Useful Links

Manchester support agencies

Manchester Community Central
www.manchestercommunitycentral.org 
The website now includes a searchable funding database: Click here to visit

Voluntary Action Manchester
www.vamanchester.org.uk
The GIO Project (Growing Independent Organisations) provides services to voluntary and community organisations (including social enterprises, industrial and provident societies and charities) with income over £50,000 in the City of Manchester.

Community Accountancy Service
www.c-a-s.org.uk
Provides financial management services for voluntary sector organisations in Manchester. Their website contains a range of “Help Sheets” on financial and accounting issues.

Greater Manchester Centre for Voluntary Organisations (GMCVO)
www.gmcvo.org.uk
As well as providing training GMCVO's site also contains a register of local consultants who work with voluntary and community sector organisations. GMCVO also supports the Greater Manchester Voluntary Sector Support network, which now has an online directory of support services available across the area: www.gmvss.net.

National support agencies

National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO)
www.ncvo-vol.org.uk
Provides good practice guidance on all aspects of managing voluntary and community organisations and has a free helpdesk for queries. Tel: 0800 2798798.

Cranfield Trust
www.cranfieldtrust.org
Provides free consultancy assistance to voluntary organisations, using a register of volunteers from the commercial sector.

Prohelp from Business in the Community
www.bitc.org.uk
A national network of professionals from the commercial sector (solicitors, accountants, marketing professionals) who are prepared to give some free help to voluntary groups.

Law Works for Community Groups
www.lawworks.org.uk
A national network of solicitors who are willing to give some services without fees. Voluntary and community organisations can apply to them to seek legal assistance.

Public Law Project
www.publiclawproject.org.uk
Provides legal advice to voluntary and community organisations wishing to challenge the decisions of public sector bodies. Tel: 0207 697 2192

Arbitration and Conciliation Advisory Service
www.acas.org.uk
Specialist agency providing information and good practice guidance on employment matters.
Helpline 08457 47 47 47

Registrar of Companies
www.companieshouse.co.uk
Responsible for registration, monitoring and providing information to all registered companies in England and Wales

Useful Websites

VolResource
www.volresource.org.uk
An easy-to-use site which gathers together a great deal of information about running a voluntary  organisation and presents it in a useful index.

Charity Commission
www.charitycommission.org.uk
Responsible for registration, monitoring and providing information to all registered charities in England and Wales. Website contains good practice guidance on all aspects of managing charities.

Sandy Adirondack
www.sandy-a.co.uk
Regularly updated website on a whole range of legal issues for voluntary sector groups.

London Voluntary Service Council
www.lvsc.org.uk
Whilst this organisaion is only set up to help voluntary groups in London, its website has comprehensive information - particularly on handling redundancy issues.

Manchester Compact
www.manchester.gov.uk
This is an agreement between Manchester City Council and the local voluntary and community sector.  The Compact includes several codes of practice designed to set out the how the relationship should work - with specific reference to funding and arbitration issues.