Blog
Insights for stronger charities and social enterprises
Our blog brings together practical advice, insights and updates from across the charity and social enterprise sector. Each post is written to help boards, leaders and fundraisers strengthen their organisations and increase impact – with clarity and good governance at the heart of it all.
Explore our latest posts below – or subscribe for new articles straight to your inbox.
Banks and Charities just don't seem to mix
Why do charities have such trouble with banks and what can you do about it?
What next for charity regulation?
The Charity Commission has published an interim business plan for 2023-24. What might this mean for the future of charity regulation?
Why should employers support their staff to volunteer with charities?
Recently we have been working with a few clients on employer-supported volunteering, but what is it and why should employers get involved?
How small charities can benefit from legacy and in-memory giving
Legacy giving has been growing relentlessly over the last 30 years and this trend is set to continue with the baby boomer generation now reaching their last phase of life. How can small charities benefit from this source of income?
What are grant makers looking for in the governance of the charities they fund?
Grants makers are increasingly concerned to ensure good governance in the organisation they support. This article explores what they are on the look out for when assessing grant applications.
The rise of virtual volunteering
What is virtual volunteering and how could it help your charity or social enterprise?
The perils of founder's syndrome and how to avoid the
Much has been said and written about “founder syndrome” in charities and social enterprise but what is it and how can you avoid the problems it can bring?
The indispensability of planning for small charities and social enterprises
Was Eisenhower right when he reputedly said “Plans are useless, planning is essential”? This short article discusses that in the context of small charities and social enterprises.
What is the future of infrastructure support for small charities?
With the closure of the Small Charities Coalition in spring 2022 and of the Foundation for Social Improvement in 2023, what is the future of infrastructure support for small charities?
Trends in volunteering and charitable giving
The Government has recently published the findings of the 2021/22 Community Life Survey, which reports on trends in volunteering and public donations to charities. There are some worrying trends that all charities need to address if they are to sustain giving and volunteering.
Is charity law too complicated for small charities?
We’ve helped register countless start up charities and their founders are frequently dumbfound by the questions they need to answer to gain registration. Is the law too complicated for small charities?
What's the point of Community Interest Companies?
With around 30,000 Community Interest Companies now on the register, and continued growth in registrations , this short article asks, “what is the point of a CIC?”.
Charity Commission Annual Return: What is the regulator really interested in?
The Charity Commission has published the new set of questions it will be asking charities in their annual return from 1 January 2023 but what does this tell us about what the regulator is concerned about?
Top fundraising tips for tough times
What can charities do to maximise fundraising in difficult times. We offer a few ideas in this short article.
Wishing you a peaceful Christmas and New Year
We wish all our clients, and everyone working to sustain vital charity services, a restful and peaceful Christmas and New Year and look forward to working with you in 2023.
What tax reliefs do charities get?
The subject of charities and tax can be hard to navigate. While we cannot offer formal tax advice, we hope this article provides some useful pointers on charity tax matters.
Charity Trustees's safeguarding responsibilities
The Charity Commission is getting more and more involved in making sure that safeguarding in charities is led by Trustees. This short article explores what this means in practice for small charities.
Building effective partnerships between charities and businesses
Effective partnerships between charities and business can and should be about so much more than money or in kind donations. This article explore a range of options for enriching and sustaining these partnerships.
How safe is your charity from fraud?
Every charity and not-for-profit is susceptible to fraud and cybercrime by criminals exploiting the current global crisis. Is your charity doing enough to protect itself from these risks?
Trustees week: 7-11 November 2022
Trustees Week is an annual celebration of trustees and everything they contribute to charities. This year the theme is making a difference in changing times. Ongoing learning and development for Trustees is essential and Trustees week provides a good way for Trustees to do just that.