The effectiveness of civil society organisations internationally is increasingly being hindered by legal restrictions, funding cuts and technological blocks according to the latest State of Civil Society report.

At the height of the Leveson inquiry, an apparent beacon of salvation was formed in the Journalism Foundation which promised to "add fuel to the engine of change in media", but less than a year later its closure has been announced.

After seven years of failed funding bids, the deprived Welsh ex-mining community of Glyncoch has finally raised £792,000 to build a community centre, utilising a crowd-funding site for the final £40,000.

The government today launched the £10m Innovation in Giving Fund, calling on applicants to send in videos pitching ideas for technologies and networks that make it easier for people to help each other.