Charity Finance Good Practice

Good practice, case studies, expert advice and tips for charity and voluntary sector finance directors and practitioners, including accounting, investment, insurance, tax and social finance.

Judge a society by its level of happiness, not by its GDP

It's getting easier to measure how happy people are, and it's important to do so, says Kate Rogers of Schroders

Crowdfunding could be the way to get projects moving

Crowdfunding has played a role in filling the gaps created by cuts in UK public spending, says Rodney Schwartz, chief executive of social venture capital website clearlyso.com

Mixed motives can lead to poor decisions and failure

Mixed-motive investment risks being a cop-out for charities that have weak governance, says Helen Simmons, finance director at the Diocese of London

Debate over new reporting standards is not at an end

There will be further discussion before the public benefit accounting aspects of the ASA's proposals are finalised, says Ray Jones of the Charity Commission

Charity Finance Skills Zone

Expert advice and tips in specialist areas

Don't just rely on numbers - include the human quirks

Helen Simmons of the Diocese of London says there's great appeal in a dashboard that can tell you all the key stats about a charity

Improvisation could be a useful approach to budgets

Maybe a new approach would allow staff to focus on the objectives, not the detail, says Helen Simmons of the Diocese of London

Plan now, rather than hold out for last-chance funding

Make sure that you plan your closure in time to rescue some of your good work, says Peter Gotham of Macintyre Hudson

The major issues from the new accounting standards

The way towards a new financial reporting standard is beginning to look clearer, says Ray Jones of the Charity Commission

The danger of outsourcing charity financial services

The closure of Charity Business has raised questions and left some charities facing difficulties, says Peter Gotham of Macintyre Hudson

Social enterprises need to be ready for investment

There is much work still to do but there are promising signs that social investment is being made more accessible, says Nick Temple at Social Enterprise UK

Competitions offer social enterprises worthy prizes

The benefits of entering a social enterprise competition include not just cash but feedback and a chance to practise your pitch, says Rod Schwartz of ClearlySo

Healthcare is a promising area for social investment

More health social enterprises are being launched, but they'll need access to capital and new skills to succeed, says Rod Schwartz of ClearlySo.

What technologies can I use to support people with impaired vision?

Robin Christopherson, head of digital inclusion at AbilityNet, details the options available for those with vision impairment

Anne Stafford, programme manager, iT4Communities

IT Helpdesk: Updating Websites

If you need to update an exisiting website, it doesn't have to be expensive, says Anne Stafford of iT4Communities

IT Helpdesk: Accessing Guidance

If you need to make wholesale changes to your IT, there are plenty of sources of good advice, says Anne Stafford of iT4Communities

What charities should look for in the new social bonds

Social bonds offer charity investors possibilities, but there will need to be developments before they will fit into a traditional portfolio, says John Hildebrand of Investec Wealth & Investment

How to write an effective charity investment policy

A written investment policy is a crucial document for charities to set out what they are aiming to achieve, says Kate Rogers of Schroders

Why charities might have underperformed in 2011

Charities may not have had a very good year in 2011, but they should be wary of making big changes because of that in 2012, says John Hildebrand of Investec Wealth & Investment

Latest jobs Jobs web feed

Development Officer Barking & Dagenham CVS £29,604, London
Head of High Value Events Save the Children £38,000 - £43,000 + pension, Farringdon
Director The Marr-Munning Trust £47,500 per annum FTE salary (£38,000 pro rata) plus pension contribution, London
Membership Payments Officer Royal Pharmaceutical Society 25,000 pro rata, Based at the Society's HQ in London. The offices are in close proximity to Vauxhall and Waterloo.
Head of Volunteering Development Save the Children £45,000-£50,000 + pension, Farringdon
Fundraising Manager (Gloucestershire, Somerset & Dorset) The Air Ambulance Service £25,000-£30,000 p/a, plus benefits, Home Based, South West England to cover Gloucestershire, Somerset & Dorset
Press Officer - Asia Pacific Amnesty International Secretariat £41,124 per annum, London
Fundraising Director National Trust c. £80k + excellent benefits, Heelis, Swindon
Appeals Director Downside Fisher Youth Club (The Downside Settlement) £37, 848 - £40,555 (Inclusive of London Weighting), Southwark, London
Head of Organisation Development British Red Cross £52,500 pa (incl. LW), UK Office, Moorfields, London (likely)