Bolton CVS framework for funding and development support - what your organisation can expect from our funding and development service

Provision of Bolton CVS funding and development support is guided by the Charity Commission’s Hallmarks of an Effective Charity. The following information contains details of support we can provide to voluntary and community organisations in Bolton and expectations of what you may receive from our service.

Hallmark / What support can Bolton CVS provide?
Hallmark 1
Your organisation is clear about its purposes and direction / Provision of information on setting up voluntary and community organisations and model governing documents
Assistance to help you define the aims and objects of your voluntary and community organisation
Assistance to help you write your governing documents (constitutions)
Assistance to help you choose the appropriate structure for your voluntary and community organisation
Access to training through our Stronger Together Training Programme
Hallmark 2
Your organisation has a strong board / Provision of information on roles and responsibilities of management committees, board of trustees/directors
Assistance to help you develop the skills of your management committee/board
Access to training through our Stronger Together Training Programme
Hallmark 3
Your organisation is fit for purpose, able to achieve its purposes and mission and deliver services efficiently. / Provision of information to ensure compliance with legislation including:
Safeguarding, Health and Safety, Equal Opportunities, Insurances, etc
Provision of information to ensure your voluntary and community organisation runs effective meetings
Assistance to help your organisation to change status, eg, Charitable Registration, CIO, etc.
Assistance to help your voluntary and community organisation dissolve/wind up
Access to training through our Stronger Together Training Programme
Hallmark 4
Your organisation is committed to Learning and Improving Performance and Efficiency. Measuring outcomes and planning for the future / Provision of information on recognised quality systems.
Encouraging groups to collaborate, network and share good practice through for example, attendance at CVS Forums
Access to training through our Stronger Together Training Programme
Hallmark 5
Your group is financially sound and prudent / Provision of information including: Little Book of Funding, monthly funding bulletins and access to our free funding portal service.
Assistance to help your voluntary and community organisation to locate suitable funding. Assistance to apply for funding and check bids before submission (please note: we will not write bids for you).
Assistance to help your voluntary and community organisation set up basic bookkeeping systems.
Access to training through our Stronger Together Training Programme
Hallmark 6
Your organisation is accountable and transparent / Provision of information relating to compliance with relevant regulator bodies, eg Charity Commission.
Provision of information to enable organisations to communicate charitable purposes.

How do we handle enquiries within this framework?

1. In the first instance, all organisations will be signposted to information on our website and invited to read.

If your organisation does not have access to the internet, free computer access is available at all Bolton Libraries. To find your nearest library please phone 01204 333173.

Bolton at Home also provide computer access at their UCAN Centres. To find your nearest UCAN Centre, please phone 01204 32 8000.

2. If your organisation still has queries they will be invited to contact Bolton CVS Funding and Development Service for phone or email assistance.

3. If your organisation is not able to find the information you require online and you require more in-depth support, you may be invited to a one-to-one support session. Please note – these are by appointment only.

Discretionary on-going support

If the organisation requires more in-depth support, an agreement may be drawn up outlining an allocation of support time to be provided by Bolton CVS (please note, it is your organisation’s responsibility to manage this time). In order to make best use of our time we ask that organisations commit to undertaking the actions agreed between meetings.

Disclaimer

Bolton CVS reserves the right to decline an offer of development work without prejudice:

  • where Bolton CVS feels that it cannot make a difference to the group’s betterment
  • where Bolton CVS has exhausted all possible support it can offer
  • where the request or time demand being made from a group is deemed unreasonable (under any grounds we may deem unreasonable)
  • where the health and welfare of Bolton CVS employees may be put at risk through intimidating or threatening behaviour of the group, its associates or representatives.