Finance Made Easy

This half day course is designed for new treasurers, general trustees and management committee members or staff who work in smaller organisations to understand the basics of how to manage the finances within a voluntary or community organisation. It covers all the essential issues ranging from drawing up a budget to ensuring that the organisation has sound financial procedures.

Areas covered

• Components of good financial management
• How to draw up a budget and monitor this throughout the year
• How to develop and monitor a cash flow forecast
• Full cost recovery
• Building up reserves
• Producing the annual accounts
• Developing simple but effective financial procedures
• Typical financial issues that occur in VCS organisations.

This course could be run as part of a training programme or could be run in house.

In-house courses

The course is designed to be flexible so that it can accommodate the specific needs of a particular organisation or agency. The course could be run, for example, for a trustee board or management committee so that they understand how finances should be managed.

Objectives

• To help participants understand their financial responsibilities as treasurers, trustees or management committee members
• To introduce a number of good practices in managing finances which can be done simply and without too much paperwork
• To ensure participants understand how to draw up a simple budget and cash flow forecast
• To ensure participants understand a few of the technical issues of managing finance such as “restricted” and “unrestricted” funding, “revenue” and “capital” income and expenditure.

Target Audience

People working or volunteering in the voluntary and community sector, including trustees or management committee members and those working in statutory agencies who work closely with VCS groups or community projects. The course can be adapted to suit particular needs.

Cost

From £150 + travel costs.