Free and discounted resources for charities
Been scouring the internet for a budget-friendly CRM system or impacting reporting tool? In need of urgent legal advice or IT support but can’t make the numbers work?
Did you know that, as a charity, you can get all these things (and more) for free/at a reduced rate?
In the current climate, every penny counts, so we’ve put together a handy list of free/low-cost resources you can draw on to make your budget stretch further.
Office furniture
Need some office furniture to accommodate your expanding fundraising team?
Contact Collecteco. They partner with companies to donate unwanted/surplus office furniture, equipment, and materials to good causes across the UK, enabling you to furnish your office for free.
All you need to do is send them a wish list of the items you need via this form and they’ll let you know when a match becomes available. When it does, they can also arrange low-cost delivery.
IT support & software
Want to upgrade your website but lacking in internal IT resources? Check out the Charity IT Association (CITA).
CITA is an easy-to-use platform that matches charities to IT professionals looking to donate their time and expertise to the third sector.
Typical projects include migrating to a new software system, e-mail setup and management, and IT software or hardware selection and deployment.
The service is free for charities with an income of £50k or less. There’s a small charge for larger charities.
You can find out more and register your charity here.
Legal advice
Legal advice costs a fortune … unless you know where to look.
Enter LawWorks: a charity that connects volunteer solicitors with people in need of legal advice, who are not eligible for legal aid and cannot afford to pay, and with the charities that support them.
Their Not-for-Profits Programme provides free legal advice to small charities on a wide range of legal issues, to support the continuation and expansion of their services.
They can help with one-off legal issues (like drafting a contract, reviewing a lease, updating a constitution, or clarifying rights in a commercial dispute); or on a longer-term basis, for example, to carry out a review of your organisation's documents, identify potential legal issues, and/or be a first port of call for legal queries).
They also have a range of legal resources on their website that answer some of the frequently asked questions they receive from charities.
Find out more on their website.
Management consultancy
Need a hand with your charity strategy, business plan, financial management, governance, or impact reporting? The Cranfield Trust can help.
The charity provides pro bono consultancy and management support to charities, through their network of skilled volunteer consultants and advisers.
They help to build resilient and sustainable charities using their Journey to Excellence framework, offering free support in four key management areas: Leadership and Strategic Direction, People Management, Financial Management and Sustainability, and Performance and Impact.
They also have a library of free webinars that cover topics such as charity business planning and strategy, bid writing, and financial forecasting.
Check you’re eligible for support and drop them an email here.
Looking to expand your fundraising team? We can help. Give us a call on 020 3750 3111 or email info@bamboofundraising.co.uk to get started.