Strengthening Financial Confidence for Trustees

Having a clear picture of your charity’s financial position is the first step in managing its finances well. It’s an area trustees can feel less confident about, but is an essential part of your role.

Listed on the Charity Commission website are some resources on financial topics to help your charity plan and manage its finances. They have included tools and guidance to give you practical support.

Why it matters

Being able to see clearly where your charity stands financially is the bedrock of sound governance. Without it, even well-intentioned organisations can be exposed to risk, surprises or missed opportunities. The toolkit from the Charity Commission states: “Having a clear picture of your charity’s financial position is the first step in managing its finances well.”

What you’ll find

Here are some of the core resources included:

• A Financial Health Check — quick diagnostic to spot issues and build your plan.

• A “5-Minute Guide” to Finance for Trustees — bite-sized, clear, to the point.

• Guidance on Internal Financial Controls — safeguards every charity should consider.

• Advice on Reserves Policy — how to plan for sustainability and stability.

• A section on Improving Charity Finances — proactive strategies when finances get challenging.

• A list of 15 Questions Trustees Should Ask — prompt and practical triggers for board discussion.

What you can do next

• Download the toolkit and choose one area your board will focus on this quarter (for example: reserves policy or internal controls).

• Schedule a short board agenda item: pick one of the “15 Questions” and use it as a discussion starter.

• Use the Financial Health Check as a simple benchmark – even if you’re a small group, it’s worth doing.

• Use this as a springboard — once you’ve reviewed one area, move on to another in your next meeting.

Why now?

Times are financially challenging for many community organisations. Having robust financial oversight and planning in place isn’t just “nice to have” — it’s essential for resilience and long-term sustainability. As trustees your vigilance makes a difference.

Ready to get started?
Explore the full toolkit here: Trustee Finance Toolkit