Bristol City Council's funding of the city's voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) sector, known as VCSE Infrastructure Support, is being reviewed over an eight-week consultation period.

The review includes running several engagement events, where VCSE organisations are invited to share their views and describe their needs, to ensure funding is as appropriate as possible. VCSE Infrastructure Support is currently delivered by Voscur. 

The Express Grants Programme from Quartet Community Foundation will temporarily close at the end of July 2019 and reopen in September 2019, allowing the funders to assess this service.

Quartet wants to ensure that small, local non-profits and community groups receive efficient support to continue and expand their work. Grants of £500-5,000 can be transformative for these small organisations, helping them to address local people's needs. 

Blackbaud and the Institute of Fundraising have launched The Status of UK Fundraising 2019 Benchmark Report, based on a survey of over 1,000 fundraising professionals.

It is the second year that the report has been published, offering an in-depth view of the status the not-for-profit sector in the UK.

The Society of Merchant Venturers charity has a range of grants available to organisations that benefit people in the greater Bristol area. Grants are typically between £500-5,000. 

Your organisation should address one or more of the following needs:

The Institute of Fundraising (IoF) has launched a new strategy for equality, diversity and inclusion amongst fundraisers, making a business case for a more representative workforce.

It was developed by an expert panel (including Jenny Wildblood, Voscur's Development Officer and Funding Lead) and adopted by the IoF Board of Trustees.

Voscur Trustee and Sector Leader Suzanne Thompson is CEO of The Restore Trust. In this article she explains why the latest probation reforms need to go further to ensure voluntary sector involvement.

I was among the many who welcomed the proposed reforms of the probation service last month.