National Council for Voluntary Organisations

The National Council for Voluntary Organisations is the umbrella body for the voluntary and community sector in England. It is a registered charity. It works to support the voluntary and community sector and to create an environment in which an independent civil society can flourish. NCVO has a membership of more than 17,000 voluntary organisations. These range from large national bodies to community groups, volunteer centres, and development agencies working at a local level. In 2023, its income was £7.1million.

History

NCVO started in 1919 as the National Council of Social Service. NCSS was established in order to bring various voluntary bodies together and into closer relationships with government departments. Its foundation was made possible through a legacy from Edward Vivian Birchall, who had played a large part in the emergent voluntary sector before he was killed, aged 32, in France during the First World War.
On 1 April 1980, just over 60 years since its foundation, the NCSS became the National Council for Voluntary Organisations. On 1 January 2013, NCVO merged with Volunteering England.
The organisation's first headquarters were at 26 Bedford Square, London WC1.

Previous presidents

1919–1921: James Lowther, 1st Viscount Ullswater
1921–1928: J H Whitley
1928–1932: Captain E A FitzRoy
1932–1935: J H Whitley
1935–1938: Charles Bathurst, 1st Viscount Bledisloe
1938–1939: Harry Snell, 1st Baron Snell
1939–1951: Sir Percy Malcolm Stewart
1951–1954: E. F. L. Wood, 1st Earl of Halifax
1954–1957: Sir Edward Peacock
1964–1969: Lord Hayworth
1969–1973: Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh
1973–1981: Sir John Partridge
1981–1986: Sir John Hedley Greenborough
1986–1991: Sir Kenneth Durham
1991–1997: Sir Campbell Adamson
1997–2002: Raymond Plant, Baron Plant of Highfield
2002–2007: Patricia Rawlings, Baroness Rawlings
2007–2012: Robin Hodgson, Baron Hodgson of Astley Abbotts
2012–2017: Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson
2017–2024: Baroness Jill Pitkeathley
Activity

NCVO headquarters are in the King's Cross area of London. NCVO represents the views of its members, and the wider voluntary sector to government, the European Union and other bodies. It carries out research into, and analysis of, the voluntary and community sector. It campaigns on issues affecting the whole of the voluntary and community sector, such as the role of voluntary and community organisations in public service delivery and the future of local government. It provides information, advice and support to other organisations and individuals working in or with the voluntary and community sector.
Many now well-established voluntary organisations started out as projects within NCVO, including Age Concern, Citizens Advice, the Charities Aid Foundation, the Black Environment Network, the Youth Hostels Association and the National Federation of Young Farmers' Clubs.
In July 2019, NCVO's charity tax commission, chaired by Sir Nicholas Montagu, issued a report calling for the overhaul of tax reliefs to UK charities.

Governance

NCVO's President, since 2024, is Delyth Morgan, Baroness Morgan of Drefelin. Dr Priya Singh is NCVO's Chair. In 2021, Karl Wilding, who had succeeded Sir Stuart Etherington as Chief Executive in 2020, was replaced by Sarah Vibert on a permanent basis in March 2022. Etherington had succeeded Judy Weleminsky in 1994. Kate Lee was appointed Chief Executive in August 2025.

Finances

In the year ending March 2023, NCVO had income of £7.1million, of which £250,000 was from government grants.
Its expenditure was £6.9M, of which £5.8M was spent on its charitable purpose.

Sister organisations

The equivalent infrastructure bodies for voluntary organisations in other parts of the UK are:

On 5 February 2021, Third Sector magazine published details of an independent external review of the organisation's culture. The review was reported to have found "evidence of 'bullying and harassment' on the basis of race, gender, sexual orientation and disability happening 'with impunity' at all levels of the organisation, leaving members of minority groups there feeling 'unsafe at work'." Following the revelations, NCVO announced a series of new strategic decisions including the closing of its searchable database for fundraisers, Funding Central. Karl Wilding stepped down from the position of chief executive in February 2021, citing the need for new leadership to bring about systemic cultural change at the organisation.