Charity Management Month
May means #CharityManagementMonth - focussed on sharing learning and development opportunities for charity managers and leaders.
We're delighted to bring you Charity Management Month again during May. We launched the month last year to mark our 35th anniversary and as an opportunity to share more learning opportunities to build stronger, robust and resilient leaders and managers across the sector.
The month is the first of its kind and is based on the extensive insight we gain from supporting thousands of charity leaders every year and follows findings from our research into training and development opportunities for sector managers last year. In our Charity Management Matters report, we reported that training on essential key management skills was lacking and where there was training available it was difficult to find and access or too costly for most charities.
During May, we will be sharing and signposting to online resources in the essential management areas of:
- leadership and strategic direction
- financial management and sustainability
- people management
- performance and impact.
We are excited to have a variety of new resources to offer in each of these categories, based on your feedback telling us what you need. We will also be hosting a live webinar during the month, as well as sharing some of our most popular on-demand webinars to support your learning and development.
Follow us on socials to keep up to date with all the news of the month (links in page footer).
Week one: Leadership and strategic direction
As well as all our current FREE online resources and on-demand webinars we brought you a number of brand new free learning opportunities during week one of #CharityManagementMonth.
Governance YouTube channel
The channel has a wealth of videos aimed at supporting trustees and those interested in governance - from how to become a charity chair and what makes an outstanding trustee, to types of charity income and becoming a treasurer.
We are honoured to have been entrusted with the video content on this channel, which originated from ‘Getting on Board’ – a charity that worked tirelessly in pursuit of its mission to change the face of trusteeship. We are pleased to be custodians of this content and will ensure it continues to reach and benefit people now and into the future.
Take a look at the channel here
Charity Blueprints
We are thrilled to introduce our new 'Blueprints for charity managers and leaders' resource.
These charity management blueprints give guidance on key capabilities and skills for the roles and signpost to development and learning to help build stronger and confident leaders. They have been developed in response to the findings of the research we undertook last year and shared in the ‘Charity Management Matters’ report. The management blueprints aim to help leaders and managers to navigate available training more effectively.
Discover the Leadership and strategic direction Blueprint which focuses on Chief Executive/Senior Leader or Director role and capabilities.
Board papers - a practical guide
“What should be included in board papers? How much detail should they go into? What makes a good set of board papers and why?”.
These are questions we are asked often and whilst there is no ‘one size fits all’ in this new article, Stephen Cahill our Regional Manager for Scotland, provides some useful advice and guidance.
Webinar of the week
For Leadership and strategic development, we recommend you watch 'Leadership starts with you'.
In this practical session we use a structured process to surface your constructs about your own personal leadership and deliberately examine what you may need to change to enhance your leadership proposition, your self awareness and how you work with others.
Case study spotlight: The Juno Project
The Juno Project, based in Sussex, empowers young women aged 11–16 facing significant challenges, particularly with mental health, by providing school programmes that foster self-awareness, healthy relationships, and emotional regulation.
Seeking to refine their three-year business strategy and ensure long-term sustainability, CEO Sanchia Ryan partnered with Cranfield Trust through our collaboration with the Masonic Charitable Foundation. With the guidance of their volunteer consultant, they developed a clear, actionable operational plan with SMART objectives and key milestones.
This strategic support not only strengthened internal capabilities but also enhanced leadership skills, improved stakeholder engagement, and positioned The Juno Project for sustainable growth.
Week two: People management
During week two of #CharityManagementMonth we shared more new resources and also had a brand new FREE webinar!
Charity Blueprints
If you have people management responsibilities in your charity, our new People Management Blueprint for charity managers and leaders is designed to support you. It provides clear guidance on key skills, development opportunities, and resources to help you build confidence and capabilities in managing teams effectively.
Case study spotlight: New Pathways
We were pleased to share our newest case study featuring New Pathways, a leading Welsh charity providing life-changing support to over 11,000 survivors of rape and sexual abuse each year.
With demand for services growing and a waiting list of 2,300 people, New Pathways needed to boost income through their professional training offer – so they turned to Cranfield Trust for expert support.
Thanks to this project, New Pathways is better equipped to reduce waiting times and reach more survivors in need – offering hope and healing where it’s most needed.
#MentalHealthAwarenessWeek
Last week was also #MentalHealthAwarenessWeek, so also we shared this case study of a new charity CEO who turned to Cranfield Trust for mentoring during a challenging transition. With expert support, they developed confidence, resilience, and clearer strategic direction.
New LIVE webinar
Our LIVE webinar for #CharityManagementMonth was 'Leading Successful Hybrid and Remote Teams in the Charity Sector'
The session covered:
- The benefits of hybrid and remote working
- Building a supportive culture for success
- Practical tips and strategies for effective leadership
Plus many more useful tips and guidance. If you missed it, you can watch the on-demand recording.
Webinar of the week
This week we recommended watching one of our most recent, and most popular, webinars 'Volunteer Recruitment, Retention and Reducing the Barriers'
The main focus of this session is the importance of stepping back to view your recruitment process through the eyes of potential volunteers. How will they learn about your opportunities? What motivates them to engage? And most importantly, what does their onboarding experience look like? These reflections can help ensure you don't lose potential volunteers along the way 🛣️
Week three: Financial management and sustainability
Week three of #CharityManagementMonth saw us sharing new resources for financial management and sustainability.
Charity Blueprints
Aimed at supporting Finance Managers/Officers this Blueprint is packed with clear guidance on key skills, development opportunities, and resources to help you manage your finances with confidence.
New article - Accounting for Charities
In this insightful piece, we take a look at the issue of management accounting and give you a guide to what it is and how you should go from a standing start to a regular management accounting pack for your managers and board.
If you're looking to strengthen your charity’s financial management and improve your reporting systems, this article is a must-read.
Model risk register template for charities
As part of good governance, identifying and managing risks is a key responsibility for charity trustees. Designed to help trustees identify potential risks and manage them effectively, this new resource provides a list of suggested risks, but it’s important to tailor the policy to the specific needs of your charity.
Webinar of the week
In this session, we discuss how to strategically use grants without becoming dependent, as well as practical ways to expand your charity’s income. You’ll learn from organisations that have reduced grant dependency and discover strategies to strengthen your charity’s financial resilience.
Case study spotlight: Hackney Playbus
Discover how Hackney Playbus, a small East London charity, transformed its financial management with Cranfield Trust's support.
Facing challenges with disconnected financial systems and reporting inefficiencies, Hackney Playbus sought assistance to streamline their processes.
Read the full case study to learn more about their journey towards financial sustainability.
Week four: Performance and impact
In our final week of the month we shared new resources aimed to help measure performance and maximise impact.
Charity Blueprints
This is designed for anyone in leadership and management roles—Chief Executives, Heads of Function, Finance Managers/Directors, and Team Leaders—providing essential guidance to help strengthen performance and impact.
See the full series of Charity Blueprints
Webinar of the week
This webinar gives a step-by-step approach for process improvement, how to get started and share some case study examples from non-profit organisations.
New article: Charity leader of the future
What does the charity leader of the future look like? As part of #CharityManagementMonth, we're proud to share a thought-provoking article by our Regional Manager for Scotland, Stephen Cahill.
In ‘The Charity Leader of the Future’, Stephen reflects on the evolving role of charity leadership – exploring the values, skills and mindset needed to lead with purpose in a changing world.
On-demand webinar library
Our on-demand webinar library means you can easily locate and access past webinars at the time and place most convenient to you. You can also pause, re-wind and watch again as many times as you like. Even better, it is completely FREE!
