The Charity Commission - Economic Downturn Checklist
An Overview of the new Charity Commission Checklist
The downturn in the economy has affected everyone - not least the charities within our society, who are being encouraged by the Charity Commission to follow the lead of many businesses and review their operations. To this end the appropriately labelled “Economic Downturn” checklist has been born. This is recommended to all charities and can be used at the very least as an aide memoire for trustees to review their charity in terms of their Strategy, Financial Health, Governance and Resource utilisation.
The checklist starts with the strategy of the charity, and how, in general terms, it has been impacted by the changes in the economy and how its future activities may be affected. It encourages a review of the activities of the charity against plans to ensure resources are focused on the main activities. It also covers threats that the charity may face, through reduced funding for services, and considers how the circumstances and needs of their clients may have changed. There are also opportunities for the charity through increased numbers of volunteers available and a chance to review costs with suppliers and potentially renegotiate contracts.
The checklist then moves into looking at the “numbers” of the charity in detail.
The income of the charity is the obvious place to start and the checklist not only encourages trustees to look at their current sources of income and any uncertainty or restrictions surrounding these, but also, maybe more importantly, encourages the identification of new funding opportunities. This could range from grant funding or securing additional donated goods to sell in charity shops right through to ensuring gift aid and tax breaks are fully utilised.
As with any business facing changing demand, the banking arrangements should be reviewed to ensure that facilities are sufficient for the needs of the charity now and in the future.
The Governance section asks the trustees to look at themselves as a body and assess the skills that they have. To secure the future of the charity the team of trustees should be able to guide the charity through potentially difficult and unpopular decisions.
The last part of the Governance section of the checklist highlights the need for charities to look at the systems in place to safeguard the assets of the charity. This has always been within the jurisdiction of the trustees, however, in times of financial hardship and uncertainty these controls and procedures may be tested.
The final area looks at the resources of the charity, specifically looking at its team - both voluntary and employed, this may be a good time to look at attracting new volunteers. Financial resources are considered in terms of whether, in the short term, there may be opportunities to join forces with other charities, share resources or look at more long term collaboration in the form of a merger.
This checklist by the Charity Commission will be, for some, purely an agenda point although I am sure there will be some pearls of wisdom - for other charities this may be a chance to undertake a major review, but for all charities this is a useful piece of guidance at a time when many charities are facing an uncertain future.
To review a copy of the checklist click here.
For further information on this article, please click here to email Emma Murray, Partner at Nicholsons, or call her on 01522 815172.