You and Your Organisation

Wide ranging insurance protection

Anthony Lindsay — Thu, 09 Dec 2010 15:45:32 +0000

The Wheel in conjuction with BHP Insurance Brokers, have developed a comprehensive and competitively priced insurance offering exclusively for members of the Wheel.

The Wheel and BHP Insurances Ltd in association with Ecclesiastical Insurance.

BHP Insurances working with Ecclesiastical are delighted to be able to offer The Wheel's members access to wid

New Insurance Offering to Members of The Wheel

Anthony Lindsay — Thu, 04 Nov 2010 16:44:44 +0000

A very important way of mitigating many of the risks our organizations face is through effective insurance.

Encouraging adherence to principles of good governance has always been a central concern for The Wheel in our relationship with our members.

File size: a tutorial

Anthony Lindsay — Thu, 16 Sep 2010 16:10:18 +0000

To many people, file size is a black art.

To many people, file size is a black art. Worse, for many, file size just does not feature on their radar at all.

Quality Assurance Frameworks

Anthony Lindsay — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 11:07:43 +0000

These frameworks enable community organisations and charities to build standards around the needs of their users

Quality assurance (QA) frameworks allow community & voluntary organisations to look at their strengths and weaknesses and continuously improve their quality of service. Obviously, f

Finally! A way to use Twitter

Anthony Lindsay — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 15:37:58 +0000

These tools make Twitter make sense.

Everybody talks about Twitter. Some people claim to love it, others hate it. Some claim to be able to use it effectively to bring their organisation's message to market. If you ar

Image:

Code of Good Governance Project

paulmeade — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 16:08:55 +0000

A set of draft principles and implementation guidelines, which reflect the reality of the profile of the wider sector are currently being drawn up.

We must acknowledge that Corporate Governance is becoming an increasingly important issue for the community and voluntary sector, particularly in the context of the Charities Act and the upc

Recession Toolkit from The Wheel

Anthony Lindsay — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 19:52:22 +0000

Following the greatest economic upheaval in a generation, community,

Financial Reporting by Charities

Sun, 18 Apr 2010 18:02:54 +0000

“It is most likely that this will require charities to disclose some additional information in relation to their charitable activities and their finances."

Introduction and Contexts

There is a great variation in terms of the quality and range of information currently provided by charitable companies in their financial statements to the Companies Registration Office (CRO). Some charities comply with the minimum standards required under company law, some Irish charities go beyond the minimum, whilst some even comply with the Statement of Recommended Practice for Financial Reporting by Charities (SORP) standard, which is recommended best practice by the Accounting Standards Board (ASB)

Good Governance Checklist

Sun, 18 Apr 2010 18:02:54 +0000

Have you done an audit of skills of your governing body?

Although every organisation is different, the trustees of any charitable or non-profit organisation, also known as the Governing Body should be able to answer positively to these questions:

Vision and Mission

Sun, 18 Apr 2010 18:02:53 +0000

Every organisation has an ethos, a belief system or a set of principles

Defining what you are about: vision and mission

Although most organisations will have some sort of governing document, the wording and language used in constitutions, memoranda of association and similar documents are frequently insufficient, too broad or unsuitable for wider use. Developing a short, clear vision statement and/or mission statement that summarises the long-term change that you want to make, is therefore very useful. When doing so, it is vital that all relevant people are involved.

Annual Reports

Sun, 18 Apr 2010 18:02:53 +0000

Producing a report on an annual basis that communicates the key information as noted below is good practice.

An annual report is an underused publicity vehicle. If it is produced at all, frequently it is dull, providing only the minimum reporting and financial information required by the Companies Registration Office (if your organisation is a company). For organisations that are not companies, reports on finances and progress, as would normally appear in an annual report, are often only produced for donors at intervals specified by various funding programmes.

Annual reports can have multiple purposes:

Communications Strategy

Sun, 18 Apr 2010 18:02:53 +0000

The reputation of your organisation is one of your biggest asset

Your communications strategy

Do you have a strategy for regular and effective communication with your stakeholders (the people who would have a particular interest in your organisation)? If not, consider drawing one up. Think carefully about the image you wish to portray. (In marketing terms, things means things like consider your ‘brand’ and ‘market position’.) Your image need not be overly glossy; in fact spending a disproportionate amount of money on publicity materials can be off-putting for those who fund you and may misfire.

Newsletters and Websites

Sun, 18 Apr 2010 18:02:53 +0000

The type of information you can put on a website is almost limitless...

Newsletters

Newsletters are published more frequently than the annual report and are therefore a good way of communicating on a more regular basis about current issues.

Working with the Media

Sun, 18 Apr 2010 18:02:53 +0000

Working with the media is not about sending hundreds of press releases

The media has an important role to play in the life of community and voluntary organisations. It can enhance organisations’ profiles, enabling them to raise awareness of their activities, to reach out to potential new supporters and to influence policy debate. It also needs to be considered as an important part of crisis management in the unlikely event of the organisation receiving unfavourable publicity.

[excerpt]

Funder Relations

Sun, 18 Apr 2010 18:02:52 +0000

Never, ever forget to thank donors!

In order to gain and retain public confidence, you must be absolutely clear about who funds you. This can be difficult if donors want anonymity. You must respect requests for anonymity but clarify this in your accounts. In this case, you can expect to have to answer ongoing questions about the identity of the donor(s). To protect your good name further, it is vital that you have proper cash handling procedures, especially if you raise money from the general public.

[excerpt]

Internal Policies and Procedures

Sun, 18 Apr 2010 18:02:52 +0000

Deciding policy is only the beginning...

Policies provide a framework within which an organisation makes choices about how it operates and so can either help or hinder the implementation of the strategic plan. Organisations may have policies on any number of topics, for example:

Strategic Planning

Sun, 18 Apr 2010 18:02:52 +0000

Do not assume that there will be agreement on where the organisation should head in the future

Reasons for planning

Planning is vital, yet people find all sorts of reasons for not doing it! If there are new demands on organisations (for example, pressure on resources, awareness of unmet needs, political or legislative changes) many try to respond immediately.

[excerpt]This can lead to wasted energies, haphazard developments and conflict. Even when plans are made, they are sometimes not implemented, or the impact of the plans is not evaluated. Remember that planning is a means to an end and not an end in itself.

Health and Safety

Sun, 18 Apr 2010 18:02:52 +0000

The governing body of your organisation should review the safety statement annually...

Health and safety is one area where the legal obligations for managing risk are particularly demanding. Under the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005 every employer is required to prepare a safety statement for the workplace.

This statement should:

Insurance

Sun, 18 Apr 2010 18:02:52 +0000

Remember though that insurance will not cover you for circumstances like getting into debt, defamation or breach of contract

However small or informal your organisation, insurance is a must. It is also a crucial way to minimise the risk to your organisation.

Risk Checklist

Sun, 18 Apr 2010 18:02:52 +0000

Do you have adequate systems in place to manage risk?

Use the following questions to figure out your organisation's current level of risk:

Risk Management

Sun, 18 Apr 2010 18:02:52 +0000

Does your organisation have procedures in place to comply with employment, equality, and health and safety legislation?

Risk is a situation involving an exposure to danger. You should approach risk management positively, as part of the day-to-day management of the organisation, for it does not just identify threats, it also provides opportunities for improvements.

Threats and opportunities

Most risk can be anticipated and therefore planned for, for example:

Fundraising

Sun, 18 Apr 2010 18:02:52 +0000

Aim to build long term relationships with your funders

It is vital that your organisation approaches fundraising in a strategic way, with proper planning, implementation and evaluation. It is a demanding task that should be seen as central to the organisation and not left to one individual.

Information and Copyright

Sun, 18 Apr 2010 18:02:52 +0000

Poor systems will lead to organisational inefficiency

Information

It is imperative that you establish systems for the proper administration and management of information. Organisations are bombarded with vast volumes of information daily, received by post, telephone, text, email, fax, etc. Poor systems will lead to organisational inefficiency. For example, how do you ensure that information is passed round all relevant people? How do you keep track of your library resources?

Premises and Equipment

Sun, 18 Apr 2010 18:02:52 +0000

Make sure you have an assets register listing details of all your capital assets and dates of purchase and disposal

Unless your group is very small and operates from the homes of individuals, you will have some sort of premises, however basic. You are also likely to have furniture and equipment, and possibly vehicles and stock. The sourcing, security and maintenance of these is your responsibility.

Collaborative Working

Sun, 18 Apr 2010 18:02:52 +0000

Organisations must determine for themselves appropriate working protocols with possible partners

Appropriate partners can add value to your work. By cooperating, organisations share knowledge, increase resources, avoid duplication, provide support and become stronger agents for change.

Monitoring Results

Sun, 18 Apr 2010 18:02:51 +0000

You may need to make further cuts as a result or make other changes in your operations...

There is no point in planning your budget and in gathering the information if you do not use it. You should keep simple spreadsheets of actual expenditure and income and actual cash flow if you do not have a bookkeeper/accountant do this for you. Have a review each month of your own numbers, even if you have an accountant to prepare quarterly management accounts only. Keep a very close eye on the cash balance, but also on the numbers generally – are they up or down on expectations in the budget – why?

Guidelines on Reserves Policies for Charities (March, 2012)

Sun, 18 Apr 2010 18:02:51 +0000

Income needs to be spent in a particular year unless it has already been agreed with the Revenue Commissioners as to why it will not be spent in that particular year.

What are Charity Reserves?

For the purposes of this document reserves can be understood as income that becomes available to the charity and is to be expended at the discretion of the Board

Management vs Governance

Sun, 18 Apr 2010 18:02:51 +0000

The larger an organisation is, the easier it is to define the boundaries...

Understanding the differences

The governing body must govern; that is, it must provide leadership and strategy and must focus on the 'big picture'.

Employment Law

Sun, 18 Apr 2010 18:02:51 +0000

Employment law changes regularly - staying abreast of those changes is crucial for all employers...

Employment law changes regularly and is demanding for organisations to keep abreast of. It currently includes, but is not limited to, the following acts: [excerpt]

Good Employment Practices

Sun, 18 Apr 2010 18:02:51 +0000

Invest in training and development for all staff...

These are some other elements of good employment practice you should consider:

Dealing with People

Sun, 18 Apr 2010 18:02:51 +0000

The more people are involved, the more complex your organisation becomes...

Recognising all of the people involved

The people who undertake the work of your organisation, whether they are paid a wage or not, are the most important asset of your organisation. Without them, you simply would not exist. Every person plays a vital role, and everyone needs to view each other as partners in a team working together to achieve common goals.

The types of people involved in your organisation might include:

Paid Employees

Sun, 18 Apr 2010 18:02:51 +0000

You must provide all employees with proper payslips...

If an organisation decides to take on staff, it must be very clear about the legal and moral obligations that go with being an employer.

These are just some of your legal employment responsibilities:

Volunteers and Other Human Resources

Sun, 18 Apr 2010 18:02:51 +0000

It is vital that the contribution of all workers is recognised, planned for, managed and evaluated...

There are no specific laws relating to volunteers. In the case of volunteers, the challenge is finding and keeping volunteers without the lure of a salary.

Some examples of good practice in volunteer management include:

Cost Cutting and Making Ends Meet

Sun, 18 Apr 2010 18:02:51 +0000

Engage all your staff in looking for solutions...

If as is usually the case, there is a shortfall between what you forecast you can earn and what you need to spend in the coming year, you have to find ways of closing the gap. If you can raise more income, well and good, but note if that has associated costs and provide for them in the expenditure part of the budget.

Efficient Financial Planning

Sun, 18 Apr 2010 18:02:51 +0000

If you can tighten up on your debtors and manage your creditors better, you may be able to release some extra cash in the organisation....

Some Simple Rules...

Some people are paid monthly and organise their own finances to pay the big bills – credit card and mortgage just after the salary cheque comes in.

Financial Responsibilities

Sun, 18 Apr 2010 18:02:51 +0000

Keeping detailed records, on receipt, of all monies received...

Each organisation has significant financial responsibilities that must be taken seriously. These include:

Responsibilities of Governing Body