Topics in this section will help you start up and run a community archive group. You’ll also find guidance on managing volunteers and seeking funding.
Setting up a new archive
Funding
Managing volunteers
Equity, diversity and inclusion
Succession planning
Evaluation
Environmental sustainability
How to archive your own organisation
Setting up a new archive
Writing a Constitution (UK) (link to external website)
Covers everything you need to know about developing a constitution with sample document
Source: Resource Centre (Charity)
Sample constitution (Ireland) (link to external website)
A good example constitution for Irish groups
Source: Mayo Public Participation Network
How to: Community Groups (link to external website)
Straightforward guidance on topics such as running meetings, holding an AGM and managing a bank account. Each topic has a pdf download.
Source: Supporting Communities (charity)
Help and guidance for setting up & running a charitable organisation (UK) (link to external website)
Comprehensive suite of information for a group wanting to register as a charity
Source: National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO)
Funding
Heritage Fund – funding programmes (link to external website)
List of funding programmes, some relevant to community archives, notably the National Lottery Grants for Heritage (£3,000 to £10,000).
Source: Heritage Fund
Archive sector funding from The National Archives (link to external website)
A list of all the grants available from TNA, including the Scoping Grants and the Cataloguing Grants, which are relevant.
Source: National Archives
Crowd sourcing as a method of funding (link to external website)
Advice for groups, including a list of crowd sourcing platforms.
Source: British Association for Local History
Business planning and funding application tips for heritage organisations (link to external website)
Series of videos and articles that take into account current economic challenges.
Source: Rebuilding Heritage
Managing volunteers
Volunteering: ‘How to’ Guides (link to external website)
Good range of resources for setting up a volunteer programme.
Source: Volunteer Ireland
DBS Check Application Process for volunteers (link to external website)
Government guidance on applying for Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) checks for volunteers
Source: UK Government
Equity, diversity and inclusion
Getting started with Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (link to external website)
Help to improve your organisation’s approach to equity, diversity and inclusion
Source: The National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO)
Succession planning
Making a Succession Plan (link to external website)
A useful introduction to the issues to be considered/addressed through succession planning.
Source: Council for British Archaeology
Evaluation
Evaluation (link to external website)
Clear and accessible guidance plus case studies
Source: Sporting Heritage: Toolkit
Environmental sustainability
How to consider enviromental sustainability in your heritage project (link to external website)
Guidance related to the Heritage Fund funding requirements plus guidance on good practice and accessing practical support
Source: Heritage Fund
How to archive your own organisation
Digital Preservation for Small Businesses: An Introductory Guide (link to external website )
Though this is aimed at small businesses, it provides a good, accessible overview of how to set about archiving your own group’s activities as an organisation.
Source: Digital Preservation Coalition (commissioned by Archives and Record Council, Wales), 2022
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