Welcome to the SmithMartin LLP online resources To download our files - put your mouse pointer over the download icon at the bottom of the relevant text, right click your mouse and 'open link in a new window'. These files need Adobe pdf  reader - download a free copy here.

SmithMartin Business Prospectus

This pdf file contains the themes and issues we address in our practice, as well as brief biographies of our principal partners. It also features our support services around children's books, literacy, ICT and web communications for communities. We are a flexible, learning and inclusive organisation, dedicated to creating effective long term partnerships and projects. (Pdf file / 124kb).

SmithMartin Operational Policies

Our pdf policy file contains our approach to inclusion, equality, sustainable resources and recruitment amongst others. We are always happy to write to you outlining our working style and highlighting how our policies temper practical project delivery.

NEW Supporting SEF in your Centre NEW

How can SmithMartin help support your Centre self evaluation process? You can see our experience, time frames for delivery and fee strucutre for our support in this short document.

A Strong Brand for your charity!

A clear framework from nfpSynergy in 2008 on how to brand your charitable activity. The lessons and guidance offered hold good for any social business or community group to plan for good marketing, a clear perception of their mission and how to maximise partner engagement.

Finance for Social Enterprise

--------------------------------------------------------- This revised Social Enterprise London report, edited by Andrew Bibby, offers some great pointers to how your finance should look, what should be in it and gives some useful links to find out more. (.pdf file)

The Tax Implications of Charity Trading

----------------------------------------------------------- A great resource - detailed and broad in its scope, which offers a comprehemsive overview of the tax and trade framework for charities. A good practice guide from the Charity Finance Directors Group.

Limits of Social Enterprise

---------------------------------------------------------- A useful document from the SEEDCO Policy Centre - detailing how successful social enterprises can avoid the 'ideas gap'. Still a very relevant planning primer for UK settings, social enterprise and community business... we would argue.

Communications Toolkit from the DCSF for Children's Centres

A communications tool kit from the DCSF for Children's Centres. Very good general advice for Centres to help communicate with parents and carers, sample press and image releases. See our home page for details of how we can help you deliver your marketing or communication ideas.

City Stories - how it works?

How does City Stories deliver authors, illustrators,storytellers and children's books into you community?

Children Centre's - development on a small budget

A still useful resource and examplar on how to develop local SureStart facilities. Developed jointly by Barnardo's South West and Wiltshire County Council. A good guide to the 'thinking about our approach' for both services and the community we serve..pdf file/576kb

Building Stronger Partnerships

The government would like every primary school to have a business partner. With children and young people staying on at school until 18 from 2015, then input from employers to schools and colleges can do much to help with that vital transition to work. This document sets out the priorities for schools to make the best of employer engagement. (Publ. December 2008/.pdf 1.4Mb)

Living & Learning with New Media

A white paper from the MacArthur Foundation - exploring technology delpoyment and use by and for young people. Published in November 2008. Exploring the implications for educationalists, parents and policy makers. (.pdf 2.6Mb)

Project evaluation guide for non-profit organisations

This masterly summation of technique and application by Fataneh Zarinpoush was published by Imagine Canada in 2006. You can read more about project evaluation on our 'evaluation' page, which can be found via our 'projects' page in the navigation to the left. You can download this document, intended for free use by third sector organisations, from the Canadian organisation directly using this link...Get your copy here...

Parents Know-how Directory

A directory of support and advice sources for parents and carers. Comprehensive and clear from the DCSF. Support for dads, netmums and lone parents... (.pdf file)

The Extra Mile - from the DCSF

The process of raising aspirations in deprived communities. Case histories, concepts and examples of young people raising the bar.

Children's Plan - The Executive Summary

The summary of the Children's Plan, following the creation of the DCFS. With an introduction by the Minister. Policy context, developments so far and targets for the future. How does your service fit?

Event Planning Guidelines

A useful resource fom the Social Care institute for Excellence (SCIE). Helpful inclusive guidance and templates for your event.

Community Consultation Model

A model of community consultation - offering examples of action planning, activities and best practice. The model also stresses the circular flow of engagement and how the process must be repeated to be effective over time.

The Be Cause Action Planning Kit

From bebo.com and UnLtd - a project action planning kit. Designed for use by young people and with a monthly prize built into the submissions to the scheme. The action plan is a great resource for any project. How to write a press release, how to measure your progress and where to look for funds. (.pdf)

Reaching Priority & Excluded Children Tool-kit

A new tool-kit helping to map the way towards wider engagement and effective delivery. Published by the Together for Children Consortium August 2007. (Pdf)

A new Extended Schools Prospectus

A new prospectus for Extended Schools from the Department of Children, Schools and Families- DfCSF. (pdf)

Extended School National Evaluation

A new national evaluative study of Extended School provision. (pdf)

Greening the Third Sector

An analysis undertaken for The City Bridge Trust. How is the sector responding to carbon footprint issues? What can practically be done to encourage and develop the sustainability profile of your organisation? Find out here. (pdf file)

Delivering on Child Poverty - The Harker Report

Written by Lisa Harker for the Dept. of Work and Pensions this report examines how well the government are doing against the poverty reduction target. A useful narrative is offered in the report of how UK children compare with other young people in the world. Published: November 2006.

Good Governance

The policy document and advice source from ACEVO. Can you become the 'high performance' board of trustees?

Understanding Social Enterprise

A series of informative leaflets produced for the UK Government Small Business Service - Social Enterprise Unit. Together they form an up to date primer for getting started.

Being a Social Enterprise

Being a Social Enterprise - What it means? The SBS explain. Produced for the UK Government Small Business Service - Social Enterprise Unit. Together they form an up to date primer for getting started.

Planning a Social Enterprise

Why plan? How to plan? The SBS tell you. Produced for the UK Government Small Business Service - Social Enterprise Unit. Together they form an up to date primer for getting started.

Marketing a Social Enterprise

What to tell your customers and the community? Produced for the UK Government Small Business Service - Social Enterprise Unit. Together they form an up to date primer for getting started.

Money and Social Enterprise

Where to get it from - how will it shape your activity? Produced for the UK Government Small Business Service - Social Enterprise Unit. Together they form an up to date primer for getting started.

Boards and Social Enterprise

Good governance and how to be effective. Produced for the UK Government Small Business Service - Social Enterprise Unit. Together they form an up to date primer for getting started.

Step by Step Finance for Social Enterprises

A SEL publication, written by author and journalist Andrew Bibby.

A Business Plan - How to?

Designed by the Luton & Dunstable Partnership, with ESF capacity building resources, here is a guide for those planning to engage with the public sector in order to deliver services. Getting the plan right first counts! (pdf)

Devising a Funding Strategy.

Another piece of crisp thinking from the Luton & Dunstable Partnership. Offering a model and ideas for why fund, where from and how? (pdf)

Tendering for Government Contracts

A useful publication from the Office of Government Commerce (OGC), showing the 'way in' to a variety of statutory providers and how to position a small business as a potential supplier.

Benefits of SME Procurement

A timely report from the Small Business Service. Highlighting for government departments the benefits of purchasing from small businesses. (DTI, August 2005).

Definition of an SME?

What is an SME? Here is a document to tell you. The latest Euro compliant definition. (pdf)

Local Area Agreements

The full text of the third phase LAA guidance notes - including structure, funding and operational frameworks - how the new arrangements affect your community and organisation. (pdf)

Local Area Agreements (Addendum)

Additional pages to the above issued in June 2006 (pdf).