#smallcharity

I've been actively involved with the Irish ME/CFS Association since 1996*.

As it's #SmallCharityWeek, I thought I would highlight some of our work over those years:

- arranged over 400 local and national media interviews raising awareness and understanding;

- raised nearly €300,000 for much-needed research;

- dealt with thousands of enquiries of various sorts;

- sent out around 100 newsletters to members and some nonmembers;

- put people with the illness and their loved ones in touch with others through our telephone contact lists;

- sent out hundreds of e-bulletins to our members;

- tweeted and retweeted many messages on Twitter;

- organised dozens of talks with Irish and international doctors and researchers;

- organised dozens of screenings and other meetings;

- sent information bundles including posters to all Irish libraries, citizen's information centres, youth information centres, student support services in 3rd level colleges multiple times plus also information bundles to some secondary schools;

- sent around 7000 information bundles to Irish doctors

as well as other activities.

Apart from having someone do paid secretarial work in 1996, all this work was done by volunteers, almost exclusively people with the illness and their loved ones.

Like many other small charities, we don't have a high profile. But like many other small charities, I think we've made a difference

Create a finance strategy

·         One of the first things you should do is create a finance strategy and allocate certain jobs to the right people.

·         You could think about questions such as ‘what are our plans for the fture?’ and ‘how will we manage donations or fundraisers?’

·         The key is to start with a basic one and develop it as you get more confident.

Train your staff

·         It is worth looking at what training courses are available. It does not have to be expensive. Training courses can help you know more about financial management and you may find it easier to manage your charity’s finances.

Outsource

·         As your charity continues to grow, it can be more cost effective and less time consuming to hire an accountant to help you with your finances. DTT Consultancy specialises in assisting charities with their finances