As we start the second week of January and approach the year of the wood snake, the Chinese zodiac sign that focuses on adaptability and creativity and a symbol believed to bring growth and resilience (just what the charity sector needs), we’re promoting January to be an opportune time for charities to catch their breath after what we know is a busier-than-usual festive period.
To take this small window of breathing space to look ahead, and rather than feel tensions rise in light of the financial strain charities face, use this time to look and reflect on what we know and the information and resources available to us.
Resources and information that you can use to better support your teams, volunteers, and trustees, using such tools to carry out a financial health check so you can build resilience and continue serving your community.
Helping you to kick 2025 into action, we’ve pulled together our top pieces of content from 2024 to support you in your planning.
Supporting you in 2025
Looking for innovative fundraising ideas – the funding landscape is changing and fast. For charities, this means thinking outside the box to find alternative funding sources – our recommendation is to keep things simple and look to join forces with others; there are opportunities in numbers.
Avoid becoming a victim of fraud – unfortunately, charities are increasingly targeted by fraudsters stealing data, identity, and funding. Make 2025 the time to secure your systems and put the correct procedures in place.
Fear of financial difficulties – it’s vital that you know your numbers and keep on top of your charity’s cash flow. The more information you have, the more armed you are to make the best decisions going forward.
Effective marketing – marketing for any business is essential, and even more so for charities. It’s how you get your name out there, build your brand, and boost your fundraising. The good news is you don’t need a huge marketing budget to be seen; your marketing simply has to be effective. Don’t forget about the updated social media guidance for trustees from the Charity Commission.
Make use of AI – AI, when used right, can save you considerable time and resources. Make sure you know where and how to get the best out of AI for your charity.
Refuse donations that aren’t right for you – it’s not often you hear about a charity refusing a donation, but it does happen, and, in some instances, it should happen to protect the charity. Understand more about your rights and in what circumstances this would be acceptable.
Know your data governance – this is vital for charity trustees, especially as news headlines continue to report a rise in charities’ non-adherence to Charity Commission governance guidelines.
How to recruit new trustees – we know that 2024 was a challenging year for charities to recruit new trustees; the market is tough. However, things are changing, and 2025 is the time to find the right people with the right skills and passion to support your strategy moving forward.
Roles and responsibilities of trustees – if you have recruited new trustees in 2024 or maybe this year it is the perfect opportunity to carry out refresher training, make sure to cover the basics in roles and responsibilities and keep the right people on your team.
Are you new to being a CEO – maybe 2025 will see a promotion. Do you want to head into 2025 with confidence and a little more knowledge in your armoury?
Check out Charitea and Biscuits – hear from others in the sector, learn, ask questions, take some time away, and pick up some great nuggets of advice along the way.
Your team, Beyond Profit
As we welcome 2025, we understand the challenges that changes to the funding landscape, the rise in the cost of services, and the increased demand for services pose.
That’s why we head into 2025 with determination and vigour to continue providing tailored solutions for your finance and governance needs – supporting charities and communities to grow, collaborate, and thrive. Whether you would like to carry out a financial health check on your charity, or you have a strategy heading into the New Year that involves an experienced member of our team supporting you with day-to-day bookkeeping, payroll, account production, and reports, and more, book your discover call with us today.
