Fifty-six CIOs have registered with the Charity Commission since January | Third Sector

Fifty-six CIOs have registered with the Charity Commission since January | Third Sector: The Charity Commission has registered 56 charitable incorporated organisations since registration began in early January.

The new legal form, which was included in the Charities Act 2006 and was initially intended to become available from 2008, allows charities to enter into contracts as corporate entities with limited liability for trustees and members.

60 per cent of the UK give less than �50 a year to charity

60 per cent of the UK give less than �50 a year to charity: A survey of more than 28,500 people in the UK, conducted for New Philanthropy Capital (NPC), has revealed that over 60 per cent give less than �50 a year to charity, but charities could unlock �665m more by communicating better.

A scoping survey was undertaken to identify 3,000 donors to inform NPC’s Money for Good report, published today. It simultaneously found that only 39 per cent of the 28,500 surveyed give �50 or more to charity annually.

Parliamentary inquiry into Growing Giving launched

Parliamentary inquiry into Growing Giving launched: Former cabinet minister David Blunkett will be joined by Tory MP Andrew Percy and Liberal Democrat Peer Baroness Tyler in chairing the inquiry which launched yesterday with an initial focus on giving by children.

The launch was accompanied by CAF-commissioned research that estimated that children between nine and 11 years of age donate nearly �20m to charity each year, or �1.99 each a month. In its first stage, the Growing Giving inquiry will be investigating how to harness and grow giving by under-18s, and in particular how to instil habits of giving for later life.

CAF has issued a call for written evidence on how to get young people giving more.

Dame Mary Marsh appointed to review charity sector's skills

Dame Mary Marsh appointed to review charity sector's skills: Dame Mary Marsh has been appointed by the minister for civil society to lead a review into leadership and skills in the voluntary sector.

Nick Hurd has asked her to look at how effectively existing support for the sector is meeting its need. The review will bring together key figures from the sector and from business to look at the challenges and opportunities, reporting its findings in spring 2013.

Charities' online donations scuppered by broken Charity Choice links - Civil Society - Fundraising - News - providing news and in-depth coverage of charities, voluntary organisations and not-for-profits

Charities' online donations scuppered by broken Charity Choice links - Civil Society - Fundraising - News - providing news and in-depth coverage of charities, voluntary organisations and not-for-profits: Hundreds of charities may have lost the ability to accept online donations after web-based donation service Charity Choice upgraded its website and changed the links from charities' own sites.

Charity Choice, which is owned by publishing giant Wilmington, provides services including an online basic donation facility to more than 4,200 charities across the UK.

Institute for Volunteering Research | Volunteering stats | Key Volunteering Facts and Figures for England

Institute for Volunteering Research | Volunteering stats | Key Volunteering Facts and Figures for England: Key Volunteering Facts and Figures for England

Payroll giving 'a cock-up' says leading philanthropist in debate on promoting giving | Philanthropy UK

Payroll giving 'a cock-up' says leading philanthropist in debate on promoting giving | Philanthropy UK: Payroll Giving “has been a cock-up from beginning to end” according to forthright philanthropist and chair of The Philanthropy Review Tom Hughes-Hallett.

Hughes-Hallett, who is also chief executive of Marie Curie Cancer Care, the UK's leading end of life care charity, gave the view as part of a panel debating the perennial topic of ‘how to change the culture of philanthropy’, hosted by Conservative think tank Policy Exchange. It was held in the same week the government announced a �10m innovation fund to encourage new ideas for boosting giving.

HMRC decides that Roman Catholic mass donations can use gift aid - Civil Society - Finance - News - providing news and in-depth coverage of charities, voluntary organisations and not-for-profits

HMRC decides that Roman Catholic mass donations can use gift aid - Civil Society - Finance - News - providing news and in-depth coverage of charities, voluntary organisations and not-for-profits: "HMRC has confirmed that Roman Catholic mass offerings are eligible for gift aid.

Until now it has been assumed that mass offerings for a particular intention could not be given with gift aid because the payment was made in return for what was considered to be a private benefit."

Tricycle theatre chief blames arts cuts as he stands down after 27 years | Culture | The Guardian

Tricycle theatre chief blames arts cuts as he stands down after 27 years | Culture | The Guardian: "Nicolas Kent has been artistic director of the Tricycle in Kilburn, north London, since 1984, building it into a successful theatre known particularly for its political plays and culturally diverse work.

But Kent told the Guardian that cuts in public subsidy and the government's emphasis on philanthropy were making the theatre untenable."

Consultation on new tax breaks for major art donations launches | Philanthropy UK

Consultation on new tax breaks for major art donations launches | Philanthropy UK: "After much call from the sector, the government has published proposals for consultation on a new scheme to encourage people to donate pre-eminent objects or works of art to the nation by offering tax incentives.

Treasury consultation suggests relief from income tax, capital gains tax and even corporation tax for the year when 'pre-eminent' objects are given to the nation, based on a set percentage of the value of the object they are donating."

Social investments should not be reserved for the rich - Third Sector

Social investments should not be reserved for the rich - Third Sector: "It should be easier for ordinary people to get involved in social investing, says Rod Schwartz of ClearlySo

The government has chosen to renew its emphasis on the big society, with a direct attempt to encourage greater charitable giving.

Several ideas have been floated, including an innovative idea to offer people the chance to give at cashpoints. As laudable as this is, we must ask the question: why are governments so keen to encourage donations, but less so social investing?"

White Paper puts giving in the hands of the people | Philanthropy UK

White Paper puts giving in the hands of the people | Philanthropy UK: "Was the long-awaited Giving White Paper a cause for celebration? Here Philanthropy UK offers a round-up of reaction to the initiatives in the Paper that aim to create a 'step change' in levels of giving...

The Giving White Paper chimes loudly with Big Society, focussing on empowering people to give time and money in their communities and in ways that ‘goes with the grain’ of their lives."

Philanthropy in Britain: top 10 trends among this century's William Morrises - Telegraph

Philanthropy in Britain: top 10 trends among this century's William Morrises - Telegraph: "Here we take a look at the 10 emerging trends among British philanthropists, according to Philanthropy UK, which provides advice to charitable organisations and individuals."

Third of Britons 'have no interest in volunteering or fundraising' - Third Sector

Third of Britons 'have no interest in volunteering or fundraising' - Third Sector: "Research commissioned by Parkinson's UK finds 61 per cent of population have never volunteered

Almost a third of the British public have no interest in helping charities through volunteering or fundraising, according to new research commissioned by the charity Parkinson's UK."

Big society 'could widen volunteer gap between town and country' | Society | The Guardian

Big society 'could widen volunteer gap between town and country' | Society | The Guardian: "The government's 'big society' risks widening the gap between rich rural areas and deprived cities in the north and Midlands because of higher levels of volunteering in wealthier areas, a report seen by the Guardian warns.

The analysis, by consultants Consulting Inplace, comes as a leading bishop suggested the idea of the big society was little more than a cover for cuts."

Government should fund a donor agency, says Philanthropy UK - Civil Society - Fundraising - News - providing news and in-depth coverage of charities, voluntary organisations and not-for-profits

Government should fund a donor agency, says Philanthropy UK - Civil Society - Fundraising - News - providing news and in-depth coverage of charities, voluntary organisations and not-for-profits: "Philanthropy UK, the Association of Charitable Foundations spin-off that seeks to boost effective giving, has urged the government to fund an agency that will help donors choose which causes to fund.

In its response to the government’s Green Paper on Giving, Philanthropy UK laments the omission of “two important aspects of philanthropy”:"

Cold calling fines could cost charities �2m - Civil Society - IT - News - providing news and in-depth coverage of charities, voluntary organisations and not-for-profits

Cold calling fines could cost charities �2m - Civil Society - IT - News - providing news and in-depth coverage of charities, voluntary organisations and not-for-profits: "New telecoms regulations could see charities which use automatic dialling technology fined up to �2m.

An amendment to the Communications Act 2003 for persistent misuse of telecoms networks or services passed by parliament this week has seen the financial penalty for silent or abandoned calls rise from �50,000 to �2m."

Wealthy urged to follow Lord Sainsbury's philanthropic lead | Politics | The Guardian

Wealthy urged to follow Lord Sainsbury's philanthropic lead | Politics | The Guardian: "The culture secretary called for Britain's rich to dig deeper to fund cultural institutions on Sunday after the Tory peer Lord Sainsbury made a �25m donation to the British Museum for a new wing, outstripping the government's contribution.

Sainsbury's donation emerged to the delight of museum officials who are waiting to hear about the impact of funding cuts, and is the largest from a living donor since Sir Paul Getty gave �50m to the National Gallery in 1985."

Navca members express concern about National Citizens' Service - Civil Society - Governance - News - providing news and in-depth coverage of charities, voluntary organisations and not-for-profits

Navca members express concern about National Citizens' Service - Civil Society - Governance - News - providing news and in-depth coverage of charities, voluntary organisations and not-for-profits: "Over half of Navca’s members are unsure about or don’t want to play a part in implementing the coalition’s new National Citizens’ Service, a volunteering scheme for young people.
Navca received responses from one in three of its 370�members on their views on the coalition’s Big Society agenda, which include community bids to take over local state-run services, creating a generation of new community organisers and development support for civil society organisations."

Civil Society - Governance - News | Charities warn on vetting and barring review

Civil Society - Governance - News | Charities warn on vetting and barring review: "he vetting and barring scheme would have required volunteers and staff working with children and vulnerable adults to register with the Independent Safeguarding Authority from next month.

It provoked much consternation in the sector, with opponents complaining that the scheme would deter volunteers and add unnecessary bureaucracy."