• March 6th – Specialist Advice from HR Insight 10am to 12noon/FSI Advice Clinic 12 noon to 4pm
• April 2nd - FSI Advice Clinic
• May 1st  – FSI Advice Clinic
• June  – 12th SMALL CHARITY WEEK: BIG ADVICE DAY
• July 30th  – Final FSI Advice Clinic before the summer break

This year the FSI is determined to bring you even more specialist advice. On the 6th March we have teamed up with HR Insight, a leading company of professional HR consultants and employment law advisors to bring to you the first ever FSI Specialist Advice Clinic. For more details read on. 

Special Advisor Onboard:  On the 6th March a group troubleshooting session will be available with Heather Matheson, Managing Director of HR Insight from 10 a.m. to 12 noon. There are only 10 places available so if you need advice you can book onto this session and bring your HR concerns to an expert with over 20 years’ experience to share. Book now: http://specialhradvicesession.eventbrite.com 

Heather is the founder and managing director of HR Insight, human resource and employment law specialists, and has operated as a practitioner in human resource management for over 20 years. Through HR Insight, Heather provides HR support to in excess of 800 organisations and has first-hand knowledge of the employment and commercial issues being faced by organisations today. 

Heather leads the team at HR Insight guiding businesses through the maze of human resource management and employment legislation. This includes drafting employment contracts, handbooks and procedures; advising on performance, conduct and absence issues; investigating grievances and managing redundancies; and representing clients on site and at employment tribunals.

Do take advantage of this exciting new initiative, if this initiative proves popular the FSI will provide even more Specialist Advice Sessions during 2012 - so WATCH THIS SPACE.

We need even more responses so please help us to do our jobs better by completing this research and encouraging colleagues and other organisations to do the same

Please click on the link below and complete the survey – it should only take 5-10 minutes.  Please also forward this to colleagues at your own and other charities.

From everyone at the FSI, thank you in advance for your contribution to this important research.

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/J7XQWMF

• Managing a part-time workforce
• Foolproof steps to full cost recovery
• Getting the best from your volunteers
• Safeguarding
• Workforce development on a shoestring
• Marketing & Planning – the ultimate guide
• Leadership skills – from good to great
• Social return on investment
• Local government – Policy & Influencing
• Governance
• Basic principles of design

There are only a very few spaces left so don’t miss out – email events@thefsi.org now to reserve your place.

Venue: Legal & General Offices, Moorgate, London

When: 20th February 2011

Small charities can use this great opportunity to raise funds by calling on your celebrity supporters, patrons or anyone else you may know who can provide you with an appropriate auction item.

 The most effective eBay for Charity auctions involve:

• ‘Money can’t buy’, one-of-a-kind items/experience e.g. lunch with a celebrity patron
• Items/experiences with celebrity or star association e.g. signed football shirt
• Unique or extraordinary items/experiences e.g. one of Clapton’s guitars  

Click eBay Small Charity Week Auction Guide for the eBay auction guide for further details on acceptable items

We hope you get involved with Small Charity Week 2012. We want Fundraising Day to be the biggest yet! Please let us know if you think you have got something for the auction- we will add you to the list!

Items will need to be confirmed by May 2012.

eBay has 17 million visitors a month, what better way to raise awareness and funding for your charity! All you have to do is source the item.

If you have any questions about the auction please email events@thefsi.org  to find out more.

 We know that small charities are always looking at new ways to diversify their income and the use of fundraising methodologies – that is why we are working with partners like giveonthemobile® to get you the best deals we can.

 As part of their support of the FSI and small charities, giveonthemobile® are offering a 20% discount for FSI-registered charities on the first year’s £100 annual membership fee for those who sign up before the 31st March 2012.

 We are signing up ourselves and will be promoting mobile giving as a way of supporting the FSI to our donors and supporters.  We will keep you updated on how this goes and what works for us.

 giveonthemobile® enables charities to unlock the potential of mobile fundraising and increase donor engagement by allowing donors to make contributions using a quick and easy method on their mobile phones whilst dealing with the limitations of text services. The charity builds a long term and more mutually beneficial relationship with the donor through the interactivity of the platform.

 For more information and how to register please see the flyer attached.

 If you want to know whether mobile fundraising is for you, why not post a message on the FSI Community and see how other small charities have gone with this major emerging technology that has already changed the way in which we engage with our donors.

 Last June, an NFP/CAF survey revealed that 42% of charities now use mobile phones or text for fundraising. Charities are expecting 10% – 40% of their revenue to come through mobile phones soon. Now is a great time to be listed on giveonthemobile® to maximise donations and exposure for the charity.

 To take advantage of this offer send an email to info@polestardigitalmedia.com with subject ‘FSIOffer’ quoting ‘POD01’ to receive the simple registration documents and be listed today.

Please see information sheet for more details and how to sign up: Giveonthemobile information sheet  

Small Charity Week is set to return with more events, more ways to get involved and more opportunities to get the public behind your work. The UKs biggest celebration of small charities ever is about to get even bigger and we are already busily preparing. There are plenty of ways to get involved wherever you are and you can start today!

Right now there are three things we want you to do:
 

PUT THE DATES IN YOUR DIARY AND GET THINKING

Small Charity Week 2012 runs from Monday the 11^th of June through to Friday the 15^th.  The week will take the same form as it did in 2011 – Monday is I Love Small Charities Day, Tuesday is the Big Advice Day, Wednesday is Policy Day, Thursday is Fundraising Day and Friday is Celebration Day.

You can get involved in a myriad different ways from attending FSI events, running your own event or campaign, submitting an item for the online auction…
 

ORGANISE YOUR AUCTION ITEM

In the lead up to this year’s Small Charity Week we would like to run a mass eBay auction with all of you taking part to raise money for your amazing causes! Do you or one of your supporters have an amazing auction item… something really unique?  Does your charity have a celebrity patron who could auction off lunch with a fan to help your cause? Or perhaps you have an autographed collectable that could be fundraising gold… spread the word and see if your staff or supporters can help your charity.
 

TELL US WHAT PRODUCT YOU PREFER

Small Charity Week kicks off with I Love Small Charities Day – could there be a better start to the week? – and we want to produce merchandise that small charities can sell to raise funds whilst contributing to public awareness of Small Charity Week.  Below are some options – we’d love to know what you think will work best for small charities so please get in touch and let us know by following the link completing this very short survey!

Small Charity Week Merchandise Survey
 
Small Charity Week is all about you.  We want it to be even bigger and better than last year in every way, with more of you involved than ever before so please start thinking about how you can get involved in the small charity event of the year!

Location: Preston Masonic Hall, Ashlar House, Saul Street, Preston, PR1 2QU 
Date: 22nd & 23rd March, 2012
Time: 9.30am-4.30pm
Cost:  FREE (a deposit of £50 is required but will only be banked if a cancellation is made after 13th March)
 
Below are the courses that we are offering.  Please follow this link to go to our website for further information and to get booked on: 

Thursday, 22nd March – ALL DAY SESSIONS

* Developing Relationships with Companies
* Major Donors
* Trusts & Foundations
* Developing your Fundraising Strategy

Friday, 23rd March – ALL DAY SESSIONS

* Demonstrating your Impact
* Legacy Fundraising
* Managing Volunteers
* Marketing and Communications

Please note that all free places are allocated on a first come first serve basis to individuals from 100% Not-for-profit organisations with an annual raised voluntary income of less than £1.5 million.

Places fill up fast – book early to avoid missing out!

The FSI and Institute of Fundraising are working together to deliver free expert training sessions in cities nationwide.  Each Roadshow gives its delegates the opportunity to learn new fundraising and marketing and communication skills to run their charity effectively.  There is also plenty of time to network with other charities from the area and hopefully develop strategic links.

71% of small charities identified the lack of funding for training and development as the reason for skills gaps in their organisation.
Source: UK Small Charity Sector Skills Survey 2010/11, the FSI, June 2011

About the FSI
The FSI has, since 2007, grown to become to the UK’s largest provider of free capacity building services to the small charity sector, delivering capacity building skills to small charities through a year-round programme of training and conference learning.  These programmes now encompass all the disciplines of fundraising alongside the key back office skills to build sustainable charities ready to adapt to the demands of their beneficiaries and communities.  
www.thefsi.org

About the Institute of Fundraising
The Institute of Fundraising’s mission is to support fundraisers, through leadership, representation, standards setting and education, to deliver excellent fundraising.  Members are supported through training, networking, the dissemination of best practice and representation on issues that affect the fundraising environment.  The Institute of Fundraising is the largest individual representative body in the voluntary sector with more than 5000 individual members and 330 organisational members.
www.institute-of-fundraising.org.uk
 
Please contact fsi-intern2@thefsi.org if you have any questions.

  
The FSI Team

The programme for the Workshop will cover the key back office skills identified as learning priorities in the FSI Small Charity Sector Skills Gap Survey. Across the day, delegates will have the opportunity to attend four different sessions on topics that are of most interest to them and their charity. We have an inspirational line-up of speakers covering topics including:
 

• Full Cost Accounting
• Small Charities and Local Government
• Governance
• Workforce Development
• Managing a part-time workforce
• Efficient Volunteers
• Social Return on Investment
• Design on a shoestring
• Strategic Marketing
• Leadership 

Places are limited to one delegate per charity and are allocated on a first come, first served basis. To register for your free place please visit our online booking system here. If you have any questions about the Workshop please contact events@thefsi.org.

Venue: Legal & General Offices, Moorgate, London

When: 20th February 2011   
 

Affiliates receive a year of intensive support from the FSI aimed at moving them to the next stage of their development. 

The 2012 Affiliates are:

CASH – Community Accountancy Self-Help (National) – Guardian Award Winner

Coventry Rape and Sexual Abuse Centre (Coventry) – Guardian Award Winner

Nightstop Devon (Devon, Exeter and Teignbridge) – Guardian Award Winner

Spirit of Enniskillen Trust (Northern Ireland) – Guardian Award Winner

UNLOCK – The National Association of Reformed Offenders (National) – Guardian Award Winner

The Deborah Hutton Campaign (National)

Foresight North East Lincolnshire (Lincolnshire)

The Pirate Castle (London)

Sumatran Orangutan Society (Sumatra, Indonesia)

Positively UK (National)

Create (London and the South East)

Our congratulations go to the selected Affiliates, we look forward to working with you in the year ahead, and thanks to everyone who took the time to apply.

Applications for the 2013 programme will open in September 2012.

Small Charity Week is set to return with more events, more ways to get involved and more opportunities to get the public behind your work. The UKs biggest celebration of small charities ever is about to get even bigger and we are already busily preparing. There are plenty of ways to get involved wherever you are and you can start today!

Right now there are three things we want you to do:
 

PUT THE DATES IN YOUR DIARY AND GET THINKING

Small Charity Week 2012 runs from Monday the 11^th of June through to Friday the 15^th.  The week will take the same form as it did in 2011 – Monday is I Love Small Charities Day, Tuesday is the Big Advice Day, Wednesday is Policy Day, Thursday is Fundraising Day and Friday is Celebration Day.

You can get involved in a myriad different ways from attending FSI events, running your own event or campaign, submitting an item for the online auction…
 

ORGANISE YOUR AUCTION ITEM

In the lead up to this year’s Small Charity Week we would like to run a mass eBay auction with all of you taking part to raise money for your amazing causes! Do you or one of your supporters have an amazing auction item… something really unique?  Does your charity have a celebrity patron who could auction off lunch with a fan to help your cause? Or perhaps you have an autographed collectable that could be fundraising gold… spread the word and see if your staff or supporters can help your charity.
 

TELL US WHAT PRODUCT YOU PREFER

Small Charity Week kicks off with I Love Small Charities Day – could there be a better start to the week? – and we want to produce merchandise that small charities can sell to raise funds whilst contributing to public awareness of Small Charity Week.  Below are some options – we’d love to know what you think will work best for small charities so please get in touch and let us know by following the link completing this very short survey!

Small Charity Week Merchandise Survey
 
Small Charity Week is all about you.  We want it to be even bigger and better than last year in every way, with more of you involved than ever before so please start thinking about how you can get involved in the small charity event of the year!