What's new
The latest news and policy updates from the Office of the Third Sector.
Charities Act 2006 – registration of excepted charities
The Charities Act 2006 will require “excepted” charities with annual income of over £100,000 to register with the Charity Commission. These provisions will now be introduced in January 2009, rather than October 2008, in order to give some excepted charities affected more time to prepare for registration with the Commission.
£130m grassroots grants scheme opens its doors to small local voluntary and community groups
The Government’s groundbreaking £130 million Grassroots Grants scheme declared itself open for business today and called on small local voluntary and community groups to come forward and get their hands on essential funding.
Government departments to make three year funding the norm for third sector organisations
Charities, voluntary groups and social enterprises all stand to benefit from guidance published by the Government, ensuring every Whitehall department offers three year funding to third sector organisations in all but exceptional cases. The guidance document, published jointly by the Office of the Third Sector (OTS) in the Cabinet Office and the Treasury, sends a clear message across Government that where appropriate funding for the third sector must be for a minimum of three years.
Capacitybuilders board members appointed
Phil Hope, Minister for the Third Sector, has appointed five new members to the board of Capacitybuilders and reappointed the existing Chair and four of the existing members. The new board brings together knowledge of the third sector, an understanding of social enterprise and private sector and grant-making expertise.
Third sector backs Government action to cut red tape for one in five charities
Phil Hope, Minister for the Third Sector, today set out how the Government will cut red tape for one in five charities, through measures that have been well supported by the third sector.
Regional Development Agencies to measure social enterprise satisfaction
The nine English Regional Development Agencies (RDAs) have agreed to give social enterprise a real voice in how they receive local business support. All RDAs will now measure and report levels of satisfaction among social enterprise using Business Link services.
Last chance to nominate: Compact Awards 2008
There are two weeks left to nominate for the Compact Awards 2008. These annual awards demonstrate the Compact in action, and recognise and celebrate excellent partnership working. With the exception of the award for Compact Champion of the Year, nominations must be for joint partnership work.
OTS extends funding until March 2011 for its strategic partners
The Office of the Third Sector (OTS) has confirmed that it is extending its strategic funding programme until 2011. The programme offers long-term funding to key third sector organisations that operate at a national and regional level, and allows the sector to help shape the development of Government policy.
Public Services Survey – What drives third sector innovation?
In June, the Cabinet Office published Excellence and Fairness: Achieving world class public services, which detailed our aspirations for the future of public services. Building on this, the Cabinet Office and HM Treasury are jointly surveying third sector providers to better understand what supports and drives their innovation in public service delivery.
Principles of Representation published
The Principles of Representation: A framework for effective third sector representation in Local Strategic Partnerships has been developed by a group of national third sector organisations in conjunction with the Department for Communities and Local Government and the Office of the Third Sector.
