Charity Finance Hub: Practical Finance for Growing Charities
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A practical finance guide for charities covering budgets, reserves, cash flow, reporting, and the controls that keep growth sustainable.
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Finance fundamentals
5 guidesReserves and resilience
3 guidesRestricted funds and SORP
5 guidesMore finance templates
1 guides
Frequently asked questions
What finance information should a small charity review every month?
At minimum, review cash in the bank, income received, spending by category, budget vs actual, and any large unusual items that could affect the next few months.
How much reserve should a charity hold?
There is no single rule. Many charities aim for a reserve that covers core costs for a set period, such as three to six months, depending on risk and income stability.
When should a charity bring in stronger financial controls?
When income or spending grows quickly, more staff are involved, or trustees are no longer comfortable checking every transaction by hand.
Sources
External references used in this article. Links open on the original publisher’s site.
- Charity Commission: Internal financial controls for charitiesCharity Commission · Accessed 27 Jul 2026
- CC27: Charities and investment mattersCharity Commission · Accessed 27 Jul 2026
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