Sector Development

BVSC provides a full range of support services for voluntary and community groups.

Looking for Funding?

Open 4 Community is a website set up to help Birmingham organisations search for appropriate funding opportunities.

Ask BVSC

Ask BVSC can help organisations by prior appointment or through our enquiry line: 0121 678 8888. Ask BVSC offers:

• Details of voluntary and community organisations in Birmingham and information about your local development agency;
• Advice on how to set up and run a voluntary or community organisation, including information on legal structures, charitable status and constitutions and policies and procedures;
• Funding information and advice using the software programme Funderfinder
• Subscription to BVSC’s free monthly newsletter Update with news, views and practical tips.

Does your organisation need support to develop?

BVSC is here to help! By completing BVSC's organisation health check BVSC can identify what support and advice your organisation needs in order to thrive.

The health check is broken into sections. Some sections may not be relevant to your organisation. It maybe worth considering any long-term issues that may arise in the future.

The health check covers the following areas:

• Organisational status
• Strategic direction
• Governance and Management
• Policies and Procedures
• Funding
• Staff and Volunteers
• Monitoring, evaluation and learning

Information Advice & Guidance

We can help you to:

• Get access to resources for  managing finances for voluntary and community organisations;
• Drafting formal constitutions and articles of association; and
• Find information on training, conferences and seminars.

Networking & partnerships

In recent years partnership working between public, private, and voluntary and community organisations has increased dramatically. BVSC can help clarify the often confusing range of opportunities by:

• Helping gain representation by voluntary and community organisations on strategic and other partnerships
• Signposting and linking voluntary and community groups to emerging strategies and partnerships
• Accessing a range of partnerships and initiatives through the various teams of BVSC
• For more information on Sector Development services, contact Ian Angus on 0121 678 8834 or via email iana@bvsc.org

Links

Open 4 Community 
A website set up to help Birmingham organisations search for funding opportunities
www.open4community.info/bvsc

Birmingham & Solihull Social Economy Consortium (BSSEC)
A network of agencies and enterprises involved in the social economy in Birmingham and Solihull. http://www.bssec.org.uk

Local Development Agencies in Birmingham
A network of locally based and well established voluntary organisations who work to share their experience, knowledge and skills with less established groups.
http://www.birmingham-da.org

Online Resources

You can download a variety of factsheets and resources from the Development Agencies website