Financial sustainability

Appreciating the impact of savings to your charity
17 April 2025
In the world of charity finance, the path to improved financial health often focuses on increasing income, but Peter Roberts of ProVantage Procurement highlights the importance of costs savings which ...

Building financial resilience
11 April 2025
Roland Pearce and the team at Barclays share insights from the 12th National Charities Day, looking at ways to cope with the pressures of difficult economic conditions and take advantage ...

Joined-up thinking: The importance of a holistic approach to financial management
8 April 2025
At the recent Charity Finance Group Investment Conference, Tatyana Mursalimov, CEO of PMCL, delivered a session on a subject of growing significance within the sector: the importance of a holistic ...

Ida's Intel: SORP, Spring Statement and Scotland (3 April 2025)
3 April 2025
It's been a busy time with the launch of two significant consultations, changes in Scotland and meetings with MPs.

Relating the story of Relate
19 March 2025
CFG’s new Turnaround Special Interest Group held its first meeting in March and welcomed insolvency experts from FRP Advisory to share their insights and knowledge.

Ida's Intel: charity policy updates from Parliament and beyond
26 February 2025
In the first of her regular policy reports, Ida Karlsson, CFG's Policy Officer, wraps up what's been going on in Parliament and further afield, including debates on ERNICs and why ...

Peers vote to exempt small charities from rise in ERNICs
26 February 2025
Charities with revenue under £1m could be exempted from the Government’s rise in national insurance contributions following a lively debate in the House of Lords on 25 February.

Global heating: risk management and strategic thinking in the charity sector
19 December 2024
Ruth Jenkins from Keep Britain Tidy and Simon Hughes from Crowe UK take a look at the risks of global heating, their interrelated nature and complexities, and pose important questions ...

Report: CFG's survey reveals deep concern over rise in ERNICs
3 December 2024
The majority of charity employers are concerned about absorbing significant additional staffing costs following the government's decision to increase Employer National Insurance Contributions, according to CFG's latest survey.

Supporting our members and the sector through change
6 November 2024
CFG has been working hard to support members and all charitable organisations following the autumn budget on 30 October. Find out how you can join us in supporting the future ...

CFG briefing: Autumn Budget and Spending Review 2024
30 October 2024
CFG's policy experts, Richard Sagar and Ida Karlsson, dig into all the relevant announcements and changes so you don't have to.

Inside job: Understanding and preventing insider fraud
22 October 2024
Charities are built on trust but, alarmingly, they are not immune to fraud, including from within. Sam Burne James unmasks the risks of insider fraud and shares expert advice on ...

How can your charity approach income diversification?
8 October 2024
Charities should diversify their income sources to ensure that they are financially stable and resilient amid today's economic challenges. Allan Hickie from UHY discusses how your charity can approach income ...

Charities under pressure
4 October 2024
The cost of living crisis continues to challenge organisations of every size. Stephen T Dean from Grant Thornton UK takes a look at the pressures charities are facing in 2024 ...

Commission refreshes guidance on charities and financial difficulties
23 September 2024
England's charity sector regulator has published updated guidance about financial difficulties to support trustees in their decision making.

The vital role of finance leaders in charity turnaround
17 July 2024
Interim Finance Director and turnaround specialist, Simon Hopkins, shares his key insights and advice on successfully turning around struggling and failing charities.

Borrowing by charities – an overview
10 July 2024
Is your charity thinking about debt financing for large expenditures? Elizabeth Jones from Farrer & Co discusses the pros and cons of borrowing.

Resilience of charity income
16 May 2024
In this second part of his series on resilience, Robin Aitken takes a look at what to do when the going gets tough and the income streams dry up.

How the RSPCA increased Gift Aid income
10 April 2024
Maximising Gift Aid income is the name of the game... Phoebe Cooper from RSPCA shares how the charity increased opt-in rates and income with behavioural economics and telephones.

Team Talk: how outsourcing is working for CFG
4 March 2024
In 2022, as we headed out of the pandemic and into a cost of living crisis, CFG outsourced part of its finance function to enable the team to focus on ...

Risk and resilience in 2024
17 January 2024
What lays ahead in 2024? Sam Burne James speaks to charity sector leaders for their predictions, insights and advice on how to reduce risk, remain resilient and prepare for the ...

CFG Briefing: Autumn Statement 2023
22 November 2023
What does the Chancellor's Autumn Statement mean for you and your organisation? Richard Sagar, Head of Policy, CFG, takes an in-depth look.

Gift Aid: How to maximise donations made through fundraising events
5 October 2023
If your charity holds events to raise funds, the rules on when you can and can't claim Gift Aid can be tricky to navigate. Judith Pederzolli from PEM shares expert ...

Rethinking the future
26 September 2023
CFG's CEO, Caron Bradshaw OBE, shares her thoughts on the future of the economy and the sustainability of infrastructure bodies following the closure of Children England.

Talking about... Charity reserves
11 July 2023
We're talking about... What are reserves? Does your charity need them and if so, how should they be managed? Three charity CEOs - Sarah Vibert, Jane Ide and Caron Bradshaw, ...

Meet our conference sponsors: PIB Insurance
14 June 2023
Ahead of CFG's Annual Conference, Stewart Archdale from conference sponsors PIB Insurance Brokers talks about surviving and thriving in a world of continual change.

Financial sustainability in a cost-of-living crisis
15 May 2023
How can your charity remain financially sustainable during the cost of living crisis? Dan Fletcher from Moore Kingston Smith explains the importance of understanding your business model and what your ...

To boldly go, into a charity merger
12 May 2023
Ben Clarkson, Chief Operating Officer at Asthma + Lung UK, explains what it takes to lead a successful merger of two charities and the lessons he’s learned along the way.

Working with local communities
27 February 2023
Following on from sessions delivered at CFG's Annual Conference and Alternative Income Generation event, Helena Wilkinson from Price Bailey explains how to improve financial sustainability by getting closer to your ...

Effective and modern reserves management
23 February 2023
How are Scottish charities managing reserves? And what are the lessons for other UK charities? We take a deep-dive into this hot topic, with learnings from a recent Scottish Grantmakers ...

Getting off to a great start
19 January 2023
Ongoing uncertainties and challenges can make us worry about the future. But with the right support, networks and advice, 2023 can get off to a great start, writes Emma Abbott.

The charity safety net is fraying fast
21 December 2022
New research shows that charities and community groups are now facing a very difficult winter and some very hard choices. Pro Bono Economics and Nottingham Business School share the results ...

Collaboration: where there is a need, is there the will?
20 December 2022
Collaboration might be a solution to stretched services and resources, but working more closely with another organisation can be daunting. Ian Hempson and Helen Hirst from Hempsons share advice on ...

How to cut back on your organisation's IT costs
14 December 2022
With one eye on the rising costs of living, James Field from Smartdesc has produced a short guide to reducing and eliminating unnecessary IT costs and optimising your systems.

Cash deposits: could your charity earn more?
7 December 2022
Managing cash well is vital for the success and sustainability of any charity. Fortunately, there are more choices than ever when it comes to finding the right solutions. Insignis provides ...

CFG Briefing: Autumn Statement 2022
17 November 2022
What does the Chancellor's Autumn Statement mean for you and your organisation? Richard Sagar, Head of Policy, CFG, takes an in-depth look.

Moving offices? Here's what you need to know...
20 October 2022
Planning to relocate your offices? Mia Brown from TSP shares what to consider to ensure a smoother process, and talks to Hannah McCarthy about DEC's recent office move.

How to invest in a world of high inflation
13 October 2022
How can charities respond to this year’s spike in inflation from an investment perspective? Patrick Trueman from James Hambro & Partners considers some of the implications and shares ways to ...

Hallmarks of a successful merger process
27 May 2022
What can make or break a charity merger? Jonathan Orchard from Sayer Vincent shares some recent experiences of charity mergers and the lessons learned.

Banking troubles? Tell us about it!
11 April 2022
Has your organisation experienced any difficulties with banking services? If so, we want to hear from you. Complete the Civil Society Group's survey by Friday, 6 May.

Spring Statement 2022: CFG reacts
23 March 2022
Caron Bradshaw responds to today's [23 March 2022] statement from Rishi Sunak MP, Chancellor of the Exchequer.

CFG and Pro Bono Economics publish Economic Outlook Briefing 2022/23
10 March 2022
MEDIA RELEASE: An overview of all the key economic issues and trends to help charities make sense of the year ahead.

Russia-Ukraine: some initial thoughts for charities
24 February 2022
Clare Mills, CFG's Director of Policy and Communications, shares her initial thoughts on the escalating Russia-Ukraine situation and the potential impact the crisis could have on the sector.

The power of partnerships
31 January 2022
CFG publishes its Trustees’ Annual Report and Financial Statements for 2020/21 and reflects on the power of partnerships during a challenging year.

What the Autumn Budget means for you
27 October 2021
Richard Sagar, Acting Head of Policy at CFG, sifts through the Autumn Budget and Spending Review documents and explains what it means for charities.

New Recovery Loan Fund launched
27 October 2021
Charities and social enterprises that have been operating for a minimum of two years can now apply for loans worth up to £1.5m from Social Investment Business (SIB).

CFG launches new leadership tool for finance teams
11 October 2021
New edition of The Finance Journey will empower a new generation of charity leaders.

Now is the time to work with civil society
5 October 2021
Civil society coalition submits levelling up recommendations to the Chancellor ahead of Autumn Spending Review and Budget.

HSBC Private Banking leads the way for CFG's Annual Conference 2021
21 July 2021
CFG are delighted to announce that HSBC Private Banking, ORACLE NetSuite, Sarasin & Partners and SmartSimple are this year's Annual Conference sponsors.  

New report reveals sector's foreign exchange challenges
15 July 2021
Charitytransfers.org and Crowe join forces to release first ever foreign exchange white paper for the UK charity sector.

RESEARCH: No bounce back for charity fundraising events in 2021
17 June 2021
As the economy springs back to life, more than 50% of charities say they are pessimistic about events, with smaller charities being hit hardest.

#NeverMoreNeeded coalition reacts to Budget 2021
4 March 2021
"This government has today made the deliberate choice not to listen to the collective voices of over 1000 civil society organisations..."

Caron Bradshaw OBE reacts to Budget 2021 announcement
3 March 2021
“The Chancellor has failed to repair the safety net used by millions of citizens every day…”

Press Release: Civil society calls for government action #RightNow
17 February 2021
Charities and their supporters are calling on the government #RightNow to create an Emergency Support Fund for communities and good causes.

#RightNow campaign gets off to a flying start
17 February 2021
Thousands of social change organisations across the UK, their supporters and volunteers are joining together today to share what they’re doing #RightNow to support their communities.

Winter fundraising chill heralds more charity cuts
4 February 2021
CFG's new joint research shows that winter income drop is likely to amount to at least £200million.

Charity sector calls for emergency support package
18 January 2021
#NeverMoreNeeded leaders set out urgent support measures ahead of March Budget.

CFG reiterates call for fit-for-purpose CJRS
18 January 2021
Charity Finance Group submits March 2021 Budget representation.

Media release: Charity sector innovation boom set to last beyond pandemic
6 January 2021
Charities expect to continue their rapid shift towards digital working and collaboration in 2021, building on the innovation they have displayed in response to the Covid-19 crisis even as the ...

We will keep “raising the alarm”
10 December 2020
Chancellor’s reply to civil society’s call for a fit-for-purpose job scheme falls short.

Tessy Ojo CBE kicks off CFG's Annual Conference 2020
7 December 2020
Tessy Ojo CBE shares the three principles she believes will help the charity sector create a better future.

CFG gives small charities a boost with launch of new bursary scheme
26 November 2020
We're excited to announce the launch of our Small Charities Membership Bursary for small charities impacted by Covid-19. If you're a small charity, read on!

CFG's initial comment on the government's Spending Review
25 November 2020
Today, Chancellor Rishi Sunak delivered his Spending Review. Here's CFG's initial reaction to his announcement.

Civil society urges Chancellor to urgently make job scheme fit for purpose
5 November 2020
A coalition of civil society leaders has written to Rishi Sunak to urge him to develop a Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) fit for purpose for social change organisations.

Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme extended into the spring
5 November 2020
CFG's Policy Manager Richard Sagar takes a look at today's government announcement that the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme will be extended.

Press release: Charities fear Christmas cash crisis
23 October 2020
The latest data from the social sector lays bare the stark need for more government support for charitable organisations. The results from our latest Covid Charity Tracker Report show charities ...

CFG responds to news of charity sector redundancies
14 October 2020
Roberta Fusco, Director of Policy and Communications, comments on news of further redundancies in the charity sector.

PRESS RELEASE: Gloomy winter ahead for charity sector
25 September 2020
Lockdown worries for 55% of charities as 2020 takes its toll Download the full results

Collapse in charity provision looms at moment of greatest need
19 August 2020
58% of charities to cut back services as coronavirus set to cost sector 60,000 jobs Download full report

Charities are facing a £12.4bn shortfall in income for the year due to impact of coronavirus
18 June 2020
The Chartered Institute of Fundraising (IoF) and Charity Finance Group (CFG) say today that charities are facing a huge predicted loss to their income as they continue to grapple with ...

Sector bodies issue joint proposal for Chancellor ahead of March's Budget
10 February 2020
Charity sector infrastructure bodies including ACEVO, CFG, Children England, Locality, Local Trust, Lloyds Bank Foundation and NCVO, who together represent thousands of charities across the UK, have joined together to ...

Election result reinforces our mission and purpose
13 December 2019

Civil society asks of the Spending Review 2019
3 September 2019
Charity Finance Group and sector bodies write to the Chancellor before the Spending Review.

Charities need to find nearly £4bn additional income by 2020 finds CFG
8 May 2018
Charity Finance Group’s latest Economic Outlook Briefing has found that inflation mean that charities have to raise £3.7bn a year extra by 2020 in order to maintain their spending power ...

Autumn budget submission 2017
29 September 2017

Autumn budget submission
25 September 2017

Spring budget submission
8 February 2017
Charity Finance Group, in partnership with eight other voluntary sector bodies have written to the Chancellor ahead of the Spring Budget on 8 March.

VCSE Autumn statement proposals 2016
10 October 2016
Charity Finance Group, along with nine other voluntary sector bodies, has written to the Chancellor ahead of the Autumn Statement on 23rd November.

Leading sector bodies submit budget proposals to chancellor
23 February 2016
Charity Finance Group, along with nine other voluntary sector bodies, have written to the Chancellor ahead of the Budget on 16 March.

Grants for good campaign launched
5 February 2016
Leading voluntary sector bodies, including CFG, have today launched a new campaign - 'Grants for Good'.

Accounting without Borders
Accounting without Borders helps not-for-profit organizations deliver maximum positive impact efficiently and effectively by improving financial systems. AWB has worked in 13 countries since its inception. Our services are grounded ...

Barclays
For over 10 years, Barclays has provided specialist corporate banking support to not-for-profit and international development organisations, government bodies and registered charities.

Beever and Struthers
Our client base of over 150 charities and other not for profit organisations - from small local concerns to large national names – benefit from our core services of External ...

Bishop Fleming
Bishop Fleming is a leading accountancy firm based in the South West and Midlands. Recognised nationally as a Top 30 Charity Audit Firm by the Charity Finance League Table, Bishop ...

Broadstone Corporate Benefits Limited
At Broadstone, we have high quality specialists that provide a full spectrum of investment Advice for Foundations, Endowments, Charities, Trusts & Schools (AFFECTS). Our team of 30 investment specialists are ...

CAF Bank
We understand the priorities and challenges that charities face, and the need for confidence and security, when it comes to managing money.

Co-operative Bank
Ethical banking since 1872. We share your values, supporting charities with lending, deposits and transactional banking from a bank that understands not-for-profit organisations. Proud to be the UK's best-rated high-street ...

Downing LLP
Downing is a responsible investment manager founded in London in 1986. Our vision is to be a leader in our chosen markets, so that we can deliver attractive returns for ...

Ebury Partners UK Limited
Our aim is to help charities overcome unique bottlenecks faced when sending funds abroad. This is achieved through a wide range of risk mitigation strategies, ensuring your charity is in ...

HaysMac
HaysMac is proud to be recognised as a leading advisor in the social purpose sector. We provide the dedicated specialists charities and social enterprises need to cover every scenario.

HSBC UK
Proudly providing banking services to over 35,000 charities from the very largest to the smallest local community organisations.

IBB Solicitors
IBB Solicitors’ team of specialist charity lawyers are experienced in delivering practical commercial advice across all areas of the law to charities, not-for-profit organisations and those who work within the ...

James Hambro & Partners
James Hambro & Partners provides investment management and financial advice to UK and international charities. We’re owned by our executive partners and staff, so have the independence to focus on ...

Lloyds Bank PLC
We’re a leading provider of banking services to UK charities. Our team of specialists understand the issues our clients face and the challenges posed by a shifting political, economic and ...

Novo-K Ltd
Novo-K provides flexible procurement solutions aimed at non-profit organisations. Utilising our SMART procurement approach, we tailor our services around your organisation to help mitigate supplier risk and save money.

PMCL Consulting
PMCL Consulting is an investment consultancy business with a dedicated focus on charities. We bring an institutional approach to investments supported by a rigorous analytical framework and specific needs of ...

ProVantage Procurement Ltd
Our objective is simple – all charities have day-to-day running costs to keep the organisation operating. By buying better more of that money can be used to deliver the service ...

Provira Limited
Provira Limited is a specialist finance provider enabling charities to immediately access future legacy income and avoid having to delay high priority spending decisions.

Quantum Advisory
Quantum Advisory is an independent financial services consultancy that provides pension, employee benefit and investment services to charities and the not for profit sector. We can provide all levels ...

Santander
Our dedicated and experienced Relationship Directors understand the unique needs of the charity & not-for-profit sectors.

Sarasin & Partners
An experienced charity investment manager with a commitment to stewardship.

Sayer Vincent
Sayer Vincent is the UK’s leading firm of award winning accountants and advisors specifically working for charities, not-for-profit organisations and social enterprises.

Unity Trust Bank PLC
As an award-winning ethical bank, our savings deposits and lending help organisations to grow and make a positive difference to their communities. We work with organisations that deliver social impact, ...

Utility Aid
Utility Aid is the UK’s largest energy broker for the not-for-profit sector, covering procurement, bureau services, full account management, historical audits, and carbon reporting & net zero planning.

XPS Pensions Group
XPS Pensions Group is the largest pure pensions consultancy in the UK, specialising in actuarial, investment consulting and administration. The XPS Pensions Group business combines expertise, insight and technology to ...