Report: UK Giving and Covid-19

Published October 2020 from the Charity Aid Foundation, (CAF) the report summaries the key findings during 2020 relating to charity donations, charity income and the way people are giving.

Charity Aid Foundation, October 2020.  UK Giving and Covid-19.  

Read online or request a PDF from the library

Article: Whirlwind of change: charity finance professionals share their experience of the pandemic

A very interesting overview from Charity Finance Directors from small, medium, large and very large charities (with income over £50m) during Covid-19.  They describe the impact on income, reserves, feeling the strain, being "zoomed out", financial reporting, building back and investments.  It also includes a number of case studies looking in more detail at a number of charities

Contact the library for a copy.

Snapshot of Charity Shop Survey 2020

While still waiting for a copy of the full Charity Retail Shop Survey report 2020, this article from Fundraising Magazine provides a snapshot of the key findings.  It's a smaller survey from most years, with data from 30 charities and covers the period before COVID-19 but data was collected after the pandemic had started. 

Contact the library for a copy

Article: Can charities recoup Covid-19 related financial losses

From Charity finance magazine, this article looks at charities who had business interruption provision in their insurance cover and the test case by the Financial Conduct Authority representing policy holders.

Contact the library for a copy.

Article: Coronavirus opens up a discussion on the reserve policy

An article written at the very beginning of the pandemic (April) discussing reserve strategies to be considered in the context of a crisis.  It covers reserves and risk, designated funds and going forward.

Charity Finance Magazine, April 2020

Contact the library for a copy

Charity Finance Yearbook - a summary of key topics for charity governance

The 24th edition of the Charity Finance Yearbook is now available, summing up the key developments of 2019.  Covering 65 areas, each chapter of 2-3 pages sums up the last year and developments on a topic.  This includes:

• VAT updates: cases affecting charities from the last 12 months
• Fraud: how much of a problem is fraud for charities?
• Risk appetite: practical advice for trustees considering and documenting their charities risk appetite
• Trustee recruitment: a practical guide to identifying and acquiring new trustees
• Fundraising and corporate partnerships: weighing up the legal and ethical issues
• Charity law and regulation update over the last 12 months
• Employment law round up: the main developments affecting charities
• Property law update: a year of treading water waiting for developments
• Charity shops: how charities are swapping traditional shops for superstores
• Model terms of references including: the finance committee, audit committee, investment committee
• Model code of conduct for charity trustees

Contact the library for a copy of any of these

Report: Charity Spotlight investment report

This report examines the investment performance of the UK's top 5,000 charities in terms of income and assesses the size of the charity investment market over the past 10 years.

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.

Guidance: Guiding the Development of the Charities SORP: Report & Recommendations

The Charities SORP sets out financial reporting requirements that apply to most charities preparing accounts. This review assesses how the future development of the Charities SORP is governed.  Published 6/06/2019.

Read a summary of the recommendations or access the full report here

Survey: The Charity Shops Survey 2018

71 charities, of which 36 were hospices took part with a total of 6,482 shops included in the survey. It showed profits increasing for the first time in two years, the price of rag going back up, and a fall in shop numbers.    It includes key findings, shop numbers, income and profit, paid staff, volunteers, rent, collection costs, rag, common concerns and a league table.  The survey includes data from EACH shops.

Copies available both as print or PDF from the library

News: Charities warn that NHS pay award could hit charities hard

From the Hospice UK web site, a piece discussing the impact of the NHS pay award for hospices
Read more here

Report: Charity Financials: Top 100 Fundraisers Spotlight - Annual Report

This short annual report published May 2018 looks at the financial trends of the top 100 fundraising charities in 2016/17, focusing on income growth, fundraising income, statutory income, charity costs, and the outlook for the next year. 

Contact the library for a copy

Guidance: Investment matters: a practical guide to CC14 (the Charity Commission's guidance on investment matters for trustees)

Produced by the Charity Commission, the aim of the guide is to support trustees in ensuring that they manage a charity's resources responsibly, exercising sound judgement and not taking unnecessary risks, particularly when it comes to investing.  This guide covers a trustees responsibilities, what to include in an investment policy statement, how to select an investment manager and useful links [22 pages].

Contact the library for a copy

Guidance: Financial governance: a gentle guide for the non-financial charity trustee

With an introduction by the Charity Commission highlighting the importance of Trustees understanding a charity's finances, this guide is intended as a first and gentle introduction to the subject, particularly aimed at new trustees.  It covers the different types of charity funds, the budget within a financial strategy, measuring financial performance, understanding risk attached to different types of income, taxes, qualified account, relationships with auditors, and investments.  All these areas are initially looked at in brief initially and then in more detail.  It is recommended as a key document in Trustee inductions.

Available to download here

Report: CAF UK Giving 2018: an overview of charitable giving in the UK

The Charities Action Foundation (CAF) UK Giving project surveys 12,000 people a year allowing them to look in detail at the patterns of giving.  This year the report shows that although total donations are slightly up, the number of people giving has fallen.  The report provides detailed findings of giving money, volunteering, giving goods, the frequency of giving, the typical amounts given, and what people give to.  The final section looks at trust in charities, and the impact of Brexit.

Available to download here

Report: Charity Income Spotlight Report

This report examines charity income in 2016/17, reporting on the sector overview, annual and real-time growth, income grown by income bands, surplus income and deficit, income by cause, income by source and insights from the sector.

Charity Income Spotlight Report.  January 2018

Contact the library for a copy.

Report: Charity Financials Top 100 Fundraisers Annual Report 2018

This report looks at  the financial trends of the top 100 UK fundraising charities during 2016/2017.  It reveals the sector is experiencing a welcome period of growth, however many sources of funding, such as statutory sources are under increased threat.   The report includes background and summary of main findings, headline financial results, breakdown of income by type, longer term trends, long term balance of income streams and outlook for the medium term. [9 page report].

M&G Investment & Charity Financials, Top 100 Fundraisers: Annual Report 2018.

Contact the library for a copy.

Article: Hidden Value - how charities report on reserves

This article asks if it's time to have a more standardised reporting of reserves across the charity sector.  It reports on a survey of the largest 50 charities in the Charity Finance 100 Index to see if they reported on their free reserves in line with the Charity Commission's recommendations, whether more or less funds were now available, and what typical reasons and time periods were given for holding reserves.

Bawtree, D. June 2017.  Hidden value.  Charity Finance Magazine.

Contact the library  for a copy.

Web Site: Charities Against Fraud

Launched last year by the Charity Commission, in collaboration with members of the Charity Sector Counter Fraud Group, this web site is dedicated to helping charities in the fight against fraud. It provides an initial point of reference for trustees, staff and volunteers and includes templates for an Anti-fraud and corruption policy, investigation plan, terms of reference and whistle blowing policy template.

Available at  www.charitiesagainstfraud.org.uk

Templates: Model terms of reference - the Finance Committee

An overview of the ideal composition, attendees, quorum and reporting, along with responsibilities, in particular financial, investments and pensions.

Charity Year Book, 2017.  Model terms of reference - the Finance Committee.  Pages 220 - 221
To request a copy, click here fill in form and return to library.