The Fore Trust 

Small Charity Finance Booster Series

Finance doesn’t have to feel overwhelming. Our Small Charity Finance Booster Series is here to help you build confidence, revisit the basics, and strengthen your financial foundations. These refresher and introductory sessions are perfect for:

• Staff or trustees who are new to managing charity finances.
• Experienced professionals looking to revisit first principles and reflect on their current practices.
• Anyone keen to connect with peers facing similar challenges in smaller charities or social enterprises.

Each session goes back to the essentials, helping you understand the key finance jobs that keep your organisation sustainable and resilient. Expect a friendly, practical, and collaborative environment where you can learn, share, and grow your confidence in managing charity finances.

An Introduction to Cashflow Forecasting | A 3-Hour Workshop

Cash is the lifeblood of any organisation—it keeps the lights on and the mission moving forward. But even with a balanced budget or a planned surplus, cashflow problems can still arise, and they can quickly escalate if left unchecked.

This practical workshop will equip you with the tools to prepare a simple, effective cashflow forecast, helping you stay ahead of potential challenges. We’ll also explore key strategies for navigating financial difficulties and ensuring your organisation remains resilient.

What we’ll cover:

• Principles of organisational resilience and how they apply to financial management.
• What it really means to be financially resilient as a small charity.
• The role of forecasting, reserves, scenarios, and early warning indicators in maintaining stability.
• Top tips and common pitfalls to avoid when managing cashflow.

What you can expect:

• Clear and practical guidance tailored to small charities.
• Real-world examples and tools you can apply immediately.
• A supportive environment to ask questions and share experiences.

Introduction to Charity Finance | A 2-Hour Traditional Broadcast Session

Finance doesn’t have to be a mystery for small charities. In fact, there are just three key areas to focus on: getting your systems and processes right, making informed decisions, and leading with financial confidence. You don’t need to be a finance expert to build a financially sustainable charity—just a clear understanding of the essentials.

In this friendly and practical session, we’ll revisit what charity finance really means, explore what “good” looks like, and celebrate the great work you’re already doing. Together, we’ll identify actionable next steps to help you lead your charity toward greater financial sustainability and resilience.

What we’ll cover:

• The finance cycle and the tools you need to stay on top of your numbers.
• The financial reports that support smart decision-making.
• The difference between financial sustainability and financial resilience—and why both matter.
• Top tips and common pitfalls to avoid.

What you can expect:

• Clear and practical guidance tailored to small charities.
• Real-world examples and tools you can apply immediately.
• A supportive environment to ask questions and share experiences.

An introduction to Trustee Finance Duties - 'To infinity and beyond' | 2 Hour Session

Do you understand your responsibilities when it comes to your charity’s finances? This practical 2-hour session will introduce the core finance duties so that you can start to build firm foundations when it comes to fulfilling your role effectively.

We’ll cover:

• Protecting the Money: Safeguarding funds and ensuring financial integrity.
• Managing Payments to Trustees: Understanding the rules around trustee payments and avoiding conflicts of interest.
• Keeping Financial Records: Staying compliant by maintaining accurate and transparent records.
• Knowing the Financial Position: Gaining a clear picture of your charity’s financial health.
• Managing Financial Difficulties Promptly: Identifying and addressing challenges before they escalate.

Whether you’re new to the role or need a refresher, this training is a must for any trustee committed to fulfiling their duties and building longer term financial resilience of their charity.

What you can expect:

• Clear and practical guidance tailored to small charities.
• Real-world examples and tools you can apply immediately.
• A supportive environment to ask questions and share experiences.
  

Understanding Charity Annual Accounts | A 3-Hour Workshop

Annual accounts are more than just numbers—they tell the story of your charity’s financial resilience, priorities and impact. But for many, interpreting these documents can feel daunting. This interactive workshop aims to demystify the accounts and help us find the stories behind the numbers.

Whether you’re a trustee, staff member, or volunteer, this session will demystify charity annual accounts, introduce key financial concepts, and help you gain the confidence to read and understand them effectively.

What we’ll cover:

• Key concepts explained: Income, expenditure, reserves, assets, and liabilities—what they mean and why they matter.
• The structure of charity accounts: How to navigate the statement of financial activities (SOFA), balance sheet, and notes.
• Finding the story: What accounts reveal about your charity’s financial position and sustainability.
• Practical tips: How to use accounts to inform decision-making, manage risk, and communicate with stakeholders.

What you can expect:

• Clear and practical guidance tailored to small charities.
• Real-world examples and tools you can apply immediately.
• A supportive environment to ask questions and share experiences
  

Making Sense of Reserves: A Practical Guide for Charities | 2-Hour Broadcast Session

What are charity reserves, and why do they matter? In this 2-hour broadcast session, we’ll demystify reserves and provide practical guidance to help your charity manage them effectively.

What we’ll cover:

• Understanding Reserves: What reserves are, what they aren’t, and why they’re essential for financial stability.
• Setting a Reserves Policy: How to define an appropriate reserves target that aligns with your charity’s size, mission, and risk profile.
• Communicating with Confidence: Tips for explaining your reserves policy to funders, stakeholders, and regulators.
• Making Reserves Work for You: Best practices for managing, monitoring, and leveraging reserves to support your charity’s resilience.

This session is ideal for trustees, finance leads, and charity leaders seeking clarity and confidence around reserves management. Whether your charity is building its reserves or navigating tough decisions about using them, you’ll leave with actionable insights and resources to guide your next steps.

What you can expect:

• Clear and practical guidance tailored to small charities.
• Real-world examples and tools you can apply immediately.
• A supportive environment to ask questions and share experiences.
  

Building Stronger Foundations:

A Workshop on Organisational Resilience for Small Charities | A 3-Hour Workshop

How can small charities stay strong and adaptable in an ever-changing world? This 3-hour interactive workshop is designed to equip charity leaders with practical tools and insights to strengthen their organisations.

Using the Lloyds Bank Foundation's Organisational Resilience Framework, we’ll explore the three critical pillars of resilience—Purpose, People, and Money—and delve into the ten principles that support long-term success.

What you’ll gain:

• Clarity on Purpose: Reconnect with your organisation’s mission and ensure it guides strategic decisions.
• Empowered People: Discover strategies to engage, support, and grow your team and stakeholders.
• Financial Confidence: Learn how to build financial sustainability and navigate uncertainty.

This session will combine expert guidance, peer discussions, and practical exercises to help you build resilience into the core of your organisation. Whether you’re looking to adapt to current challenges or future-proof your charity, this workshop is an opportunity to create a stronger, more sustainable foundation.

We will explore:

- The 3 pillars of Organisational Resilience

- The 10 principles for putting this into practice

- Top tips and common elephant traps

What you can expect:

• Clear and practical guidance tailored to small charities.
• Real-world examples and tools you can apply immediately.
• A supportive environment to ask questions and share experiences.
  

Session leaders

These sessions are led by Liz Pepler, Founder at Embrace Finance, an experienced charity finance professional with over 20 years’ experience in the sector. The Organisational Resilience workshop is also delivered by Yasmin Glover, an experienced purpose and impact specialist.

Programme materials

Session materials will be added to the relevant section after each session for you to download and keep.

The usual caveat

Please note that these sessions are not intended to replace proper professional support or advice. In all cases you will need to tailor these to your own organisation and you will need to revisit the primary guidance from the Charity Commission to satisfy yourself that these are what you need.