Charity resources & insights
Practical articles, resources, tools, and templates to help charity leaders make better decisions, strengthen delivery, and build sustainability.
If you are not sure where to start, begin with one article that matches your current challenge, then explore the tools and templates in the same theme.
Charity resources, tools & templates
Charity resources you can pick up and use quickly. Designed to be simple, adaptable, and proportionate.
Strategy & priority-setting templates
Simple formats for setting priorities, owners, and review points.
Governance & assurance tools
Board agenda prompts, risk register structure, and practical assurance rhythms.
Fundraising & income planning tools
Pipeline trackers and proposition prompts that help maintain focus.
Key charity resources
A small selection of practical reads to start with. Each resource focuses on a common challenge charity leaders face.
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Operational Domains
An overview of Sailfin’s framework of operational domains: the core areas of organisational capability we assess and strengthen, and how they fit together. Read more
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Charitable Causes
A guide to charitable causes and common areas of support. Understand definitions, describe your work clearly, and map your charity’s focus. Read more
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Charity bid writing (grant applications)
A practical guide to writing a strong charity funding bid: the core sections, evidence, outcomes, budgets, and common reasons bids fail. Read more
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Charity campaigning (Trustee guide)
This charity trustee guide about campaigning helps trustees make quick, confident decisions and avoid the common compliance traps. Read more
Latest charity resources
Short, practical resources to help support operational work within the charity sector.
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Charity service design guide
A practical guide to charity service design and service improvement. Diagnose issues, co-design changes, and build sustainable delivery models. Read more
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Operational Domains
An overview of Sailfin’s framework of operational domains: the core areas of organisational capability we assess and strengthen, and how they fit together. Read more
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Conflicts of interest for charities (trustee guide)
A trustee’s guide to identifying and managing conflicts of interest in charities, with meeting checklist and register of interests template. Read more
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Charitable Causes
A guide to charitable causes and common areas of support. Understand definitions, describe your work clearly, and map your charity’s focus. Read more
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Charity strategic planning process
Charity strategic planning process from discovery to decisions and a usable plan, with common pitfalls and how to avoid them. Read more
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Trustee fundraising duties (CC20) explainer & checklist
A guide to CC20 trustee fundraising duties, with a practical checklist you can use to strengthen oversight without slowing delivery. Read more
Featured articles
A small selection of practical reads to start with. Each one focuses on a common challenge charity leaders face.
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Crisis PR strategies for charities
Learn how to use the framework: activate, assess, communicate, engage, monitor, and rebuild. Learn more. Read more
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Measuring the success of your nonprofit campaign
Learn how to track and measure the effectiveness of your charity campaigns to optimise results. Read more
Latest articles
Short, practical insights on what we are seeing in the sector, and what tends to work in real life.
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Soft opt-in guidance for fundraising
A quick explainer of the updated direct marketing guidance and the new ‘charitable purposes soft opt-in’, with a checklist for fundraising. Read more
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AI in the charity sector – what’s changing
The impact of AI in the charity sector on fundraising, comms, service delivery, operations and risk – and how to adopt AI responsibly. Read more
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Charity governance support for trustees and boards
If you are a trustee or senior leader, charity governance can feel like a balancing act and you might feel you need support. You need enough structure to make good decisions, manage risk, and… Read more
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Why diversity & inclusion matter in charity branding
How diversity and inclusion strengthen charity brands and build trust with diverse communities. Read more
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Bid writing support for charities
Strong charity bids come from clarity on outcomes, a funder-fit case for support, realistic budgets, and evidence that feels credible. Read more
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Income generation strategy for charities
Overview An income generation strategy for charities is about more than fundraising targets. It is the practical work of choosing the right income mix, building a realistic plan, and aligning delivery, communications, governance, and capacity so… Read more
Tailored support
If you would like tailored support, get in touch for a pro bono initial consultation. Tell us what outcome you are trying to achieve, what is getting in the way, and the timescales you are working to.
The resources listed here are provided for your convenience and as a free public resource, they do not constitute consultancy. Sailfin cannot take responsibility for the accuracy, currency, or completeness of the information provided, nor for how it may apply to your organisation’s circumstances. Including a link does not imply endorsement, and any use of these resources should be undertaken at your own discretion. For advice tailored to your specific situation, please seek professional guidance or contracted charity consultancy support. For information about legal requirements, please consult the official charity commission website.