Winter 2010-11 Newsletter

Welcome to the Winter 2010-11 edition of our newsletter. We hope you all managed to have a nice break over the holidays and we would like to offer our best wishes for the new year.

Many charities are surveying 2011 with trepidation, knowing that it will hold some difficult times for the sector, for those working within it and for the beneficiaries of services that may be reduced or cut. Although this is creating great levels of concern and anxiety, we believe there are still great opportunities available to be seized. With a willingness to explore new sources of income, the right idea, the right attitude and sheer determination can go a long way to turning problems into opportunities and opportunities into success.

For our part, we will be doing everything we can to give our clients the best support, advice, ideas and motivation to see them come out of the spending cuts fighting fit with new sources of diversified funding.

The personalisation of health and social care budgets has been an ongoing component of the public services agenda for a number of years now. Previously, Local Authorities would have Block Contracts with providers, i.e. there would be an agreement to a given level of service for a fixed price; the Local Authority would then refer service users to the appropriate provider.

Read more: Are spending cuts accelerating the personalisation of health and social care budgets?

The Government has recently published a Giving Green Paper which includes initial ideas on how to build a stronger attitude towards philanthropy in our society and to more generally spark debate about our attitudes to how and why we give our time and money to charitable causes.

Read more: Giving Green Paper

Charity Fundraising Ltd has joined the Association of Fundraising Consultants (AFC). Members of the Association of Fundraising Consultants are accredited to the highest professional standards available within the European Union. Established in 1990 by fundraising consultants who recognised the need to provide a European professional standard, AFC membership has become a hallmark for best practice within the not-for-profit sector.

Read more: Association of Fundraising Consultants

Have you considered hosting a fundraising training event at your premises? The British Trust for Conservation Volunteers in Plymouth is hosting two half-day workshops on fundraising, delivered by a consultant from Charity Fundraising Ltd and inviting a number of local voluntary sector organisations to take part.

Read more: Looking for fundraising training delivered in your area?

Here’s a summary of some upcoming grant funding deadlines:

• 28th Jan 11 - Volant Charitable Trust
• 31st Jan 11 - Antigone
• 31st Jan 11 - Tesco Charity Trust
• 4th Feb 11 - Jubilee People’s Millions
• 7th Feb 2011 - Trust for London
• 15th Feb 11 - Hilton in the Community Foundation
• 18th Feb 11 - Dowager Countess Eleanor Peel Trust
• 1st Mar 11 Now Open- Comic Relief
• 10th Mar 11 Now Open- Youth Music
• 21st Mar 11 Now Open- Sita Trust

Read more: Upcoming grant funding deadlines