SMALL CHARITY WEEK 15–20 JUNE
RAISING AWARENESS OF SMALL CHARITIES IN SUFFOLK
Small Charity Week is the 15th to 20th June and celebrates and raises awareness of the essential work carried out by the UK small charity sector.
Small charities within Suffolk make an invaluable contribution to the lives of individuals, communities and causes; during the COVID-19 pandemic, it has been clear how important these organisations have been in supporting local communities and ensuring the continuation of essential services.
Small Charity Week provides a platform to highlight the difference you make, as well as take part in training and advice opportunities at a local and national level.
How you can get involved and benefit from Small Charity Week
Day 1: I ♥ Small Charities Day (Monday 15th June)
This is a day to raise awareness of the work of all small charities across Suffolk. Get involved in the conversation, use the hashtag #SmallCharityWeek.
Volunteers are often the lifeblood of small charities. We have a suite of resources on the Volunteer Journey to help you engage a diverse range of people to volunteer, ensuring they feel supported, valued and can measure their impact. With an outcome that every volunteer has an enjoyable experience and tells others.
We are running a follow up, facilitated group discussion session for senior managers who have watched or taken part in the webinar with Elizabeth Pearce on Making Strategy Work. If you would like to take part in these special sessions, please watch the webinar video and register here.
Community Action Suffolk offers a bespoke support service to inspire financially successful and resilient organisations by ensuring that they have a realistic plan for the future. If funding is your current concern, you can book a bespoke online funding surgery today with our specialist advisor.
Day 2: Big Advice Day (Tuesday 16 June)
Learn about organisational resilience, with particular reference to the impact of COVID-19, in a video from Giles Kerkham at Larking Gowen. Next week we are running a webinar on branding with Studio Brand Up. Branding is vital to making yourself known, reaching your audience, and recruiting staff and volunteers. You can influence the shape of this webinar by taking part in a short survey. And book a place now on the Branding Webinar
On Tuesdays you can join Sabrina Ward our Business Support Officer on her regular Facebook Live. On 16th June at 11am she will be chatting to Kim Puttock, Region Manager at RSPCA Martlesham, about how Covid has affected them and what plans they have put in place for the future, and how CAS has helped. Go to Facebook/communityactionsuffolk to join in and please share.
The FSI is also running three online workshops to mark Big Advice Day. These are on: Core Costs how charities can be more innovative and resilient; Managing Risk during a Crisis; and Keeping your small charity secure online during Coronavirus.
You can also find key advice and guidance to help you decide what steps your organisation should take in response to the COVID-19 outbreak on our webpages
Day 3: Policy Day (Wednesday 17 June)
The Community Action Suffolk Health Check is an online tool for Trustees and staff to assess the internal processes of their organisation. It will help to determine whether the correct policies and procedures in place, whilst adhering to ‘Best Practice’. Take the Health Check now.
If you are a newly formed group who have responded to the current crisis and are involving volunteers you may wish to sign up for an online 1-to-1 Community Volunteering session to discuss Volunteer Management with our Good Neighbour Scheme Development Officer, Jane on 17th June (10am, 11am) 1-to-1 Online Community Volunteering Surgery
Safeguarding is still of paramount importance especially with new groups emerging as a result of the crisis. Your role as a volunteer or employee means that you could see or hear something that means someone needs help as they are at risk or in danger. CAS has developed an On-demand safeguarding conference for the Voluntary Community and Social Enterprise Sector
Day 4: Fundraising Day (Thursday 18 June)
Community Action Suffolk offers a bespoke support service to inspire financially successful & resilient organisations by ensuring that they have a realistic plan for the future. You can book your one to one bespoke online funding surgery now.
For Small Charities Week you can also listen to Podcasts on Bid Writing– Funding & Development Support from Suffolk County Council & Community Action Suffolk. Suffolk County Council have provided a series of 4 short podcasts where you can hear expert advice on developing funding applications. These include what you need to be ‘funding ready’ with handy tips & hints, do’s and don’ts, what to avoid and most importantly how the External Funding Team at Suffolk County Council and the Financial Sustainability Officer at Community Action Suffolk can help you at this time. Whether it be sourcing all important funds, attending a remote 1-1 Funding & Development Surgery, assistance with developing a potential bid, crowdfunding support or simply acting as a ‘critical friend’ on applications prior to submission we are here to help.
CAS Virtual Training will be phased in this Summer covering a myriad of opportunities including ‘Strengthening your organisation through successful funding’ and ‘Crowdfunding for Success in Suffolk’
Remember to check out the Funding4Suffolk Portal to source all important funds and support available.
Have a look at the very latest, regularly updated list of grants for C-19 Emergency Funding for Suffolk organisations.
We know that funding is vitally important to you, and our Fundraising Conference Financing, Sustainability & Resilience will be never more needed, keep an eye on Community Action Suffolk communications and follow us on Twitter @Funding4Suffolk for more information.
Day 5: Small Charity Big Impact Day (19 June)
This day focuses on raising awareness of the incredible impact that UK small charities have, which is not always recognised.
Using the template provided why not take a photo or record a short (10-20 second) video highlighting the amazing impact you made over the past 12 months. Post it on social media using #SmallCharityBigImpactDay and tag Community Action Suffolk if you would like us to share your news.
There will be an audioburst from Sarah Lomasney, Social Investment Officer about how small charities can demonstrate their impact. Take a look @socialinvestCAS on twitter for more.
Day 6: Small Charity Appreciation Day (20 June)
None of the impact small charities achieve would be possible without the hard work and commitment of the volunteers and staff behind them. That is why Small Charity Appreciation Day 2020 is about paying a special tribute to all those who have contributed so much, especially in the immediate response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Share your appreciation using the hashtag #AppreciationDay and tag Community Action Suffolk.