Resources for community groups

Do you have a community group or organisation, or do you hope to set up a new campaign? This section of our website lists resources for groups and organisations to help with campaigning, fundraising, setting up, and media work.

Can Stonewall help?
Setting up a new group
Campaigning links
Fundraising links
Media- our top tips
Student groups
Stonewall's charity funding pages

Can Stonewall help?

Stonewall can't fund your group or campaign, but we can assist in other ways.

You can have copies of our publications for free- perhaps our research might help with funding applications, or provide helpful reading material for visitors or staff. To see an up-to-date publication list, and to download PDF copies, click here.
We are happy to provide free online listings for community groups on our What's in my area section.
You can also order our Some people are gay, get over it! campaign materials for free. We have posters, postcards and stickers which you can distribute to supporters or display in your offices.

To order free materials, or request an online listing or update, call us on 08000 50 20 20. (Please note that if you order a very large quantity of publications that we may ask for a small donation to cover postage costs.)

Setting up a new group or organisation

Click here for the LGBT Consortium, a national network of LGBT organisations.
Click here for the Intercom Trust, which supports local LGBT organisations in the South West peninsula
Click here for the National Council for Voluntary Organisations' pages on legal structures for charities.
Click here for the Direct.gov guide to setting up a new charity.
Click here for the Charity Commission's page on setting up.
Click here for the NCVO's page on recruiting trustees.
Click here for the Charity Commission's page on registering a charity.

Campaigning?

Will you be setting up and running campaigns? If so, here's where to go for information:

Click here for NCVO's guide on running campaigns
Click here for the Houses of Parliament directory of MPs, Lords, and departments
Click here for TheyWorkForYou, a contact website for MPs.
Click here to set up a petition to the Prime Minister
Click here to set up an online petition on any issue

Media- top tips

Stonewall's Communications Officer Gary Nunn says that working effectively with the media is key to the success of any campaign. Here are his tips below for getting media coverage for your group or campaign:

Write a good media release: The best media releases are concise and use everyday English - avoiding jargon, acronyms and elaborate or flowery language. State all the facts within your first sentence or two, leaving minute detail in the Notes to Editors at the end. Include a short quote from a key contact in your organisation to liven it up a bit.

Be reactive: Reacting to news stories that directly affect your organisation is often an effective way of getting good media coverage. Be quick off the mark - before another organisation beats you to it, or the story becomes old news.

Be proactive: Don't forget - journalists want to hear your news. Don't be afraid to pick up the phone and chat through something your organisation has coming up that may interest them. Journalists especially like 'exclusive' news stories, so if you have an interesting angle to pitch, consider which publication would most like to cover it.

Keep your finger on the pulse: Keep an eye on politicians and celebrities alike - journalists will be watching their actions closely and what they do - or what they say - may be something you can neatly tie in with. Be open to opportunities to promote your organisation and its key priorities or campaigns - anything from awareness raising weeks to the opening of a new film could be a chance for you to grab some valuable column inches.

Know your audience: Think carefully about what different readers want. Is the publication you're pitching to positioned on the right or the left of the political spectrum? Is it gay or straight? Does it have more male or female readers? What age group is most likely to read it? What topics is the publication most likely to cover? The answer to all these questions will mean that each pitch you make is different.

Avoid over exposure: Not every story that breaks will be relevant for you to respond to. And not every piece of news your organisation has will be of interest to journalists. If you bombard them with e-mails and media releases, they'll hit the delete button before even reading it. Always think about the brand reputation of your organisation and don't dilute any credence you have as a campaigning body by becoming a "rent-a-gob". It'll only result in people not taking you - or your campaigns - seriously.

Click here for the Media Trust, an organisation which aims to help voluntary and charitable organisations with media work

Fundraising

Click here for the NCVO's guide to fundraising
Click here for JustGiving.com
Click here for the EasyFundraising website
Click here for the Institute of Fundraising
Click here for TrustFunding, a website you can search for charitable trusts and funds
Click here for the website of the Big Lottery Fund, which you can apply to for funding
Click here for the GrantFinder website, where you can search for funding