SUSTAiN’s range of free fact sheets offer advice, information and guidance on some of the key topics and issues faced by voluntary organisations. We hope you find them useful. Remember, SUSTAiN has specialist advisors ready to support your organisation, one-to-one for free – What We Do to learn more.

Business support

  • CSR – ways in which local businesses could support your organisation
  • CSR Brochure – Brochure for businesses supporting community organisatons
  • Commissioning
  • Commissioning – an overview of what it is and isn’t
  • Commissioning top tips – easy ways to make the most of commissioning opportunities in Solihull
  • Solihull’s Common Commissioning Framework
  • Commissioning Video – Watch our video which explains how Commissioning works in Solihull.

Equality & Diversity/Community Cohesion

Equality diversity and cohesion – making sure your organisation is inclusive
Fact sheet Act 2010

Funding

  • Funding Central – a FREE online tool provided by the National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO) to help you find sources of funding from over 4000 funders. It includes grants, contracts, loan finance and more and is a simple and easy tool to use.
  • Applying for funding – easy to follow steps for a successful funding bid
  • Funding dos and don’ts – essential good practice and pitfalls to avoid
  • Maximising your income – handy hints for increasing your chances of securing external funding
  • Social Enterprises – what they are and how you might go about setting one up

Legal

  • Data protection – simple guide covering the key principles of the act
  • Legal Structures – a one page guide courtesy of BusinessLink
  • Organisational Planning
  • Organisational planning – how a good plan is fundamental to your organisation’s survival
  • Recession-proof your organisation – important tips for survival
  • Taking stock of your organisation – some critical questions to get you thinking
  • People Management
  • How to motivate a team – a guide to getting the best out of your people
  • Motivating teams top tips – practical steps that really work
  • Performance and Quality
  • Performance management – a simple six step process for achieving full potential in your organisation
  • SIQA – SUSTAiN’s own Introduction to Quality Assurance which lists four quality assurance systems designed to suit different organisations at different stage and provides a brief overview of each. You can get started with SIQA straight away by downloading the SIQA CheckList here
  • PQASSO – an overview of the Charity Evaluation Services popular and widely recognised Practical Quality Asurance System for Small Organisations
  • Monitoring and reporting– 12 principles for funders and organisations
  • Quality Assurance Video – Watch our ‘Introduction to Quality Assurance‘ that explains the benefits and the various tools and systems available to suit organisations of all sizes.
  • PR & Marketing
  • Why marketing matters – how harnessing the power of marketing can enhance your organisation’s growth and stability
  • Raising your profile – top tips for getting your name known
  • Planning your promotion/marketing planning – 8 key questions to ask to get the most out of your publicity
  • Free PR and Marketing resources – even more free support for charities and voluntary groups
  • Networking for people who don’t network – A simple guide to a powerful way to promote your organisation or service and make new contacts.
  • Marketing – keeping it simple – A presentation covering the key points of Marketing.
  • Using the media
  • Press releases – how press releases can help to raise your profile
  • How to write a press release – step-by-step guide to writing a successful press release
  • Press interviews – hints and tips for dealing with the media
  • Press contacts – how good relationships with the media can help your organisation
  • Websites & online marketing
  • Website accessibility – the facts, the law and your website
  • Printed promotions
  • Leaflets and flyers – not the same thing, but equally powerful tools for promotion
  • Designing a flyer – how to make a flyer that gets noticed
  • Designing a leaflet – get to grips with what makes a good information leaflet
  • Trustees and Governance
  • Code of conduct for trustees – template outlining trustee responsibilities
  • Trustees and governance – things to consider when dealing with your board or management committee
  • Some Useful Websites
  • DiSE CIC is a Solihull based source of expertise and advice on anything related to Social Enterprise in all its forms (Co-ops, CIC’s, etc)

Funding Central is a free tool provided by NCVO that enables you to search for all forms of funding – grants, contracts, loans, etc

Giving World Online – Connecting businesses with surplus goods to local voluntary & community groups

Jargon Busters – a website dedicated to help you understand all the jargon and fancy words used by funders, commissioners and the sector itself.

There is a really useful website with lots of information on running a ‘not for profit’ organisation. It’s called KnowHowNonProfit

LawWorks is a national charity which assists individuals and communities access free legal advice.

Legal Website – run by semi retired and voluntary legal expert, Sandy Adirondack, with useful information on all legal and governance issues affecting voluntary organisations. Sandy provides many of our legal updates.

NCVO is the National Council for Voluntary Organisations and provides advice, guidance, templates, etc

Roots HR is a social enterprise specialising in HR for Voluntary & Community groups.

School for Social Entrepreneurs, Midlands (SSE M) is a highly successful learning environment for social entrepreneurs. SSE M is part of a global network of schools who use a unique combination of Action Learning (learning by doing) to help social entrepreneurs develop sustainable social businesses.

Volunteering England has more help and resources around volunteer issues (now part of NCVO, it still retains a volunteering section on the NCVO website).