Investing for Charities

Charity investment is a responsible
business – judging how much to spend and how much to keep for the future is
enough to keep you awake long into the night.

The first instinct of
charities is to keep its money safe, spend with circumspection and ensure there
is plenty in the coffers for a rainy day. A natural and vigilant approach but
one that author – James Brooke Turner, Investment Director at the Nuffield
Foundation – turns on its head.

In his innovative new
book, he challenges conventional charity investment practice. Being over-protective
of the capital, he argues, can thwart a charities spending plans and its
ultimate mission, whereas the more a charity spends the more it can make a
difference. Recognising the potential of investments and thinking
clearly about financial goals frees charities to do more of what they are there
for and that is to increase help to beneficiaries.

This is not a book
for investment technicians; it is not a step-by-step how to invest book (there
are plenty of those), but is based on sound general investment principles and
will help ensure you make sound and well-informed investment decisions.

It covers:

Financial objectives and goals
The investment market
Spending policies
Investment strategy
Reserves policy
The law and governance
Responsible investing
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. No prior investing
knowledge is assumed. 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 use.

Author Biography

James Brooke Turner has worked for charities with investments his entire career and has been a trustee of numerous others, including the Association of Charitable Foundations. He has been the Investment Director of the Nuffield Foundation for many years, where he has helped to deliver some of the best returns in the sector. James co-founded Yoke & Co., a consultancy supporting charities to take ownership of their investment strategy. He has written and spoken extensively about charity investing. James studied the History of European Art at the Courtauld Institute and later Medieval Insolvency at Birkbeck. He has numerous professional qualifications and was recognised by the Charity Finance Group as one of the inaugural Inspiring Leaders in Charity Finance.