Reflecting on 2025

ACVO’s AGM at the end of last year provided an important opportunity to reflect on what had been achieved throughout 2025. It was encouraging to hear from colleagues across the organisation and to look back on a year marked by considerable activity, ongoing pressures and meaningful progress.

One of the most significant highlights was the distribution of over £980,000 in funding to third sector organisations across Aberdeen. This funding supported a wide range of projects and services, helping organisations continue delivering vital work for communities across the city at a time of increasing demand.

Reflecting on the year, Funding Officer Claire Shaw highlights both the pressure organisations continue to face and the strength of the sector’s response. “We’re seeing really high demand for funding, which reflects the level of need in communities,” she says. “What stands out is the resilience and creativity across the third sector. Organisations are constantly adapting and finding ways to keep delivering for people.”

“Our aim is to make funding feel a bit more accessible – whether that’s through one-to-one support, advice or sharing opportunities – especially at a time when things feel more challenging.”

Alongside this work, ACVO continues to support collaborative approaches to funding and service delivery, recognising that partnership working is increasingly important for sustainability and impact.

A recent example of this is the work we have done in collaboration with Community Planning Aberdeen to combine funding from UDECIDE and The Communities Mental Health & Wellbeing Fund for Adults. During January we held in person meetings within priority neighbourhoods in North, South and Central Aberdeen, to hear from people what they wanted to see funded in their areas. It was a fantastic opportunity to listen, develop ideas and be in the position to offer financial support. Our Development Officer, Susan Morrison, has been coordinating the work and is looking forward to sharing news soon about the next steps.

Bringing People Together

A central focus for ACVO in 2026 is bringing people together. While digital communication remains important, there is a renewed emphasis on in-person events, forums and networks that allow people to connect, share experience and learn from one another.

ACVO’s existing forums, including the Volunteer Coordinators Network, will continue to run as trusted spaces for peer support, discussion and shared learning. Alongside this, ACVO will be refreshing its forums offer and introducing new forums shaped directly by feedback from people working across the sector.

One of the new forums launching in 2026 is the ACVO Communications Forum, aimed at bringing together people working in communications roles across Aberdeen’s third sector. “The Comms Forum will be a place for people to come together, share what they’re working on and talk honestly about the challenges that come with communications roles,” says Communications Officer Andrew Davidson. 

“We hope it will help people feel less isolated in their roles and give them a chance to learn from each other in a really practical way. It will also provide opportunities for people to work together to collectively strengthen the voice of our sector and showcase the amazing work happening across Aberdeen.”

Alongside this, a new Mental Health and Wellbeing Network Forum, led by Jane Russell, will also launch in 2026. The forum will support communication and participation between the third sector, health and social care partners and wider national networks, with a focus on prevention, early intervention and lived experience.

“There’s a real appetite for a forum that brings organisations together around mental health and wellbeing,” Jane explains. “The aim is to support collaboration, share learning and ensure third sector voices continue to influence how mental health and wellbeing support develops across Aberdeen.”

As well as forums, ACVO will be hosting a series of new events throughout 2026, with a strong focus on networking and bringing members together. These events will offer opportunities to build relationships across organisations, share learning and strengthen connections across the sector.

One of the newer additions to ACVO’s work is the Third Sector Leaders’ Forum, which launched earlier this year. The forum brings together senior leaders from across Aberdeen’s third sector to explore shared challenges and engage in strategic discussion.

Following an initial meeting with council leaders in January, the forum will continue with further sessions in 2026, including a leaders’ network meeting in February.

For Maggie Hepburn, ACVO Chief Executive, the forum responds to a clear need. “There hasn’t always been a regular opportunity for third sector leaders to come together in this way,” she says. “The Leaders’ Forum is about supporting those conversations, building relationships and helping strengthen the sector’s collective voice.”

“Alongside this, we’re also looking to host more informal networking gatherings to give all our members the opportunity to connect with each other,” Maggie adds. “Those informal conversations are often where relationships are built, ideas are shared and people realise they’re not facing challenges alone. Creating more opportunities for that kind of connection is really important.”

Sharing Impact Through Communications

Supporting all of this activity is a clear communications focus for 2026. The communications team will continue to develop how ACVO shares information, highlights impact and supports accessibility across its platforms.

Planned developments include a refreshed ACVO website, new online training resources aligned with the membership offer, expanded storytelling through Volunteer Aberdeen, and new content such as an ACVO podcast and community storytelling projects.

Across all of this work, the emphasis is on making it easier for people to understand ACVO’s role, access support and see the impact of the third sector across Aberdeen. There will also be plenty of opportunities for collaboration with our third sector partners in order to showcase the work they do. If you would like to discuss an idea with the Comms Team, please get in touch. You can find contact details for all our team at acvo.org.uk/our-team/

Membership in 2026

A refreshed ACVO membership offer will launch in 2026, providing clearer benefits, regular opportunities to connect and enhanced support for members.

Members have also approved the introduction of a new Campaigning Membership, launching in 2026. This will enable more organisations to contribute to ACVO’s mission and help strengthen the collective voice of the third sector in Aberdeen.

Looking Ahead

With 2026 underway, ACVO will continue to focus on the things that matter most – connection, collaboration and making sure the contribution of the third sector in Aberdeen is visible and valued.

“As we look ahead to 2026, ACVO remains focused on supporting, connecting and representing the third sector in Aberdeen” says Chief Executive, Maggie Hepburn. “By working alongside organisations and partners, and by creating more opportunities to come together, we can strengthen collaboration and continue to demonstrate the vital impact of the sector across the city.”

This article originally appeared in the February 2026 edition of ACVO News, our free monthly digital magazine for and from Aberdeen’s third sector. Read and subscribe for free at acvo.org.uk/acvo-news