SCVO

Thank you to everyone who joined us at our 'Creating community: village halls and community spaces conference'!

The day was a chance for people running village and community spaces across Scotland to connect, share ideas, and inspire each other. We covered a wide range of topics to support connected community spaces, from fundraising and motivating volunteers, to cyber safety, climate confidence and more!

Huge thanks to our event partners Scottish rural network, Keegan & Pennykid (Insurance Brokers) Ltd, Utility Aid and Hallmaster Ltd for their generous support and helping us run such a successful event.

If you missed the conference but are looking for helpful information about taking on, running, growing or adapting a village or community space - then make sure you check out our village and community halls handbook ⬇️

The second part of our latest Pulse reports as part of the Scottish Third Sector Tracker covered funding, the Scottish election, the changing environment and relationships with funders.

Those in the focus groups described severe and growing funding insecurity, with election‑related delays, reduced or withdrawn long‑term funding, and a lack of clarity from government and funders.

Read more from our latest research: https://buff.ly/CYs0wux

This week we have published the first of our Pulse reports as part of the Scottish Third Sector Tracker.

The two reports paint clear picture of a sector under growing and ongoing pressure. The first, focusing on funding and relationships with funders showed organisations committed to their communities despite deep frustration and exhaustion with the funding landscape.

Read the full details of both reports now on the SCVO website: https://buff.ly/XKGvJwM

Thanks to TFN for their coverage of the reports: https://buff.ly/1QFuvOz

Following his election as First Minister, SCVO Chief Executive Anna Fowlie has written to John Swinney MSP to outline the challenges which still face our sector, and our hope that organisations - including the Scottish Government - can work towards solving them in this parliament.

As he sets out the priorities for this Scottish Government, SCVO is urging the First Minister to make early progress on the priorities set out in SCVO’s 2026 Scottish Parliament election manifesto, Scotland’s Essential Sector.

✉️ Read our letter in full: https://buff.ly/2Brox54

👏 Let's hear it for our 35 fantastic finalists! From creative campaigns and climate action, to people and partnerships that are changing lives - our finalists are a shining example of how essential our voluntary sector is.

Head to our website to catch up on their inspiring stories and book your place to join us at our celebratory awards ceremony as we announce this year's winners! ⬇️
https://buff.ly/4bylEs4

This week marks the launch of A Million Acts of Hope. Accompanying this is a week of action, running from 13 to 20 May, which will see people and organisations celebrating hope and unity in our communities — shining a light on what is often overlooked, the everyday acts of care, solidarity and kindness that make a difference to our communities.

SCVO chief executive Anna Fowlie welcomes the campaign, and writes for Third Force News about the determination among Scotland's voluntary sector to do great things for people, communities and the environment, at a very local level or globally.

Read in full below, or visit the A Million Acts of Hope campaign's website - https://buff.ly/OoXefqW

How hope can help us overcome fear and despair - TFN Anna Fowlie welcomes the Million Acts of Hope campaign

Funding remains one of the biggest challenges facing voluntary organisations today. Whether you're just starting out with securing funding or want to start getting better results, our new Funding fundamentals series can help.

We have two short online courses coming up soon. Each one is 90 minutes and packed with practical guidance you can put to use straight away.

✅ Funding fundamentals: growing support through giving and events, 21 May
✅ Funding fundamentals: choosing the right funds and thinking like a funder, 18 June

Places are limited, so visit our website for all the details and to book your spot to join us ⬇️
https://buff.ly/oqdRE6Y

Events & training - SCVO Supporting Scotland's vibrant voluntary sector

🏆️ Have you caught up on our finalist stories yet?

From standout campaigns and partnerships to impressive climate action, life-changing services and ordinary people doing extraordinary things to support their communities, this year's 35 finalists show just how essential Scotland's voluntary sector is.

Recognise a finalist from your community? Head to our website to read their stories and show your support. ⬇️
https://buff.ly/4bylEs4

🎉 Meet your Scottish Charity Awards 2026 finalists! Our annual awards celebrate the impactful work of Scotland’s essential sector.

Each of our 35 incredible finalists is a remarkable example of the positive difference people and voluntary organisations make to communities across Scotland, day in and day out.

Visit our website to meet each of our finalists and learn more about their inspiring stories! ⬇️
https://buff.ly/4bylEs4

🏆️

📸 We've created snapshots of data for regions across Scotland to give you quick, easily accessible information, relevant to your area. It's a valuable way to stay informed and support your organisation's decision-making.

Search our snapshots to find your region, and share the findings with your colleagues and board ⬇️
https://buff.ly/6FNAASL