability.

For any organisation, having the right people and building strong connections is crucial. But for local infrastructure organisations (LIOs), these relationships are even more important - they shape how well an LIO can support its local communities. New research reveals the conditions LIOs need to thrive.

The voluntary and community sector is large and diverse. It includes the big household name charities, as well as the smallest, often unregistered, voluntary and community groups. These groups could be described as the ‘microbiome’ of the sector – they are essential to community health and wellbeing, just as the human microbiome is essential to our individual health. However, the voluntary sector microbiome often goes unseen and unrecognised, despite playing an essential role in communities.

As we approach the end of 2024, the NAVCA staff team have been looking back at our highlights from the year. We're sharing some of them with you in this blog post, including what we're looking forward to next year.