Community Action Network (CAN) was formed in 2019 from the merger of Poole Council for Voluntary Service (CVS) and Bournemouth CVS, these charities have a rich 50+ year history and form the foundations of our work today.

We serve and champion thousands of amazing charities and community groups across the county of Dorset.

Our values underpin everything we do.

We are proud members of the National Association for Voluntary and Community Action (NAVCA), the National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO) and Dorset Chamber. We hold the prestigious NAVCA quality standard awards for our work as a local infrastructure charity and volunteer hub.

We offer free membership to charities and community groups along with NHS and local authority services. Our Business Supporter membership offers private businesses the opportunity to connect with their local community. Our members are the heart of everything we do.

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How we’re run

We’re a registered charity and company limited by guarantee, registered in England & Wales. We are non-profit and independent of both national and regional government.

We’re member-led by a board of volunteer trustees drawn from the local voluntary and community sector. Our Board sets the strategic direction of the charity and, importantly, our accountability to the sector. They meet quarterly and are supported by a finance committee, which oversees the day-to-day finances of the organisation. Our policies and procedures are available on request.