We asked our business members and stakeholders to tell us how they are supporting the cultural sector and have created a section on our website which lists their responses, giving a flavour of what expertise they have to offer which is focused on sector needs, questions and concerns.

Of course, these businesses offer a whole range of services, not just the areas listed below.  Click on the various links below and please do explore what they have to offer.

Alongside these there is also information from a whole range of public and other bodies that caught our eye, with lots of guidance and information about the various government measures, as well as how to support our organisations and our employees through the current crisis.

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Charity Governance

Turcan Connell (The Charity Law Team) - Charity governance and the issues around end of year accounts and much more.
Charity E-News March 2020
https://www.turcanconnell.com/

OSCR – the first port of call for many of your questions
https://www.oscr.org.uk/guidance-and-forms/covid-19-guidance-for-charities/

SCVO – and if not OSCR then here!  Regularly updated with official information for charities, community groups, social enterprises and voluntary organisations
https://scvo.org.uk/support/coronavirus

Click here to read advice from A&BS on Governance during the COVID-19 pandemic 

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Employment Matters

Anderson Strathern - Arts, Business and Heritage and the Job Retention Scheme.
Arts, Business and Heritage and the Job Retention Scheme

Bruce Tait Associates - How to be an effective and compassionate leader through the Coronavirus Crisis
https://www.brucetaitassociates.net/how-to-provide-effective-compassionate-leadership-in-crisis

HM Revenue & Customs - COVID-19 – helping employers to support employees
Webinar - https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/UKHMRCED/bulletins/283cdd7
 
Citizens Advice Scotland – Coronavirus – what it means for you
https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/scotland/health/coronavirus-what-it-means-for-you-s/

ACAS – regular webinars provides practical advice for employers to help manage the impact of coronavirus in the workplace.
https://www.acas.org.uk/webinars

ACOSVO -  is leading on providing peer support for chief executives and senior leaders. 
https://www.acosvo.org.uk/coronavirus-covid19

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Funding

Creative Scotland

• Second phase of requests for the Bridging Bursary are now open (as at 20 April 2020)
  https://www.creativescotland.com/funding/funding-programmes/bridging-bursary
• An A-Z of funding and resources available to those in the creative community, who have been affected by Coronavirus (Covid-19).
  https://www.creativescotland.com/resources/professional-resources/covid-19-directory
• Coronavirus advice updates
  https://www.creativescotland.com/what-we-do/latest-news/archive/2020/02/coronavirus-advice
• Report into the approaches to funding being taken by the various Trusts and Foundations. – as at 1 April 2020.
  Creative Scotland Major Trust Funds Summary

Scottish Government

• Support for the newly self-employed and firms suffering hardship to be paid in early May.
  https://www.gov.scot/news/lifeline-support-for-business-confirmed/
• Support available for those working in the cultural and creative industries.
  https://www.gov.scot/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-culture-and-creative-sector-support/
• Small Business Support Grant https://www.mygov.scot/non-domestic-rates-coronavirus/grants-to-help-non-domestic-businesses-during-coronavirus/

The Charity Excellence Framework - the COVID19 Funder List (updated regularly), with 250+ funding sources listed, with links to other funding lists bringing that to over 1000.
https://www.charityexcellence.co.uk/

Social Investment Scotland – Support offered by SIS, along with where to look for further support and resources.
https://www.socialinvestmentscotland.com/support/covid-19-support/

SCVO – Information on various funds – including the Third Sector Resilience Fund - set up to support organisations deal with the impact of coronavirus on services
https://scvo.org.uk/support/coronavirus/funding

The National Lottery * - Heritage Emergency Fund is now welcoming applications for larger grants to cover emergency costs during the coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis. https://www.heritagefund.org.uk/funding/heritage-emergency-fund

*Extended deadline - the deadline has been extended to 31 July 2020. Find out more: https://www.heritagefund.org.uk/news/heritage-emergency-fund-launches-help-sector-updated 

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Money matters

Scott Moncrieff – Filing with Companies House, VAT, HMRC and much more.
https://www.scott-moncrieff.com/assets/publications/Supporting_you_and_your_business_guide_2_(Scott-Moncrieff).pdf

RSM - Coronavirus: Practical steps and Government reliefs for charities
https://www.rsmuk.com/ideas-and-insights/advice-for-the-charity-sector-during-coronavirus
Two handy guides to VAT:
Managing the Impact of Covid-19 on VAT Recovery – including where a drop off in income will impact on VAT recovery and how best that might be mitigated.
Navigating the VAT Recovery Maze - which includes useful information about VAT recovery on production costs)

Chiene + Tait – a free business financial diagnostic tool
https://www.chiene.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/CT-Covid-Assistance-web.pdf
https://www.chiene.co.uk/covid-19-guidance-and-support/

Company House - are you worried that your accounts might be late? apply for an automatic and immediate three month extension. https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-guidance-for-companies-house-customers-employees-and-suppliers#changes-to-strike-off-policy-and-late-filing-penalties

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Safeguarding your business

Davidson Chalmers Stewart - Working from Home, Data Protection and Security Challenges
https://www.dcslegal.com/news-and-insights/working-home-data-protection-and-security-challenges
 
Keegan & Pennykid – How will your Insurance Policy respond in the current Covid-19 Outbreak?
https://www.keegan-pennykid.com/2020/04/how-will-your-insurance-policy-respond-in-the-current-covid-19-outbreak/

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Other

Scottish Tech Army - offering free help for immediate and ongoing technology issues. https://www.scottishtecharmy.org/

Companies House - guidance on making workplaces as safe as possible. shorturl.at/msuW2

Culture Counts’ advocacy work - Culture Counts works on behalf of a group of core members to place the arts, screen, heritage and creative industries at the heart of policy making. They proposed Culture and Creative Industries Infrastructure Fund to Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Fair Work and Culture and their Collaborative Advocacy Factsheet  of quotes from research to quote in your own advocacy work are designed to support cultural organisations in ongoing communications with Scottish Government, Parliamentary committees, and discussions with decision makers. 

Creative Carbon Scotland - providing support for organisations trying to continue green work and avoid coronavirus having negative effects on progress to make the sector more environmentally sustainable. https://www.creativecarbonscotland.com/green-arts-initiative/

Image by congerdesign from Pixabay