Leadership

People are increasingly looking to charity finance professionals to be leaders, so skills such as developing people and shaping the direction of the charity are now just as important as technical competence.

If finance professionals are going to turn ideas into practice, they need to improve their leadership skills.

Equally, managing resources effectively to deliver social change is not just a job for finance, but for everyone within a charity. This means that all leaders within charities need to become more financially literate, regardless of their discipline.

Many of the problems that charities encounter are financial, and it’s crucial that trustees, chief executives and other leaders also understand finance so that they can make effective decisions. Use our extensive resources to get you into the right mindset.

 

Finance Focus November/December 2020
4 December 2020
Welcome to the latest edition of Finance Focus! In this issue, we ask charities and CFG's trustees about what they've learned in 2020 and what lays ahead. Topics also covered ...

Finance Focus October 2020
23 October 2020
Welcome to the October 2020 edition of Finance Focus. Issues covered inside: Mental health; fraud; audits; training; Brexit and much more!

Finance Focus September
22 September 2020
Let's raise our voice to raise Gift Aid!

How to avoid bias in job advert writing
18 September 2020

Finance Focus August
18 August 2020

Rethinking the future

Planning for the future in light of Covid-19
3 August 2020

Finance Focus July
17 July 2020
As Caron Bradshaw celebrates a decade at the helm, we ask what next for CFG?

Finance Focus Jun 2019
24 June 2019
CFG's Inspiring Financial Leadership programme 2019

CFG Annual Handbook 2019
19 June 2019
The aim of The Pink Book is to provide you and your wider colleagues, trustees and stakeholders with the resources, support and assistance to drive social change. Read it, pass ...

Trustee Charity Finance Competency
28 March 2019
This second MHA and Charity Finance Group trustee finance competency survey was undertaken during Autumn 2018.

Annual Report 2017-18: Empowering Your People
21 December 2018
Download a full PDF version of our 2017-18 Annual Report

Finance Focus July 2018
26 July 2018

The Finance Journey: Development and leadership model for finance teams
28 February 2014
This report, written by Simon Hopkins, is a practical guide to a model he has developed to support finance professionals in the charity sector to become leaders.

Beyond Eeyore: Growing your influence as a charity finance director
28 June 2013
This research report is published as part of the Clore Social Fellowship and provides information for finance directors seeking to improve their influencing ability within their organisations.

Changing Faces. How CFOs can master their many roles
1 January 2013
This white paper details the key financial management roles that should be performed in every organisation – and, crucially, who should play them.

Collaborative working made simple
5 September 2011
Collaborative working made simple.

Charity mergers - Findings and Recommendations from Research
1 February 2009
Do mergers in the voluntary sector provide financial stability for the newly formed organisation? Findings and Recommendations from Research

Mergers - Made Simple Guide No. 12
1 December 2008
The topic for research was “do mergers in the voluntary sector provide financial stability for the newly formed organisation?”

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 ...

Caron Bradshaw, CEO of Charity Finance Group, is awarded an OBE
31 December 2020
“I am deeply grateful for what I see as recognition of CFG’s work” says Caron.

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.

PRESS RELEASE: Economists sound warning over 'charity crunch'
23 November 2020
Seventy-five per cent of charities expect higher demand in 2021, while 83% forecast income decline. The results of the latest PBE Covid Charity Tracker Survey reveal a troubling gap between ...

Charity and business leaders call on Chancellor to take urgent action to support sector
18 November 2020
#MobiliseNotMothball campaign launches with urgent message to government from more than 100 leaders private and non-profit organisations.

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.

Caron Bradshaw: Woman of the Year!
19 October 2020
CFG's CEO Caron Bradshaw has won a prestigious accolade at this year’s Women in Finance and Accountancy Awards

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

Election result reinforces our mission and purpose
13 December 2019

Report reveals that there is more to do to ensure charity trustees engage with financial governance
28 March 2019
The latest analysis from the second annual MHA and Charity Finance Group charity trustee finance competency survey, based on responses from over 200 charities, suggests continuing deficiencies in the financial ...

Join CFG – an offer for new members
14 January 2019
Join CFG between January-March for the price of an annual subscription, so you pay less for longer

Changes to the CFG Board of Trustees
17 December 2018

Annual Fundraising Dinner 2018
1 October 2018
CFG's Annual Fundraising Dinner is a glittering occasion which brings together our corporate and charity members for an evening of fine food, socialising and entertainment.

Sporta and CFG launch partnership to support leisure and culture trusts
10 September 2018
Following the successful launch of its partnership with the Association of Independent Museums (AIM), Charity Finance Group has announced a second collaboration, this time with Sporta, the Sports and Recreation ...

Caron Bradshaw launches new CFG leadership strategy at Annual Fundraising Dinner
9 November 2017
Caron Bradshaw, Chief Executive, Charity Finance Group launched CFG’s new leadership strategy at CFG’s Annual Fundraising Dinner which was sponsored by Ecclesiastical.

Outgoing CFG Chair warns that charities must not lose their voice in chase for government income
18 May 2017
Ian Theodoreson, Chair of Charity Finance Group, will make his remarks at the CFG Annual Conference today at the Queen Elizabeth II Centre in Westminster. The conference is the largest ...

Putting members at the heart of CFG
15 December 2020
CFG’s Senior Membership and Insight Manager, Jessica Meddick, shares some personal reflections on life at CFG during the past 12 months, and looks ahead to what promises to be another ...

And then the world turned upside down…
9 December 2020
With the publication of their new property research, property advice charity and CFG member the Ethical Property Foundation has never been in more demand. CEO Antonia Swinson reveals how the ...

Collaboration is hard but a goal worth shooting for!
8 December 2020
As a difficult year draws to a close, CFG's CEO Caron Bradshaw reflects on the #NeverMoreNeeded team's efforts to get the right results...

The balance between giving and receiving: Why CFG is (temporarily) closing in mid-December
3 December 2020
This year, Charity Finance Group has taken the difficult decision to close from mid-December. CFG's CEO Caron Bradshaw explains why.

What does the Spending Review mean for charities?
26 November 2020
CFG's policy team takes a look at the government's latest Spending Review as announced by Chancellor Rishi Sunak on 25 November 2020.

Are you Brexit ready?
24 November 2020
With the unprecedented impact of Covid-19 still front of mind for all parts of civil society, it’s not surprising that Brexit has slipped onto the back-burner. But with the transition ...

Gone with the wind
16 November 2020
Caron Bradshaw shares the valuable lessons learned from failing to prop up a much-loved, ancient apple tree while it was still bearing fruit.

This is an emergency! CFG asks civil society to #MobiliseNotMothball and get behind its urgent message to government
10 November 2020
Thousands of charities and social enterprises are now in serious financial difficulty, but there is hope, says Caron Bradshaw, CEO of Charity Finance Group: Join CFG’s campaign and call for ...

Black History Month: The black people who inspire us
21 October 2020
As part of Black History Month, members of CFG's new Diversity Working Group have been talking about the black people who have inspired their lives. Read on to learn about ...

Finally, international guidance is within reach
30 September 2020
Samantha Musoke ACA, IFR4NPO Project Director, Humentum

Bespoke interventions for the sector are never more needed
24 September 2020
CFG's Policy Manager, Richard Sagar, outlines what the government's Winter Economic Plan means for charities.

How can I be a great leader through all stages of the change?
7 April 2020
Leadership coach and business mentor Nicki Deeson shares her advice for managing your team's wellbeing during the COVID-19 disruption.

#EveryDayCounts – The Florence Nightingale Museum
26 March 2020
Director David Green tells us about serious disruption from the Coronavirus pandemic in their bicentennial year, and how the museum is trying to cope with the challenges.

Leading in a crisis: Mark Goldring's lessons from personal experience
24 March 2020
Mark Goldring shares lessons learned for charity leaders (and maybe others) striving in the world of COVID.

The one constant in these changing times
25 November 2019
In Caron Bradshaw's speech at the CFG Annual Dinner this November and shared here, Caron reflects on the changing political climate, and why we must not forget our focus on ...

Why safeguarding is vital for finance leaders
16 October 2019
If you work in the voluntary sector, the chances are you’ll have spotted that safeguarding has suddenly been rocketed up the list of concerns for charity leaders. As NCVO launch ...

We must prepare for a no-deal Brexit
29 August 2019
Caron Bradshaw CEO of Charity Finance Group

Five takeaways from August’s Inflation Report
9 August 2019
CFG’s Policy Manager Richard Sagar outlines his five key takeaways from the August Inflation Report and explores what they mean for the charity sector.

The lessons for Oxfam and the wider sector
7 August 2019
Karl Wilding, shortly to take over as chief executive of NCVO, reflects on the lessons of Oxfam, and talks about the importance of getting your safeguarding and governance right.

What does the new prime minster mean for the charity sector?
25 July 2019
By David Ainsworth, Sector Specialist, CFG

What does financial leadership look like?
27 June 2019
Sarah Noak, Director of Finance, Lessons for Life Foundation and Clare Jenkins Director of Finance and IT, SOS Children’s Villages UK share their experiences of CFG’s Inspiring Financial Leadership training ...

Does culture really eat regulation for lunch?
20 June 2019
By David Ainsworth, Sector Specialist, CFG

Seeing the wood for the trees
26 February 2019
A subject that it frequently on charities’ minds and in the public domain is transparency. Caron Bradshaw discusses how we should start re-evaluating measuring transparency in the sector and helping ...

Working together for a stronger sector
7 January 2019
By Caron Bradshaw, Chief Executive, Charity Finance Group At the close of a turbulent year, and facing the beginnings of a new one, Caron Bradshaw talks about why our sector ...

What does 'entrepreneurial' really mean in the charity sector?
14 November 2018
By Henrietta Atkinson, Director of Business Support, CoppaFeel!  

Let’s recover the narrative on trust
15 October 2018
With decreasing public trust, a prevalent subject of discussion in the sector, Caron considers how charities should change the focus of their perspective on the trust issue and re-establish individuality.

Leadership and Empowerment
12 September 2018
Good leaders set direction, build an inspiring vision and empower others to co-create something new. However, they must also use management skills to guide their people to the right destination, ...

Large Charities Focus
23 August 2018
Rajit Gholap shares what he is expecting to take away from CFG’s Large Charities Conference 2018, and the rationale for the choice of programme this year.

It's time to banish the 'flexibility stigma'
30 July 2018
Frances Lang newly appointed CEO of Variety the Children's Charity, discusses her experiences of flexible working and how this has interacted with her career – and gives some tips on ...

Why charity finance leaders are holding the key to digital success
25 July 2018
Zoe Amar, one of the charity sector's leading digital experts, launches The Charity Digital Code of Practice consultation and tells us why a good leader is a digital leader.

Inspiring Financial Leadership - How the course helped me
27 June 2018
Beccy Reese, Management Accountant at the Trades Union Congress (TUC), completed CFG’s Inspiring Finance Leadership (IFL) 2015/16 cohort. Beccy shares her experience of the course and how she has incorporated ...

“Who moved the cheese?” The case for innovation in the UK charity sector
31 May 2018
by Naziar Hashemi Partner, National Head of Non Profits, Crowe Clark Whitehill LLP

Creating the finance superhero
24 April 2018
Empowering your finance team can transform the way they interact with the entire organisation and unlock your charity’s full potential. Ahead of our Annual Conference in May, Cara Turtington discusses ...

Get back to basics and manage your revenue effectively
16 April 2018
Ahead of her ‘7 levels of revenue’ session at our Annual Conference, Joyce Materego discusses the importance of maintaining strong work relationships as the base foundation for managing revenue during ...

Should trustees worry about fraud?
9 November 2016
Trustees Week 7 - 13 November 2016 

Trustee Week: Working to inspire good leadership
7 November 2016
The 7 - 11th November is Trustee Week for the charity sector. The theme of this year’s Trustee Week is stronger charities through good leadership. 

Fighting Darkness with Light: My speech at CFG's Annual Fundraising Dinner 2016
18 October 2016
This is a transcript of the speech Caron Bradshaw, Chief Executive of Charity Finance Group, gave at the CFG Annual Fundraising Dinner on the 17th November 2016.

If digital transformation means agile working, what are the implications for finance?
10 February 2016
This guest blog is by Nevil Durrant, Finance Director at Eduserv. Eduserv are delivering two workshops at CFG's IT and Data Insight conference on 2 March, 2016. Find out more ...

Five reasons to attend CFG's Annual Conference on May 13th
27 April 2015
With just ten working days left until CFG’s annual conference (and with tickets on track to sell out), I thought I’d take a minute or two to highlight 5 reasons ...

Trustees' Week- find out how you can get involved
27 August 2014
With the launch of #onemilliontrustees video competition; Trustees’ Week 2014 (taking place on 10-16 November), is firmly on our radar. 

Inspiring financial leadership
7 August 2014
By Mike Saxton - Head of Finance Africa Governance Initiative When people in our organisations think about the finance team, inspiring and leadership aren’t necessarily the first words that come to mind. ...

Altum Consulting
Partnering with a broad range of charities to provide them with talented finance professionals as well as supporting various charities through our foundation, via a mixture of fundraising and offering ...

Bates Wells
Bates Wells is ranked by Chambers and Legal 500 as the leading charity and social enterprise lawyers in the UK. Our lawyers are personally committed to the charity sector – ...

Charities Aid Foundation (CAF)
We understand the priorities and challenges that charities face, and the need for confidence and security, when it comes to managing money.

Charity Financials
Charity Financials contains the latest financial information on all UK charities, giving a unique overview of the charity sector across financial, causal, beneficiary and geographical parameters.

Deloitte
Deloitte is the adviser of choice for the Charities and Not For Profit sector. Our specialist team have experience of dealing with a wide range of third sector bodies and ...

M-hance
m-hance’s NfP 365 Finance suite of solutions are built on the framework of Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central. We have then enhanced this functionality with charity-specific features that will improve ...

MLC Partners
MLC Partners is a boutique recruitment partner to the Charity and wider Third sector. Our business is simple, but different. We see to building strong, honest, long term relationships with ...

SEI Investments Ltd
We have over 20 years’ experience of working with charity organisations and globally, we work with over 175* charities, totaling £18bn* in assets under management.