Useful Resource in Managing Risk from the Charities Finance Directors Group

Lessons in managing risk in charities

Charity Finance Directors' Group has published 'Managing risk in charities: Lessons from the past decade and a look into the future', looking at development of risk management in the sector since the first annual survey 10 years ago, and makes recommendations for improving practice.  Download from below

Managing risk in charities

  
 Advantage of being a CAF customer

The 16,000 customers of CAF Bank, the not-for-profit banking subsidiary of the Charities Aid Foundation, now have the facility to accept payments by credit or debit card as a result of a partnership with payment solutions provider Cardsave Community.

Cardsave Community, which works exclusively with the not-for-profit sector, offers a secure, low-cost payment terminal which lets groups and charities accept payments by credit or debit card, whether that is face to face, through the post or over the phone.

For example, charities can use the terminals to accept donations in person at fundraising events or over the phone, and or payments at a charity shop, for tickets, membership or services provided.

It offers charities 12 month contracts, which are much shorter than the contracts usually offered by other major providers.

Cardsave Community terminals are available in countertop, portable or mobile versions.

Marc Frost, Chief Executive of Cardsave Community, said: "Our ethos is very similar to CAF Bank’s in that we aim to provide the same service to smaller organisations that mainstream providers give larger organisations. We already work with thousands of charities, from national names to very small local charities and hope that many of CAF Bank’s customers will now join them in using our payment terminals to increase their options."

Peter Mitchell, Chief Executive of CAF Bank added: "With this deal, we’re further increasing the options available to our charity customers for accepting payments. Cards are an increasingly important payment method for donors, and with the cheque guarantee facility for cheques recently withdrawn, this approach enables charities to take guaranteed card payments instead."

www.cafonline.org

source fundraisinguk

  
 Easy to use Guides

Sayer Vincent has produced 'Made Simple Guides' for the Charity Finance Directors Group.  There are 19 titles available for download including recently updated VAT, Gift Aid, taking into account updates from the last budget.  Go to their website.

      
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 Dipping into Restricted Funds

Tempted to dip into your restricted funds to cover budget shortfalls?  If so you need to read this article as there are certain steps you need to take.  Read more

  
 Gift Aid News

Update on gift aid guidance

HMRC has changed some of its gift aid guidance under Chapter 3 of its detailed guidance notes for charities. The sections that have changed are mainly those relating to donor benefits and particular situations.  Read more
 

  
 Community Accountancy

AccountAbility - CVA's Community Accountancy Project has now ended.  However you can still access financial factsheets/templates and other useful resources from AccountAbilityLondon

  
 Free Advice on VAT

 

Direct Marketing Association has set up this service along with the Zero Vat consultancy  to provide advice to charities.
 
Contrary to popular belief, charities are not exempt from paying VAT on goods and services. However, HMRC has in place a number of concessions that allow for certain marketing goods and services to be ‘zero rated’ for VAT.
 
Charities can
 
  • Claim relief on advertising that is placed in third-party media and communicates with the general public,
  • Claim relief for design and production of the advert.
 
However, charities cannot claim relief for adverts placed on their own websites or publications. There are also concessions for things such as
 
·        Appeal letters and envelopes.
·        Collection envelopes
·        Collection boxes
 
As this is a complex matter it is hoped that the helpdesk will help charities to slash thousands of pounds from their marketing and advertising costs by providing details on what is VAT zero rated.
 
For more information on this service either call 020 7291 3360 or go to vat helpdesk
  
 Advice from Charity Commission re fake charity appeals

The Charity Commission is advising the public on how they can ensure that they avoid falling for fake charity appeals set up around the drought and food shortage crisis in East Africa.

The Commission is aware that such scams are likely, based on previous experiences with disaster appeals such as the Haiti earthquake and the Japanese earthquake and tsunami. These fake appeals can take the form of fake appeal websites, email appeals that falsely use the name of genuine charities, or appeals from fictitious charities.

The Commission is urging the public to keep giving but to be vigilant. It has issued the following advice for those who wish to make a donation:

  • • Be careful when responding to emails or clicking links within them.   Don’t “click-through” from suspicious-looking emails and beware unfamiliar  or excessively long website addresses. If you want to donate online, type in the charity’s website address from your homepage.
  • • Watch out for poor grammar and spelling in emails and other documents, including collection envelopes or clothing bags. This can also be a sign they are not genuine.
  • • If you have any concerns about the legitimacy of a request for donations that appears to come from a charity, don’t hesitate to contact that charity directly. Be wary of any appeals where contact details for the charity are not provided. You can find genuine contact details for charities on their websites or on the Register of Charities, which is available on the Charity Commission website
  
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