Useful sites

Big Lottery Fund Awards lottery money to community groups and projects that improve health, education and the environment.

Businessballs Free online resource for business, careers and life learning; training materials for entrepreneurs, organisations, self-development, business etc.

Business Continuity Institute The world’s leading institute for business continuity.

Chartered Institute of Marketing The national institute for marketing. Source of information about marketing and qualified marketers.

Charity Commission The regulator for charities in England and Wales proividing details of the  of all registered charities, who runs them, what they do, their financial state etc. The beta site is well worth using

Cobweb Information A leading publisher of guides, factsheets and reports relating to business.

Community Interest Companies Information about CICs which are a particular type of social enterprise – what they are, how they work and the regulations attaching to them

Companies House The searchable registry of incorporated companies with lots of related information and online tools.

Cooperatives UK The national trade body that campaigns for co-operation and works to promote, develop and unite co-operative enterprises in the UK

Crowd funding sites that enable you to secure investment or be an investor for a range of new businesses – Angels Den, Crowdpatch, Kickstarter

Department of Business Innovation and Skills Central government department for economic growth. The department invests in skills and education to promote trade, boost innovation and help people to start and grow a business. BIS also protects consumers and reduces the impact of regulation.

Eastside Primetimers A management consultancy with a difference. Working exclusively on behalf of non-profits, they provide accessible professional support to help CEOs and Boards who are seeking ways to transform their organisations to be fit for the future. Chris Greenhill is an associate consultant.

Essex Partnership Public sector reform in Essex. Includes the Public Sector Reform Unit which evolved from the Whole Essex Community Budgets pilot of 2012.

Get Legal Handy decision tool to help you decide on the most appropriate legal entity for a social business.

Good Finance Very useful site to help charities & social enterprises navigate the complex world of social investment. The Outcomes Matrix developed by Big Society Capital is a reference source for social impact measurement and aims to develop a common language regarding social investment and impact assessment in the social sector.

GOV.UK The government’s consolidated information portal includes a business section that replaces the old Business Link website.

Harlow Business Mentors Local (and sometimes free!) support for enterprises operating in and Harlow, Essex.

Harlow Chamber of Commere Harlow’s Chamber represents the local businesses and supports enterprise in the area. Members benefit from networking meetings, seminars and local business information.

Harlow Council Business Pages  Harlow Council’s page of links and information on a variety of topics to support existing business in the area, those planning to start their own business, and those thinking of locating in Harlow.

HMRC The government’s website for everything relating to taxation. Also see their tax widget in the sidebar of this page.

Institute of Fundraising Representation and support organisation for voluntary sector fundraising. Their Five Minute Fundraiser page is well worth a visit.

Institute of Consulting The professional body for the consultancy profession and is an organisation within the Chartered Management Institute, the only chartered professional body that is dedicated to management and leadership.

Microsoft Small Business Centre Looking at business from the [Microsoft] technology perspective including hints and tips about using IT.

National Council for Voluntary Organisations National organisation suporting charities and other Third Sector organisations. Main source of advice and learning is their microsite KnowHowNonProfit

New Philanthropy Capital A think tank and consultancy charity specialising in social impact, governance and strategy. Some excellent free downloads of reports and guides.

Outcomes Star A family of evidence-based tools, widely used by charities, local authorities and other statutory bodies, for measuring and supporting change when working with people.

Projectmanager.com Site devoted to project management with their own cloud-based subscription software. Has a lot of useful videos and other free resources.

Small Charities Coalition A networking, mentoring and support organisation for small charities. They work with trustees, staff and volunteers to help them find solutions to the challenges they face.

Six Sigma Find out more about the Six Sigma and Lean approach to business improvement.

Starting your own Business e-Learning Tool HM Revenue & Customs FREE e-learning tool that advises on the tax and National Insurance issues involved in starting your own business. The package can be completed in bite-size pieces and covers subjects including: Starting in business, record keeping, VAT and becoming an employer. Incorporated into the package are learning checks and videos as well as links to further advice on YouTube & gov.uk website.

Strategyzer A strategic management template called Business Model Canvas used for developing new or documenting existing business models. The site has free downloads of template and supporting videos.

Vertex42 If you love the things that Excel can do for your business, this site has some great free downloads.

Volresource Practical resources for people involved in charities, voluntary or community organisations.

  • HMRC Tax Widget

    HMRC is in the process of revamping its useful tax widget. We'll embed it here when it becomes available. In the meantime, you might find the following links to HMRC resources helpful.

    HMRC YouTube channel

    HMRC Webinars

    The HMRC App
    (click logos below to download)

    apple app store

    google play