Welcome to ACO

Helping Individuals in Need. A Guide to good practice for charities

This toolkit is intended for those running a charity that gives grants to individuals in need. Authored by Caroline Aldred and Clementine Cowl, the idea for this guide came out of the questions that arise frequently at ACO meetings such as ‘our trustees want to offer loans to applicants, but can we do this and what are the legal implications?’ or ‘how should we manage home visits?’ We hope that this guide will assist in finding answers to these questions.

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Annual Conference 2019

ACO Annual Conference will be held on Friday 10th May 2019 at One Great George Street, London SW1P 3AA

You've got a Friend

Benevolent funds are a force for good in a troubled world, offering a helping hand and a sympathetic ear to people in need. ACO members help people overcome isolation and loneliness and promote their wellbeing and economic independence. Join us for the sector's event of the yeara to hear thought-provoking speakers, network with your peers, make new friends and keep in touch with other like-minded staff and trustees.

Speakers include:

• Lindsay Judge, Senior Research & Policy Analyst at the Resolution Foundation
• Liz Emerson, Co-Founder, Intergenerational Foundation
• PR agency Definition
• Srabani Sen OBE, CEO and Founder at Full Colour
• Zoe Amar, Chair of The Charity Digital Code of Practice
• Henry Stewart, CEO and Chief Happiness Officer at Happy Ltd
  

Drinks reception supported by Wilsons Law LLP

Bookings now open!

You can book via Eventbrite

The funds managed by ACO members are discretionary and seek to complement and enhance welfare support provided by local and central government. Our members operate in the UK and across the globe. In recent years many funds have reviewed their operations, researching patterns of need and developing more strategic programmes of assistance

ACO provides support to its members through:

• Networking: building peer networks providing opportunities for members to share and get advice and support
• Raising standards: promoting good practice, tackling problems together and offering solutions
• Lobbying and campaigning: giving our members a voice by responding to government consultations and raising awareness about the work of our member organisations
• Information: providing members with up-to-date information tailored to their specific interests through our monthly newsletter "Charity News Review" and policy briefings
• Online services: our website and member forums provide opportunities to seek and share advice and experience

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Policy

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Latest News

Member spotlight: PRS for Music Members Benevolent Fund

March 2019

The PRS for Music Members Benevolent Fund provides financial help and advice to PRS members suffering hardship due to illness, accident, disability or conditions associated with old age. With over 450 grants awarded in 2016, totalling £351,273 it is clear how important the Fund is to members and their dependents in need.

One Day of Action PR Campaign

March 2019

At the end of last year, we appointed PR agency Definition to develop a national profile-raising campaign for ACO and our Member Organisations to share the work you all do for people across the country.

ACO Trustee Recruitment 2019

February 2019

We are now looking to recruit Trustees to support the continuous development of ACO. We have a strategic plan to transform the services we offer our members that is reviewed annually and agreed by trustees.

For the latest news via e-mail please Register