Investing for Charities

Investing for your charity is a responsible business. Your first instinct when investing your charity's funds may well be one of caution, avoiding risk and not over-spending. A seemingly natural and vigilant approach, but one that this innovative book turns on its head. It challenges conventional charity investment practice and argues that a growing pile of money should be seen as a measure of failure - what your charity has failed to spend - rather than success. Being over-protective of the capital can thwart your charity's ultimate mission; meanwhile, spending more can make a real difference.

This book cuts through the investment industry's mystique and jargon and shows you how you can set an investment policy and think clearly about your financial goals and measures of success. It is not aimed at investment technicians but is based on sound investment principles. It will help you make sensible and well-informed investment decisions and, ultimately, empower your charity to do more with its valuable resources.

It covers:

• Financial objectives and goals
• The investment market
• Spending and reserves policies
• Strategy and responsible investing
• The law and governance
• Investment in practice
• Performance management

This book is for anybody with responsibility for handling a charity's investments, including trustees, CEOs and staff involved with their charity's financial strategy. Although no prior investment knowledge is assumed, it is also useful for those in the investment industry itself. Whatever the size of your charity, if you already have investments or are considering moving into this area, this book offers straightforward, pragmatic principles that you can put to good use.