Online: What questions should trustees ask about finances?

As a trustee, the role involves keeping on top of the legal and regulatory side of an organisation, just as much as the financial side.  This article published on Charity Financials web site highlights the key financial areas a trustee should be aware of.
Read more here

Article: Hospices need to think beyond traditional funding sources

The headline of this article states hospices rely too much on unpredictable forms of income and many have deficit budgets.  Is the sector peering over a financial precipice?
Contact the library for a copy.

Article: Environmental Sustainability - how one charity is adapting to climate change

This article notes that environmental sustainability is seen by many charities as "nice to have" in terms of honouring wider social responsibilities and ethical considerations" but not often integral to achieving core missions and goals.  It describes the actions the RNLI charity took to become more sustainable and the role of Fit for the Future, a solution sharing network consisting of more than 100 charities who have saved time, money and resources through the network and become more "climate friendly". 
Contact the library for a copy

Article- The chair's role in creating a positive working culture

An interesting article looking at a Boards role in creating a positive working culture.   It asks a range of questions including: how will the board know if there are problems in the organisations' culture? what formal and informal means do you use to assess the health of the culture? do you provide exit interviews for staff and volunteers? and if something goes wrong, can team members communicate "bad" news without fear of blame?  It includes a list of warning signs and what a chair and the board can do to create a positive working culture. 
Read online or request the article from the library

Guidance: Economic Outlook Briefing: the year ahead 2019/2020

Published by the Charity Finance Group, June 2019, the briefing provides a very good overview of the key economic statistics for charities, income from individuals, income from government, the investment outlook, expenditure, inflation, operating costs, staffing costs, and tax.  
Contact the library for a copy - only available to EACH Trustees & Directors.

Article: Key findings from the Charity Shop Survey 2019

A one page article summing up the findings of the 2019 survey from over half of the 11,200 charity shops in the UK.  A mixed picture with a continued decline in shops, but with the larger charities remaining positive about the future of their retail function, and  71% of all respondents expecting their retail chains to expand.  It sums up the income from retail, costs and profits, price of rag, volunteering statistics  and the growth of the superstore.
Contact the library for a copy

Article: Charity superstores make nearly triple the amount of profit of a standard charity shop

Following on from the 2019 Charity Shop Survey, and the 120 superstores included in the survey, the
article looks at the success of the Superstore.
Contact the library for a copy

Article: Questions to ask about financial controls in shops

An article from the Charity Finance magazine, it considers 10 areas that should be in place when ensuring financial controls in charity shops.
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Article: A healthy appetite: the development of a risk appetite statement

Risk appetite is the level of risk a charity is willing to seek or accept during the pursuit of its aims and objectives.  This article provides practical guidance to Trustees considering and documenting their charity's risk appetite.  It describes the development of a risk appetite statement which should document what risks are acceptable, what risks are deemed unacceptable, and what overall level of risk is sought or accepted for each area.
Contact the library for a copy

Guide: Writing your charity's investment policy

Published by the Charity Finance Group, June 2019 the guide covers the key elements to be included in the investment policy as well as examples of other organisations investment policies.  A useful guide if reviewing the current policy.
Contact the library for a copy - only available to EACH Directors and Trustees.

Article: Four reasons why charities are struggling to retain good fundraising talent

From the Charity Choice web site, an editorial piece discussing the pressures that fundraising staff experience and what an organisation from the top down can be done to keep fundraisers in post
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Article: HR has a central role in financial strength and sustainability

This article from Charity Finance magazine states: "People management should not be seen as an overhead - it is an area of strategic investment that will support your beneficiaries as well as your staff.".  It covers talent acquisition and management, learning and development, employee relations, well being and safety, diversity and inclusion and employee engagement.
Contact the library for a copy.

Article: Four ways to cut costs (without harming the front line)

From the Third Sector Magazine, the article lists 4 ways to cut costs: focusing on staff time and reducing duplication; getting the right technology, looking at procurement, and investing where needed.
Contact the  library for a copy.