It’s not enough to be passionate about the work your charity does, you need to convey that passion to the world.

Your charity needs a planned, cost effective and measurable approach to communicate and market the activities and services it offers, as well as the impact it has on its beneficiaries.

Below are some questions to prompt you in your organisation’s review focusing on your charity’s communications and marketing:

• Is there a communication or marketing strategy in place?
• Are the marketing objectives SMART?
• Do the trustees have a marketing person on board?
• Has a sufficient budget been allocated for marketing?
• Where does Read More
  

Reach new heights with your charity’s fundraising and income generation.

Charitable organisations need to have a planned and manageable strategy to fundraising and income generation that fits with their mission, vision and values.

Below are some questions to prompt you in your organisation’s review focusing on your charity’s fundraising and income generation:

Funding

• Is there a business plan and Fundraising strategy agreed by Trustees and is there evidence of its implementation?
• Does the fundraising strategy balance short term and long term funding requirements? Does it fit the profile of the organisation and its funding requirements?
• Does the funding and resourcing of the organisation Read More
  

Good financial management ensures that charity trustees meet their legal duties to safeguard the charity’s assets. It enables staff and trustees to manage the charity’s finances and assets in a way that identifies and manages risk. Good financial management is vital to attracting funds and maximising a charity’s impact.

Below are some questions to prompt you in your organisation’s review focusing on your charity’s financial management:

Financial management:

• Are robust systems and procedures in place for internal financial control and the protection of funds in accordance with charity commission guidelines?
• Are financial planning and budgeting processes in place and communicated to Board and staff Read More
  

An effective charity thinks and plans ahead and has appropriate systems to support this while at the same time retaining flexibility to adapt and change to changes in the internal and external environment.

Below are some questions to prompt you in your organisation’s review focusing on your charity’s planning, support and operating systems:

Strategic Planning

• Are there strategic and project planning processes? What are they and who manages these and how? How are these acted on? Is this realistic for the organisation? Is this flexible? Does this include focused objectives and evaluation requirements?
• Is there evidence of continuous review of the organisations Read More
  

Keep your trustees, staff and volunteers on board with a regular review.

A well-structured and managed charity is an organisation with a Board of Trustees or management committee that understands its roles and responsibilities and acts in the “best interests” of the charity and its beneficiaries.

Below are some questions to prompt you in your organisation’s review focusing on your charity’s governance and management:

Governance

General

• Is the distinction between governance and management clear?
• Do employees and Trustees understand the differences between governance and management?
• What committees exist? Who sits on them? How do they relate to the governance and management structures? What are Read More
  

Ensure your charity’s day-to-day activities and services are running like a well oiled machine by reviewing it’s activities and services as part of an organisational review.

Below are some questions to prompt you in your organisation’s review focusing on your organisation’s activities and services:

• Does the annual programme fit the strategy, focus on meeting objectives and the overall direction or mission of the organisation?
• Is there clarity between the core services, activities and projects the organisation is delivering?
• How does the programme relate to other organisations working in this part of the sector?
• Does the organisation have a robust rationale for Read More
  

Are you on track to achieving your vision, mission, values and strategic aims and objectives.

A charitable organisation should be clear about its vision, mission, values and key strategic aims and objectives. In particular, how these will be achieved and the impact that this will have on the organisation’s beneficiaries.

Below are some questions to prompt you in your organisation’s review focusing on your Vision, Mission and Values and Strategic Aims and Objectives:

Your Vision

• Does the organisation have a vision statement?
• How aspirational is it?
• How long do you think it would take to achieve?
• Do you understand what a vision is?

Read More

Management Development Network Event

Independent Trainers and Consultants for the Voluntary and Community Sector

Date: Tuesday 11 October 2016

Time: 11.00am to 4.00pm

Place: St. Alban’s Centre, Baldwin’s Gardens, London EC1N 7AB

A summary of the keynote speaker’s presentations and links to explore on their publications and reports.

Key speakers

Management Development Network members were pleased to be joined by our key speakers and Caroline Howe and David Hunter.

Caroline Howe, Policy and National Programmes Manager, Lloyds Bank Foundation. Caroline focused on developing the Foundation’s national impact, working with grant holders and throughout the sector more widely to champion the important role of small and medium sized charities. Caroline has spearheaded Read More