Membership FAQs

Read on to find out why you should become a member and all of the great benefits available.

Membership FAQs

Why should I become a member?

By joining VONNE you become part of our extensive networks. Core membership is open to North East VCSE organisations and gives you a vote at our AGM and opportunities to take an active part in our work supporting and strengthening the North East VCSE sector. 

Membership+ is our enhanced membership package, which offers a range of additional benefits. Bronze Membership+ is free to organisations with income under £50K. 

By joining you will:

  • Get discounts on our services
  • Get access to regionally relevant funding information
  • Get exclusive Membership+ only benefits
  • Expand your network by joining ours
  • Demonstrate your commitment to the North East VCSE sector

How do I sign up? How long will it take?

Sign up for membership on our website

You need to set up a user account first, then North East VCSE organisations can sign up for Core membership, then Membership+. The whole process takes 5-10 minutes. 

If you're not a North East VCSE organisation, you'll set up a user account then sign up to Associate Membership+, which should take 5-10 minutes.

The forms are easy to use, but if you get stuck or have any queries, the team can help - contact us at vonne@vonne.org.uk.

Once you submit your form, your membership will be live and you can access member benefits straight away. We do a few things behind the scenes to check applications and will get in touch if we have any queries.

Core membership applications are subject to approval by our Board of Trustees. If our board query your application, we’ll get in touch.

Who can join VONNE?

Membership is open to North East VCSE organisations. To qualify for Core membership your organisation needs to be a registered charity, community interest company or a not for profit organisation. 

Once you’ve signed up for Core membership you’ll be able to access Membership+, our enhanced membership packages, which offer a range of additional benefits.

If your organisation doesn’t qualify for Core membership, we also have Associate Membership+ packages which help private and public sector organisations strengthen their relationship with the North East voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) sector and stay up to date with sector developments and opportunities. The member benefits are similar, but without voting rights at our AGM.

Sign up for membership and view our benefits here

Which level of membership is right for me?

Core Membership is free for North East VCSE organisations and gives access to basic member benefits such as voting rights at our AGM. If you’re looking for additional benefits like funding information or discounts on Job Finder adverts, Membership+ is right for you.

Bronze Membership+ gives you discounts on our services and lets you sign up for our regular funding bulletin. Silver and Gold Membership+ offer enhanced benefits including access to our online, searchable funding directory and free credits for job adverts. 

Bronze Membership+ is free for organisations with income under £50K per year. Other Membership+ fees depend on which benefits you choose and your organisation’s annual income. 

Organisations who don’t meet our Core membership criteria, but want to show their support or access Membership+ benefits can join Associate Membership+.

View our full range of benefits here

Do I need Core Membership to sign up for Membership+?

Yes! North East VCSE organisations will need to sign up for Core membership before signing up for Membership+. Core membership is free and gives you a stake in VONNE, including voting rights at our AGM. It helps us be an accountable and representative organisation.

If you aren't a North East VCSE organisation, you're not eligible for Core membership. You can still sign up for Associate Membership+ to join our networks and access our great range of enhanced benefits. 

What level of membership do I need to access funding information?

Bronze, Silver and Gold Membership+ members can sign up for our regular funding bulletin. 

To access our comprehensive, searchable online funding directory you’ll need Silver or Gold Membership+.

Why can't I see the online funding directory?

Access to our comprehensive, searchable online funding directory is a benefit of Silver and Gold Membership+. To see the online directory your organisation needs membership at one of those levels.

To access Membership+ benefits, individuals also need a user account attached to their organisation. 

Once you have Silver or Gold Membership+ and a user account, log out of our website and back in again to see links to the funding directory. It's in the services menu under funding, or can be accessed from our Funding Support page. 

If the funding directory doesn't appear after you've logged out of our website and back in again, email vonne@vonne.org.uk and one of the team can help.

How much does membership cost?

Core membership of VONNE is free to all North East VCSE organisations.

Organisations with annual income under £50K can also access Bronze Membership+ for free.

For larger organisations, the price of Membership+ depends on the annual income of your organisation and the level of benefits you choose.

For our current membership packages, see our Become a Member page

How long does membership last?

Core membership has no end date. 

Membership+ and Associate Membership+ last for a year. Benefits are available to you for the full year and we’ll get in touch to let you know when your renewal is due.

My organisation has membership, how do I access our benefits?

You’ll need a user account to access your organisation’s Membership+ benefits. User accounts are free and easy to set up. 

There’s no limit to the number of people who can have a user account with an organisation, so your whole team can sign up.

Once you’ve set up your user account, your dashboard gives you easy access to your benefits. It’s also where you can manage your account and profile and invite your team-mates to join.

Set up your account. 

Do I need to be a member to post a job advert?

No, anyone can post a job advert, but as a Membership+ member you’ll receive nearly 60% discount on full price adverts. 

Silver Membership+ members receive one free job advert per year and Gold Membership+ get two free job adverts per year. 

Do I have to be a member to advertise a workspace?

No, anyone can advertise workspaces with us.

Buy an annual Workspace Finder licence to advertise your workspaces to our networks. You can list as many workspaces as you want and if you want to advertise for more than a year, just renew your licence. 

With Membership+ you can access a discount of over 55% on Workspace Finder services, so it’s often cheaper to join and then advertise with us rather than pay standard rates.

Can't see what you're looking for?

Email us at vonne@vonne.org.uk and one of the team will be able to help.