Updated official financial guidance for charities

Four sets of financial guidance for charities in England and Wales, and their advisers, have been updated by the Charity Commission. The guides are

• Charities and Risk Management (CC26), updated to include current thinking in models for assessing risk.


• Financial Difficulties and Insolvency (CC12), updated but no new policy.


• Charities and reserves (CC19), new format with additional guidance for trustees.


• Internal Financial Controls (CC8), complete revision including new developments such as electronic banking arrangements.

All can be found on the Charity Commission's website with pdf versions also available.

Green Week (Blandford Area)

The DT11 Forum Community Partnership brings you
Green Week
Sunday 4 to Saturday 10 July 2010

A week of walks, talks, arts activities and events in and around Blandford, to promote sustainable living.
Pick up a leaflet from Blandford library or council offices, or see www.dt11forum.org.uk for details
Includes Green Fair at the Corn Exchange, Blandford, 9am-12pm Friday 9 July

Fundraising Skills Workshop

Would you like to increase your confidence in making effective fundraising bids? This FREE workshop is for members of small/medium sized voluntary or community groups who would like to build on their bid-making skills. Discover the ‘Six Secrets of Successful Fundraising’, then carry out a bid comparison exercise as a Funder! Places are limited to 12 per workshop.

Date: Monday 12th July
Venue: Digby Hall, Hound St., Sherborne DT9 3JL
Time: 1.45 – 4.30 pm
Also
Date: Thursday 15th July
Venue: Woodmead Halls, Woodmead Rd., Lyme Regis DT7 3PG
Time: 1.45 – 4.30 pm

Booking Form

Funding opportunity – Grassroots Grants

Does your community group need some extra cash to keep it going?

Are you involved with a voluntary group which wants to help people locally, but can’t find the funding?

Grassroots Grants is a grants scheme for voluntary and community groups which are tackling need and disadvantage in the community. Groups can apply for between £250—£5,000 to continue their work or set up a project.

To be eligible a group must have:—
• Income of less than £30,000 per year
• A constitution or set of rules
• A set of accounts for at least one year

There are a number of other rules, which are set out within the guidelines on their website www.cfbdp.org or if you are not sure if your group might be eligible, please speak to your DCA funding advisor—Chris Carman 01305 216413.

Meet the buyer – Competing successfully for public sector contracts

If you are a medium-sized voluntary/community group or a social enterprise working in Dorset and you’re interested in tendering for work from the Public Sector, then this could be a valuable use of your time. You could learn what you need to know about commissioning and meet key people making decisions about where funding goes.

Dorset County Council in liaison with Business Link are hosting two 'Meet the Buyer' events over the coming months. The first event is being held at The Exchange in Sturminster Newton on Wednesday 7 July 2010, details of which, including how to register, is contained in the attached flyer. Follow this link. The second event will be at the Bovington Tank Museum on 15 September 2010.

As well as presentations on a number of relevant topics, there will be representatives in attendance from a number of local organisations including Dorset Community Action, DCC, the councils of Bournemouth and Poole and the PCT. Commissioning Managers from Adult & Community Services will also be available to discuss potential opportunities as a consequence of the 'Transforming Social Care' agenda.

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