Charity Commission

Guidance to help with running your charity during the Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.

The Charity Commission has set out their response to the most commonly asked questions including: checking charitable objects; government financial support for charities; using reserves and restricted funds; advice on requesting extension to filing dates; and, postponing or cancelling meetings.

Find out more here  Charity Commission - COVID-19 guidance for the charity sector

Charity Finance Group

For almost daily updates on the resources available on charity finance.

Find out more here  Charity Finance Group - Coronavirus guide

NCVO

Champions the voluntary sector and volunteering. Their KnowHow knowledge bank has a wealth of information on all matters Covid-19 relevant to charities and especially a section on contingency planning and financial information.

Find out more here  NCVO - Contingency planning and financial implications

ICAEW

ICAEW have developed a micro-hub for resources on the Coronavirus with a section aimed at charities. It gathers insights and resources to manage charities financially and continue to deliver services during the outbreak.

Find out more here  ICAEW - Coronavirus resources

Gov.uk

A hub for all information on Coronavirus legislation including news releases on funding for UK charities.

Find out more here  Gov.uk - Funding for frontline charities

Moore Kingston Smith

Coronavirus (COVID-19) guidance for the charity sector: Guidance to help with running your charity during the outbreak.

The Charity Commission has set out their response to the most commonly asked questions including: checking charitable objects; government financial support for charities; using reserves and restricted funds; advice on requesting extension to filing dates; and, postponing or cancelling meetings.

Find out more here  Moore Kingston Smith

The Honorary Treasurers Handbook

by Kate, Sayer, Judith Miller and Arlene Clapham from Sayer Vincent LLP and edited by Denise Fellows

The handbook offers essential advice, information and support for Charity Treasurers in all aspects of their role. There are many guides to charity finance but Treasurers need not only accounting knowledge but also the skill and competency to work well with others and to ensure that other trustees are enabled to fulfil their own responsibilities for finance. This handbook is particularly helpful with the ‘softer’ aspects of the role.

Published with the generous support of the Worshipful Company of Management Consultants.

Please complete the following details to download The Honorary Treasurers’ Handbook.

Endowment investing for charities

Endowment investing is a method of investing which is increasingly used by charities with a perpetual time horizon.

In this paper UBS gives a brief overview of this practice. Download your free copy here.

Sustainable investments - A brief look at some of the key questions

There’s always a purpose behind financial investments. Perhaps it’s performance, or having investments which reflect the values of an organisation.

In this brief paper UBS looks to unpick the key questions which they have been discussing with their clients for over a decade. Download your free copy here.

Charity Risk Barometer 2019 - Risk and reward in an uncertain world

In these rapidly changing times, uncertainty is the new norm and new risks are emerging all the time.

Ecclesiastical Insurance has produced a report on the immediate and emerging risks facing charities as well as potential solutions based on panel discussion and a survey of 200 senior leaders in the charity sector. Download your free copy here.

Charity Cyber Guide: your defence against digital risk

The relentless evolution of cyber crime has highlighted the many vulnerabilities which exist for organisations and individuals alike, and charities are no exception. This guide from Ecclesiastical Insurance covers some of the risks and opportunities presented by embracing digital solutions. Download your free copy here.

Reclassification of charities by investment fund managers

The requirements of the Retail Distribution Review (RDR) under the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) came into force at the start of 2013 and have had an interesting knock-on effect on charity investments. Investment management firms have reclassified charities whose portfolios they manage as ‘professional’ or ‘retail’. You may be uncertain as to how these changes affect your charity. Professor Paul Palmer Trustee of HTF and Professor of Voluntary Sector Management at Cass Business School has published an article about the impact of the changes which can be viewed on our website: http://www.honorarytreasurers.org.uk/docs/PalmerandButterworth.pdf

Or you can listen or watch an interview between our CEO Denise Fellows and Paul Palmer. Available to listen (mp3), read (pdf) or as a video presentation video presentation to watch.

Philanthropy in the
21st Century

by Lindsey Driscoll & Peter Grant (2009)

A discussion paper prepared for the Honorary Treasurers Forum which reassesses the role and functions of UK charity foundation management.

Download the full version

Articles

The Role of the Honorary Treasurer - Download pdf

Charity Finance opinion piece on Environmental Accounting - Download Word doc

Terms of reference for an Audit Committee - Download Word doc

Information on resources offered by ICAEW for Honorary Treasurers - Download pdf

Topical issues

NCVO CEO Pay Inquiry - comment from HTF. The full report can be downloaded here.

Audit Committees - Download pdf

The Role of Internal Audit - Download pdf

The views expressed in these materials are those of the authors and producers and are not necessarily those of the Honorary Treasurers Forum.