Most of the 17,500+ Community members have joined since we removed the pay walls 18 months ago and our insights into your charity connections, requirements and preferences were therefore limited. That’s why we asked you for your feedback and are grateful to the 328 Community members who responded to the survey.

We learned that 67% of respondents held a trustee/treasurer role, a quarter were charity employees and nearly a quarter charity auditor/independent examiner (multiple selection allowed). Most respondents (60%) work with charities that are small (income <£500k) but more than half of them (54%) also work with charities above the audit threshold in England and Wales (multiple selection allowed).

Almost all respondents (96%) would recommend the Charity Community to others and the most valued benefits are: Sector-specific CPD (80%), events and webinars (77%), monthly newsletters (40%) and trustee training (38%). The Community’s LinkedIn Group and networking opportunities scored lower (4% and 13% respectively).

We received some lovely testimonials, including:

• A fantastic open resource and one that makes me so proud of ICAEW.
• The ICAEW Charity Community provides great CPD events that keep me up to date on all finance and governance issues within the charity sector.
• The Community provides really useful material and puts on superb events.
• Very generous in offering free training and updates for the wider charity community, not just ICAEW members – thank you.
• Charity Finance and trusteeship can be a lonely road, so it’s a lifesaver to be in the ICAEW Charity Community.

We also received over 200 suggestions on how we can improve the Community offer. Thank you for all the brilliant suggestions – we are so grateful for your feedback.

The 5 key themes are outlined below:

Survey respondents highlighted the need for more attention to the unique challenges faced by small charities. This includes tailored training, resources and case studies. Specific suggestions include practical guidance on setting up simple systems and controls, fundraising strategies and compliance with regulation.

We are now planning a virtual half-day event for small charities in October – please watch out for the event invitation.

There is a growing demand for webinars on a variety of topics, particularly those that are free or low-cost. Members appreciated the shift to virtual training and that these webinars are available on-demand for those who cannot attend live.

We are continuing to hold most of our events online. Where events are held in London, we aim to make recordings available so that members elsewhere can still benefit. For example, the recordings from our March event, the Big Trustee Breakfast, are available here.

Many respondents expressed a desire for more in-person events to network and allow for the exchange of ideas. Some respondents requested events outside of London, making them accessible to members in different regions.

In March, we held our first large in-person event for charity trustees and it was a resounding success, with over 200 ICAEW members and friends filling our Great Hall at Chartered Accountants’ Hall and providing overwhelmingly positive feedback. This was our first physical charity-themed event since 2019 and it was delightful to meet so many of you in person. We are hoping to offer a similar event in 2025.

Some of ICAEW’s regional offices have set up charity and not-for-profit insight groups. These groups are aimed at members advising, working or volunteering in the not-for-profit sector, meet mostly virtually and provide a forum to connect you with a network of fellow professionals across UK regions. Click here to find out more. I join these meetings whenever I can to hear insights from members across the UK and raise awareness of the Community’s offer.

Some members have requested more targeted content that addresses the specific needs of different types of charities (e.g. sub-sectors). Suggestions include sector-specific webinars, training and resources.

This is probably the most difficult area for me to respond to because I know very little about the sub-sectors in which your charities operate. Unfortunately, this is not captured in your member records. This is particularly challenging because many of you join the Community as charity trustees and we don’t know which charity you represent. Without this information, it is difficult to assess which sub-sector to prioritise. However, where we see a need based on common requests, we provide content – that’s why we hold our Academies Update each year.

Survey respondents told us that they seek regular and clear updates. There is interest in sharing templates, "how-to" guides and other practical resources. Members also suggested having a searchable Q&A section or a forum for peer support.

We are sending monthly newsletters to keep you abreast of any changes that may impact your paid or voluntary roles in the charity sector. We also heard from our Charity Committee and Advisory Group that more guidance is needed to help trustees understand reserves and fund accounting, so we are working to provide a practical and jargon-free resource on this in the coming months. We will also provide you with plenty of practical support in 2025 to help charities transition to the next Charities SORP.

Thank you for all the wonderful feedback and suggestions, and congratulations to those respondents who won a free ticket to the 2025 Charity Conference in the raffle (winners have been informed by email).

If you weren’t able to respond to the survey but would like to share your thoughts, please email me.