About Us

NICVA, the Northern Ireland Council for Voluntary Action, is a membership and representative umbrella body for the voluntary and community sector in Northern Ireland.

With over a thousand members - ranging from household name charities to grass roots community groups - we lobby and campaign to advance the interests of the people and communities that our members support. We offer a wide range of practical services, products and support to our members to help them do what they do best - find innovative solutions for social challenges.

What we do

• Representation to government and other partnerships
• Practical advice, support and training
• Information and resources

A summary of our strategic plan sets out our key strategic objectives

Who runs NICVA

We are a membership organisation. Our members elect representatives to the NICVA Executive Committee who are responsible for the governance and strategic direction of the organisation. Our Chief Executive, Celine McStravick, is accountable to the NICVA Executive Committee.

What we work on

We develop practical resources, and provide support and training for our members, alongside influencing the big policy issues.

• Governance
• Economy
• Training and skills development
• Fundraising
• Collaboration
• Research
• Resources and Information
• Policy Development

Our Strategic Goals

Goal 1:  Support -  Helping the VCS to innovate, develop and improve to meet the needs of the communities it serves

​Goal 2:  Influence - Helping the VCS to influence policy. 

Goal 3:  Develop - Helping the VCS consolidate and develop the use of data, digital and technology.

Goal 4:  Invest - Ensuring continuous improvement to provide the best service to our members.

Get involved

We're working for a good society - join us.

• Become a member
• Join one of the policy fora
• Attend an event

Our Funding & Finances

We aim to have a diverse funding mix, broadly in thirds:

• one third core grant funding 
• one third contracts and projects
• one third direct service delivery, sales and subscriptions

Our latest Annual Report and Audited Accounts can be found here. 

Chief Executive Pay
NICVA's Chief Executive salary is in the band £70,001 - £80,000
Further details on staff costs are available in latest NICVA Annual Audited Accounts. 

NICVA is supported by the Regional Infrastructure Programme (RISP) through:

 

Corporate Information

• Strategic plan
• Governance manual
• Annual reports and Financial Statements
• Complaints procedure

Our History

NICVA began its life in 1938 as the Northern Ireland Council for Social Service (NICSS) in response to high levels of unemployment in Northern Ireland. In 1986, we changed our name from NICSS to the Northern Ireland Council for Voluntary Action (NICVA) in recognition of the expansion of the voluntary and community sector in Northern Ireland.

Our History Timeline

We are linked to our sister organistions in England, Scotland and Wales, as well as The Wheel in the Republic of Ireland.