Rising demand and falling funding: two reports release within a few days of each other suggest the perfect storm may be brewing for small charities.

We are increasingly being asked to support Community Interest Companies (CICs) to convert into Charitable Incorporated Organisations (CIOs), so we thought a short article on what is involved might be helpful.

There’s lots of advice out there on setting up a new charity, choosing the right legal structure and objects, finding Trustees, opening bank accounts etc, but very little on the challenges you’ll face once the charity is registered. This short articles provides some top tips for making a successful start for a new charity.

Many of our small charity clients have never worked with consultants before and we aim to make it as easy as possible for them to do business with us. In collaboration with our associate Ruth Dwight, we have put together 10 top tips for getting the most out of a small consultancy support package.

We’ve long believed that smaller, local charities are the glue that binds communities together and where the sector is at its best in making a positive difference to people’s lives. Two recent reports suggest we’re not alone in that view.

Much of the debate around not-for-profit organisations centres on issues like whether to register as a charity, CIC or some other type of organisation (such as a community benefit society). The option of registering as a Community Amateur Sports Club (CASC) is often overlooked. This short articles provides more information on that option.

Why do charities have such trouble with banks and what can you do about it?

The Charity Commission has published an interim business plan for 2023-24. What might this mean for the future of charity regulation?

Recently we have been working with a few clients on employer-supported volunteering, but what is it and why should employers get involved?

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?

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.

What is virtual volunteering and how could it help your charity or social enterprise?

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?

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.

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?

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.

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?

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?”.

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?

What can charities do to maximise fundraising in difficult times. We offer a few ideas in this short article.