Today, like never before, the whole world is within reach of our Media fingertips. But is simply reaching the world enough?

How many charities produce a yearly (or longer) plan? According to the Charity Commission, the answer is about half. In a way, this is an impressive finding. It is by no means obvious that a survey of commercial organisations would reveal a similar commitment to looking ahead. Yet it still means that 50 per cent of charities have no such strategy document. Is this a cause for concern?

There cannot be many charity trustees who are unaware, at least in a general sense, that they are responsible for managing risk in their organisation. But perhaps there is an element of vagueness about the issue. What type of risks should they be aware of? And how, precisely, are they to be managed?

If your charity finds it difficult to recruit and retain trustees, then at least you are not alone. It may not be much consolation, but a growing number of charities report that it is becoming ever harder to persuade people to adopt the role.

It is a simple fact that all UK charities with a gross income over £10,000 are under a statutory obligation to file their annual reports and accounts with the Charity Commission within 10 months of the end of the financial year.

One of the distinguishing features of the voluntary sector is that many charities, particularly smaller ones, rely upon the talents and energies of a single person. Sometimes, this is the charity's founder. On other occasions it may be someone who has been brought in from outside, but who has the drive and ambition to take the organisation forward.

Years of discussion and debate came to an end last month when the British Government published its Draft Charities Bill. The proposed legislation modernises aspects of charity law that date back more than four centuries.

Early 2004 was a busy period for the Charity Commission. As well as publishing their report on effectiveness, the Commissioners produced a new guide to conflicts of interests, a topic of growing importance in the voluntary sector.

No doubt most charity trustees and managers believe they run their organisations effectively. But effectiveness is like art - easy to recognise but difficult to define.

For the foreseeable future charities will continue to use subsidiaries to generate trading income.

Consultation on the proposed Ofcom Broadcasting Codes

Is it a gift, is it a tithe or is it an indulgence being sold?

Nine in 10 Canadian Millionaires Will Donate to Charity in 2004.
From the AFP eWire, published by the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP)

(Oct. 16, 2004) According to a recent survey, Canadians remain extremely confident in the charities that serve them, although a large majority feels that a national charity watchdog organization should be created.