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julian@almondtreeconsulting.co.uk
Consultancy services for the charity and not for profit sector. Strategy Development, fundraising, governance, collaborations and partnerships.
Stay up to date with developments in the sector and our latest thinking on issues affecting charities and social enterprises.
I was delighted to co-host an in-depth workshop on income risk, sustainability and diversification at the Charity Finance Group (CFG) Annual Conference 2019, including a practical session for delegates to assess their own charity’s sustainability and income risk profile using a simple tool we have developed. This article briefly explains that tool and how it can benefit charities who use it (including a worked example).
Read MoreOur partners Stone King, who provide specialist HR support, are running a series of fully interactive Mock Disciplinary Hearing in a range of locations throughout June 2019. We are happy to recommend these events to any organisation, whether or not you are currently dealing with disciplinary or related issues.
Read MoreBusiness continuity planning is not just about apocalyptic events such as terrorism, floods and so on. It’s about making sure that your organisation can continue to serve its beneficiaries (and fulfill its obligations to funders) when a major event occurs that might otherwise prevent you from doing so. How well prepared are you to cope in such situations?
Read MoreIn January 2019 the NCVO published Charity Ethical Principles, but how’s does this fit in with the myriad of other publications in recent years on what might broadly be categorised as charity ethics, behavioural governance and/or organisational culture? As well as outlining the principles in the NCVO publication, this short articles aims to give a few pointers on how to navigate this increasingly crowded field or guidance, frameworks and codes.
Read MoreI am delighted to be co-hosting with Helena Wilkinson of Price Bailey Chartered Accountants, an in-depth workshop on income risk, sustainability and diversification at the Charity Finance Group (CFG) Annual Conference 2019 on Thursday 16 May 2019 at The Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre, London. CFG19 is aimed at anyone working in a role that relates to charity finance. It has five streams of sessions covering technical updates, strategic insights, and practical workshops and is the perfect opportunity to develop your knowledge and skills in charity finance, meet with others in the sector and gain new insights.
Read MoreHaving tried to avoid it for months, we’ve finally caved in and penned a short article on the possible implications of Brexit for small to medium sized charities in the UK. In our view there is unlikely (in any future scenario) to be a major cliff edge of change affecting UK charities as a result of Brexit. The rest is really crystal ball gazing as the uncertainty surrounding the long-term EU/UK relationships continues; but sometimes we need to look into the crystal ball.
Read MoreIn almost every small and medium sized charity I have worked (and some big ones) with risk management has been, and seen to be, a chore; “something we have to do but which adds little value.” But it doesn’t need to be like that. This article provides a mini-guide to simple and effective risk management.
Read MoreAt Almond Tree Strategic Consulting we are passionate about public and voluntary service and we believe that all businesses, whatever their size or sector, should practice Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). This blog outlines our view the key principles that make for effective CSR engagement and outlines our own CSR programme by way of example.
Read MoreOver the years we’ve done quite a lot of fundraising for churches and other faith-inspired charities. While many of the same principles apply, there are some important differences to fundraising for purely secular causes. This short article explores some of these differences, offering hints and tips to help faith-based organisations navigate the fundraising world a little more easily.
Read MoreAt the end of January 2019 the Charity Commission published their latest report on lessons and warnings for charities and trustees from their casework in 2017-18. This article explores some key questions raised by the report and the tougher stance the Commission is taking, including highlighting the importance of charities conducting regular governance reviews.
Read MoreGamification is a horrible word that is used more and more in society and in fundraising. What does it mean? This short blog explores what impact this concept is having on fundraising, why it works, how you can apply it in your fundraising and what pitfalls to watch out for.
Read MoreOur associate and colleague John Eary has recently published a new book: Agile Working And The Digital Workspace. I heartily recommend it for any organisation wanting to enhance efficiency and improve their services by taking advantage of new technologies.
Read MoreMy colleagues Andreas Conradi and Ivan Entchevitch, have recently published a case study on a Service Design workshop they led for my client, Music for My Mind, exploring how to harness technology to overcome key challenges in using personalised music to help people effected by dementia.
Read MoreOver the last two weeks I have delivered a series of seminars exploring a range of innovations in income generation for charities and social enterprises (particularly smaller organisations), hosted by Price Bailey Chartered Accountants. This blog gives an overview of what I covered, a link to the slides and summarises the results of audience polls conducted during my presentations.
Read MoreWith public authorities increasingly imposing contracts and funding agreements, the risks run by charities and social enterprises are increasing. A particularly significant risk relates to whether the funding is classed as a grant or a contract, which can have expensive consequences. This blog explores this issue in more detail, with some pointers on when to seek detailed advice to avoid getting caught out with a big bill long after you have spent the money.
Read MoreDementia destroys who we are and the relationships we hold dear. That’s why I’ve joined the Alzheimer's Research UK Cycling Down Dementia 2018 Pioneer Challenge. My target is to cycle 600 miles over this winter. Please help me raise much needed funding by giving through my fundraising page and by spreading the word by sharing my page with your friends and family. Thank you for your support.
Read MoreProject management is often shrouded in mystery and technical language and frequently made more complicated and burdensome than it needs to be. My experience with small and medium sized clients is that simpler approaches made on key principles are often more than good enough to deliver what the client needs. In this short article I explore this approach further hoping to show that simpler is possible.
Read MoreI am delighted to have been invited by Price Bailey Chartered Accountants to deliver a series of thought provoking seminars exploring a range of innovations in income generation for charities and social enterprises. These free seminars will take place on:
4 December 2018 (5 pm in London)
6 December 2018 (5 pm in Cambridge)
11 December 2018 (5 pm in London)
13 December 2018 (8 am in Norwich)
To book your place at one of these events please visit the Price Bailey seminars webpage . Places are going fast so book soon! I very much hope to meeting you at one of these events.
Read MoreDo you have a bright idea for how to help your community? Are you thinking about setting up a new charity to do this? Or have you been running a local voluntary group for a while? Should it be a registered charity? In this short article I explore the pros and cons of setting up a new charity and some of the alternatives you could consider for your idea or group.
Read MoreSince the financial crisis of 2008/9, the emphasis in governance debates has shifted from structural matters towards consideration of the impact of behaviour on the effectiveness of governance. Recen charity scandals show that the sector has no room for complacency in this regard. The July 2018 ICSA report Improving charity boardroom behaviours, builds on the Charity Governance Code to provide detailed guidance on appropriate behaviours in the governance of charities.