Useful Links

Advertising Standards Authority

The Advertising Standards Authority is the independent body set up by the advertising industry to police the rules laid down in the advertising codes. The website contains a host of information, including the codes themselves, adjudications and details of how to complain.

Ask Charity

Ask Charity, operated by the Voluntary Action Media Unit is a free online contacts book for media professionals who want to get into contact with charities. The website allows journalists to search a database for contacts. It also contains a form which charities wanted to be listed can fill in and submit.

Broadcast Advertising Clearance Centre

The BACC is an industry-funded body responsible for the pre-transmission examination and clearance of UK television advertisements. The website contains guidelines of advertising content and allows advertisers to register and submit their material digitally for examination.

Charity Communications

The Charity Communications annual conference is intended to be an event that is both 'of' and 'for' the charity sector. Its website contains details on the conference itinerary and a chance to comment on it via a talkboard. It also allows delegates to sign up.

Charity Facts

Charity Facts is a website designed to give information about charities' legal structures and fundraising activities to potential donors. The site also contains lots of information on tax-efficient giving, as well as further useful resources.

Charity technology trust

Charity Technology Trust's mission is to provide the best technology solutions available to enhance the ways in which charities interact with their supporters and clients, and manage their administration. The website contains a wealth of case studies of how charities have used technology for communication, fundraising and other activities.

Chronicle of Philanthropy

The Chronicle of Philanthropy is an American newspaper covering the nonprofit sector. Much of the site is subscription only, though the main stories on the site's home page can be accessed by anyone. Subscription details are available on the site; a web-only subscription is available.

CIPR Fifth Estate

Fifth Estate is a professional support organisation open to anyone involved in public relations in the third sector. It hosts regular meetings with speakers from the media and third sector organisations, as well as workshops in corporate identity and event management. The website lists such upcoming events. The organisation also publishes a newsletter and runs a peer mentoring scheme and a membership directory.

Community Channel

The Community Channel is a TV station dedicated to highlighting issues from both local and international communities, as well as the voluntary and charitable sectors. The website allows you to watch the channel's current programming, as well as providing information on schedules, campaigns and volunteering opportunities. A blogspot also allows users to upload text, images and videos about their favourite charities.

Community Media Association

The Community Media Association is the UK representative body for the Community Media sector. The site contains information about community media and links to numerous community radio stations. It also contains news and information on the campaigns and educational activities organised by CMA.

Direct Marketing Association

The Direct Marketing Association is a global trade association of businesses and non-profit organisations using direct marketing techniques. Its website contains lists of events, a host of research on direct marketing and details of how to join the organisation.

Guide Star

Guidestar is an online database of UK charities. The website allows charities to update their entries, which include contact, organisational and fiancial information, as well as information about the charity's activities. The site also contains lots of background information about the charity sector, and offers a range of services to members of the public and legal sector who are interested in working with charities. There is also a forum where people can discuss any aspect of the charitable sector.

Intelligent Giving

Intelligent Giving is an independently financed and run website aimed at providing potential donors with as much information as possible about charities. The site examines over 1300 charities from across the sector, providing basic financial information. More information is provided about 500 larger charities, including links to their annual reports. They are also rated on transparency. The site also contains lots of background articles and information about how to give most effectively.

Media Trust

The Media Trust is a registered charity with a mission to help other charities communicate. It provides professional media skills, resources, training, information and contacts. Its website offers the chance for media professionals to sign up to volunteer. It also allows charities to sign up for various events, and to have their press releases written up into stories for the Media Trust's community newswire.

Non-Profit Times

The Non-Profit Times is a US-based business publication for non-profit management. As well as news, its website contains various background resources and guides to fundraising, technology and non-profit suppliers. It also allows users to sign up for subscriptions to the magazine and e-newsletters.

Voluntary Action Media Unit

The Voluntary Action Media Unit, part of TimeBank, aims to research and improve the relationship between charities and the media, improving the voluntary sector's media profile and the effectiveness of its volunteer recruitment campaigns. Its website contains an archive of the unit's previous research and invites contributions to its current projects.