Free Resources for London-Based Charities
Discover free, useful resources for London-based charities and community groups here. These resources are designed to help upskill charitable organisations, from volunteers through to leadership teams. Topics covered include digital inclusion, guidance on data use, and charity-specific support.
These free resources are provided by our partner organisations. If your organisation provides similar resources for charities or not-for-profits, or you would like to share a resource on London Calling, please get in touch.
AI Resources Hub
by CAST
The CAST AI Resources Hub is a living library of resources that will support you to explore the challenges and opportunities associated with AI.
Charity Data and Research
by London Plus
Building on the foundation of excellent existing research within the charity sector, London Plus is committed to expanding their efforts in the areas of data and research. Data and research by London Plus aims to empower community groups and charities across London, helping groups to maximise the potential of research and data initiatives while gaining a deeper understanding of the community groups and charities served.
Charity Funding Finder Grants Directory
Charity Excellence’s free Funding Finder Charity Grants Directory enables users to search for more charitable funds than any other grants database. It has its own charity funders but it also uses its hundreds of Funding Finder links connected to online charity funding lists and other free charitable grants directories in the UK and globally.
Charity Setup
by NCVO
Charity Setup is a free tool for setting up a charity, hosted by NCVO. This guide will steer you through the logistics of setting up a charity in simple steps.
Data First Aid Service
Pro Bono Economics is a registered charity supporting fellow charities through their Data First Aid service. You can receive pro bono support from dedicated volunteer economists to help with ad hoc data needs, from data analysis and visualisation, to spreadsheet tasks or short pieces of research.
Data Resources
by DataKind UK
Discover useful data-related resources provided by DataKind UK. These include resources on: algorithmic audits, data ethics, data maturity assessment, mapping resources, net promoter score, and safeguarding resources.
Design Hops: Free Six-Week Digital Training Programme
by CAST
Design Hops is a unique, hands-on programme that helps charities and social organisations explore and develop new digital ideas, no matter their level of experience with digital technology.
Offered by CAST, this interactive course takes you through essential steps to think differently about the challenges that your service users, volunteers or colleagues might be facing, and to start small but impactful digital projects.
Design Thinking Course
by CAST
Learn Design Thinking is a five-week, self-serve course by CAST. Join this free course to learn about design thinking, with information and support on turning data into actionable ideas, testing ways to adapt your services, creating design and delivery roadmaps and more.
Digital Leadership Programme
Discover Superhighways’ practical digital leadership programme of training and advice for leaders of charities and community organisations across London, created in partnership with London Plus, The Foundation for Social Improvement (FSI) and National Association for Voluntary and Community Action (NAVCA).
Digital Development Toolkit
by CAST
CAST’s Digital Toolkit hosts 25 free tools and resources, designed to support organisations moving through a process of researching, defining and developing a digital product, platform or service.
Follow the four stages of Mindset > Discover > Define > Develop. Each stage is divided into clear steps, with information and resources.
Digital Resource for Carers
by Carers UK
The Digital Resource for Carers brings together a number of specially designed digital products and online resources, to help organisations provide comprehensive information and support for carers.
Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Training
Action for Race Equality offers tailored training, facilitation and consultancy services to meet the challenges of delivering to a diverse population. Drawing on expertise gained over 30 years of supporting public, private and third sector organisations, their services are ideally suited to help develop employees, volunteers and leadership to design and deliver services for diverse communities.
Guidance on Generative AI
by London Office of Technology and Innovation (LOTI)
Generative AI (also known as GenAI) is a type of AI that can create realistic human-like text, images, code and art in response to questions (prompts) written by users in normal language. LOTI worked with its members and partners to create guidance for local authorities to make sure they are able to confidently approach aspects of GenAI.
Information Governance Review
by London Office of Technology and Innovation (LOTI)
Ongoing and regular review of the processing of personal data should be a part of a continuous improvement approach. LOTI has created a resource to help you to conduct an Information Governance (IG) Review to benefit your projects, processes and organisation.
Conducting an IG Review is a positive and effective way to consider the risks and benefits to your organisation and the people whose personal data you are processing.
Learn My Way
Learn My Way is Good Things Foundation’s free online platform that helps people gain basic digital skills and build confidence in using the internet.
Members of the National Digital Inclusion Network can use Learn My Way to help their community improve their digital skills, for free. To access Learn My Way as an organisation, join the National Digital Inclusion Network. The Network is made up of thousands of digital inclusion hubs across the UK, all working to tackle digital exclusion by delivering digital support to their communities.
Free Resources for Aspiring Trustees
If you are looking for help becoming a trustee, Getting OnBoard has a roster of free resources to help. Here, you can find out how to become a trustee, aspiring trustee resources, and help to find the perfect trusteeship.
Free Online Resources for Not-For-Profits
Kingston Voluntary Action has compiled various free online resources to assist not-for-profit organisations, from setup to finance and everything in between.
Free Resources for Small London-Based Charities
by Directory of Social Change (DSC)
With the support of City Bridge Foundation, the Directory of Social Change is offering a range of free resources available for London-based charities that are least able to access or afford support. Resources include digital books, free access to online courses and conferences, funding datasets, and more.
Shared Digital Guides
by CAST
Shared Digital Guides are practical guides on using digital, data and design – written by charities, for charities. So far, more than 80 Guides have been shared – and this number is growing. Browse the current library of digital guides or add your own!
Social Tariffs Toolkit
by London Office of Technology and Innovation (LOTI)
The Social Tariffs Toolkit is developed by LOTI and Ofcom to encourage signposting to broadband social tariffs. Social tariffs are cheaper broadband and phone packages for people claiming Universal Credit, Pension Credit and some other benefits.
Supporting Dementia Care Toolkit
by London Office of Technology and Innovation (LOTI)
The Supporting Dementia Care Toolkit is developed by LOTI and the Helix Centre as part of the Digital Inclusion Innovation Programme. It highlights how digital technologies help to provide community dementia support and reduce loneliness.
User Research Course
by CAST
Learn User Research is a seven-week, self-serve course by CAST. Join this free self-serve course to learn about different types of user research and key recruiting principles, as well as how to write research questions and synthesise your interview notes.
Free Volunteering Support & Resources
Link UP London connects skilled volunteers to social good organisations in London. Their resource library provides access to case studies, on-demand events, useful links, and more.
Website Builder
Superhighways uses the e-voice web building platform which offers free websites to voluntary and community groups, schools and colleges, councillors, and public sector. It’s simple to edit and add content such as videos and blogs, and hosting is free!
