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Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO)
Complete information about SCVOs policies, fundraising, events, publications, jobs etc. is available at http://www.scvo.org.uk/.

Scottish Further Education Funding Council (SFEFC)
Established in 1999 as a non-departmental public body responsible to the Scottish Executive, the Council provides financial support for teaching, and associated activities in Scottish further education colleges. (See http://www.sfefc.ac.uk/).

Secondary Research
Use of documentation that has been undertaken by other organisations, e.g. tourism reports, primary research by other arts groups.

Small Business Service (SBS)
SBS helps small businesses realise their potential, especially by minimising the burden of regulation. (Their website, aimed at researchers, policy advisers, the media and students is http://www.sbs.gov.uk/).

SMART
abbr. Used to describe objectives: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Timed.

SME
abbr. Small or Medium Sized Enterprise (defined as up to 350 employees).

Social Audit
Social Auditing is the process whereby an organisation can account for its social performance, report on and improve that performance. It assesses the social impact and the ethical behaviour of an organisation in relation to its aims & objectives and those of its stakeholders.

Social Capital
According to the OECD: 'networks together with shared norms, values and understandings that facilitate cooperation within or among groups' (OECD, 2001:41). (About social capital and government policies, see http://www.statistics.gov.uk/socialcapital/; and visit the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development at www.oecd.org/).

Social Enterprises
Organisations that use trading activities to achieve their goals and financial self-sufficiency. They are businesses that combine the entrepreneurial skills of the private sector with a strong social mission.

Social Exclusion (Inclusion)
Shorthand term for what can happen when people or areas suffer from a combination of problems such as unemployment, poor skills, low income, bad housing, high crime, poor health or lack of transport or access.

Social Exclusion Unit (SEU)
Set up in 1997 the Social Exclusion Unit forms part of the Government's strategic approach to tackling social exclusion including all Whitehall departments and many external partners. (More information at http://www.socialexclusionunit.gov.uk).

South East England Development Agency (SEEDA)
Established by the Government in April 1999 to take the strategic lead in promoting the sustainable economic development of the region. SEEDA's mission is 'to work with its partners to make the South East of England a World Class region, achieving sustainable development and enhanced quality of life'. (See http://www.seeda.co.uk).

Spam
Any message or posting sent unsolicited to multiple recipients. People who end spam use software to collect email addresses from newsgroups, mailing lists, and email programs.

Stakeholder
A person who have a stake -an interest- in the outcome, success, or failure, of an organisation: its staff, management committee, trustees etc. Increasingly, organisations are now including their stakeholder groups in their planning process. (See Van briefing no. 58, 'Participatory Planning: Involving your Stakeholders').

Standing Conference for Community Development (SCCD)
A membership-led organisation, aiming to bring about positive changes towards social justice and equality by using and promoting the values and approaches of community development. SCCD bring together practitioners, policy makers and researchers in community development from all sectors - community, voluntary, private and public from across the 4 countries of the UK (England, Scotland, Wales & Northern Ireland). (See their website at http://www.comm-dev.co.uk).

Statement of Purpose
Also Mission Statement. A document bringing together the major principles of your activities as stated in your constitution. It is the highest level in the process of strategic planning. (See VAN briefing no. 60).

Statement of Recommended Practice (SORP)
The SORP 'sets out recommendations on the way a charity should report anually on the resources entrusted to it and the activities it undertakes'. (The complete document is available at http://www.charity-commission.gov.uk/publications/pdfs/sorptext.pdf).

Statutes
LEGAL. Rules written and adopted by elected officials, Congress, state legislatures, borough assemblies and city councils (usually called 'ordinances' in the latter two cases).

Storage Space
Measured in megabytes. Any email that sits in your inbox will affect the total amount of storage space used.

Strategic Management
An organisation may evolve comprehensive plans to achieve in business objectives, gathering together the parts in an unified whole.

Strategic Planning
It is necessary for you to clearly define the purpose of your organization and to establish realistic goals and objectives. (More information at http://www.mapnp.org/library/plan_dec/str_plan/str_plan.htm; and on the VAN briefing no. 60).

Strategy Unit
The SU carries out long-term strategic reviews and policy analysis. (Further information at http://www.cabinet-office.gov.uk/innovation/).

Subsidiarity
Decision-making devolved to the lowest possible level.

Surplus
FINANCE. An excess of revenue over expenditure in a given period.

Sustainability
According to the U.N. Brundtland Commission, Sustainability or ‘Sustainable development' is that which meets all the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations
to meet their own needs.’ Sustainabiblity involves three broad interacting realms: environment, economics, and social equity.

SWOT
abbr. Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats.