Frequently Asked Questions

Hart Voluntary Action is a Council for Voluntary Services (CVS). All CVSs are constituted to be membership organisations. A key role of each CVS is to represent the views of the voluntary and community sector at district and county level, and sometimes at regional or national level. We consult with our member organisations to ensure that their individual and collective voices and views are heard. We are also asked by external agencies to consult with our membership in order to influence policies and initiatives, as it is widely recognised that the “Third Sector” plays an important role in community engagement and community cohesion.

Here are some recent examples of requests for support we have received from our membership:

• Help with converting a charity from an unincorporated to an incorporated association (note we can provide guidance only and will signpost you to charity specialist solicitors where needed).

• Grant funding ideas for a community pre-school.
• Guidance on how to write a simple constitution for a parish community group.
• Publicity of a charity fundraising event via our newsletter.
• Promotion of job opportunities.
• Training sessions on Charity Law and Health and Safety for Managers.
• Holding grant funding on behalf of a community group, pending the opening of their own bank account.
• Use of the Volunteer Centre for committee meetings.

Membership is free and we do not charge for our regular services to our membership or the wider voluntary and community sector.  However, if your organisation requires more in-depth support (eg to write a funding application or to work with a committee on business planning or project development), please contact us as we may be able to assist for a small fee.

Any voluntary/community organisation that has been set up as a not-for-profit organisation, or in the case of social enterprises, where profits are re-invested for public benefit, and is benefiting or involving Hart residents. The voluntary and community sector is diverse, but includes the following types of organisation:

• registered charities
• faith organisations
• amateur sports clubs
• housing associations
• community interest companies/social enterprises
• special interest groups, clubs and societies
• health support groups and user-led organisations
• parish and town councils

If you are not sure if you organisation is eligible for membership, please contact us for more information.

Please complete the membership registration form and return to us by post or e-mail.  Once your registration has been received and notified to our Board of Trustees, you will automatically receive regular copies of our newsletter and invitations to meetings and events.

No problem, we will add your contact information to our circulation lists for newsletters, press releases, event information etc.

Yes we can. Please let us have contact information for any members of your organisation – preferably e-mail contact information to keep costs down.  If there is a member of your group who deals specifically with fundraising or with volunteer recruitment for example, do let us have this information as well, so that we can send targeted information to them.

We promise not to bombard you with information!  We send out one printed newsletter per member organisation three times a year (you can opt out and receive by e-mail only), quarterly invitations to our Voluntary Sector Forum by e-mail or letter, and invitations to training and other events as required.   We will also send out details of funding or networking opportunities, but try to target these e-mails.

We do not pass personal contact information to any third party without prior consent, particularly as many of our members operate from home addresses or are working with vulnerable clients.  We do share information about the services of our membership via our web directories and will only include home telephone numbers or personal e-mail addresses, where we have prior permission to do so.