Welcome to the wonderful world of small charity finance.
In these sessions, we go back to first principles and revisit the what, why, how, who and when of small charity finance.
An online broadcast 60 minute session, with 15 minutes of Q and A at the end.
We will introduce the concept of reserves and explore why they are crucial for our financial resilience. We will cover what is required of us by the Charity Commission, how to calculate what we actually have, how to determine how much we need and what a good policy looks like. We’ll also discuss why reserves are essential for financial stability and what to do when building reserves is a challenge. This session is perfect for leaders looking to build longer term financial resilience.
What we'll cover
- How to calculate and set a target amount for your charity’s reserves
- How to write a clear and effective reserves policy for your organization
- Why reserves are key to charity resilience and what to do when you can’t build them
- Top tips and common pitfalls to avoid
Learning Outcomes
- Calculate an appropriate level of reserves for their charity
- Write a clear and effective reserves policy
- Understand why reserves are vital for financial resilience
- Explore options when building reserves isn't immediately possible
What you can expect:
- Examples
- Example templates
- Time to connect
- Time for Q and A
What you will receive:
- Clear and practical guidance tailored to small charities
- Real-world examples and tools you can apply immediately
- A supportive environment to ask questions and share experiences
Important - Zoom links are sent out the day before to the email address that you book with. Please check your spam filter.
Who these sessions are aimed at:
These sessions are aimed at anyone needing to know about small charity finance. All are welcome; trustees, chief officers, finance officers and everyone dealing with finance. No prior knowlegde of finance is required. Perfect for small charities :)
What else:
This is a sit back and tune in session. You are welcome to engage as much or as little as you wish. There are no breakouts and all engagement is entirely optional.
Who delivers these sessions
Liz Pepler MIAB FRSA Liz is a charity resilience specialist, founder of Embrace Finance and co-founder of the Small Charity Friendly Collective. Liz is co-author of Lloyds Bank Foundation’s Organisational Resilience framework, co-author of the Association of Chair's Financial Leadership in Small Charitiesand finance trainer for NCVO. Liz is a practicing member at the Institute of Accountants and Bookkeepers, holds a Masters in Charity Accounting and Financial Management (Dist) and a PG Certificate in Charity Administration. Liz is a fellow of the RSA.
Kemi Olafare ACMA Kemi is a qualified management accountant with over 20 years experience in the not for profit sector in both paid and voluntary roles. Kemi is an experienced finance business partner in the charity, university, international development and healthcare sectors. Kemi is currently Director of Finance at UCLPartners, an Advisory Board member at Charterpath, Trustee at the Charles Russell Speechlys Foundation and Associate at Embrace Finance. Kemi has been a panel member with Getting On Board.
Fiona Young FCA DChA Fiona works with charities and voluntary sector organisations supporting financial reporting reviews, accounts preparation, governance reviews, strategic planning and social investment. Fiona has been internal and external examiner on theCharity Finance Masters at Bayes Business Schooland also co-authored the NCVO Good Financial Management Guide. Fiona is a qualified chartered accountant (ICAEW), holder of theICAEW’s Diploma in Charity Accountingand has a Masters in Charity Accounting and Financial Management (Dist). She initially specialised in charity audit working atBDObefore moving into the sector as Director of Finance and Resources atCrisis UKandThe Tudor Trust. For the last four years she has been working as a consultantFiona Young Priestand has held a number of trustee roles and is a volunteer at theCranfield Trust.
Please note:
These sessions are not intended to replace proper professional advice. Neither can they guarantee to cover everything required of us to be compliant and financially resilient. They are intended to build awareness and confidence in our first steps when leading or managing the finance function of our charity.
