Looking after your group’s money

Making sure your group takes good care of its money is the responsibility of your whole committee, or, if you are a very small group, your whole group. All your members have a right to know what happens to the money.

This section contains information to help you understand your responsibilities and how to put simple systems in place to help things run smoothly. You can also scroll down to find a link to our free downloadable accounts systems.

• Bank accounts for community groups

  Information for community groups about choosing a bank and opening an account.

• Charity reporting and accounts

  This guide summarises the requirement for charities to produce accounts, reports and returns each year.

• Examination of accounts

  Getting your group’s accounts independently examined: what it means, why you might want to do it, and how to go about it.

• Financial rules

  Financial rules are your community group’s agreements about how it will look after its money. As well as helping your group to function better, financial rules show funders and other bodies that your group is looking after its money well.

• Free accounts systems to download

  Two easy to use Excel accounts systems which you can download for free.

• How much money do we have?

  This sheet is designed as a template for treasurers of groups to use – for example, to give finance reports at meetings.

• Independent examinations of accounts at the Resource Centre

  The Resource Centre conducts free independent accounts examinations for some groups.

• Managing funds for short-lived crisis-response groups

  How to manage your money if your group has been set up quickly to respond to the Covid-19 crisis

• Managing money at an event

  Tips to help keep track of your group’s cash when you’re running an event or stall

• Quick tasks for treasurers during the Covid-19 pandemic

  We know that some small groups are finding it hard to keep up with their accounts at the moment: keeping the books may be low on the list of priorities when you’re adapting to meet the changing needs of your members and you may not be able to follow your group’s normal finance rules when you’re unable to meet each other in person.

• Treasurer's role

  A step-by-step guide on how to be the treasurer for a community group. Includes basic principles of managing money, keeping track of cash and bank accounts, and sharing information with the rest of your group.
  

• Your group's money

  Information and tips to help your whole committee take responsibility for looking after your group’s money.