Managing charitable funds

Without knowing your friend's interests, this is a tough one to answer. Likewise, I'm not clear on purpose of funds? If it is reserves for a working charity, then CAF may be best placed to advise on investment.

If funds for disbursement as grants, then I heartily endorse Gerry's recommendation to look at Community Foundations - they often reach the smaller local groups that find it harder to access funding. Google Community Foundation Network - the umbrella body - for a list. He can specify what he wants to happen wiht the money and get as involved with the grantmaking as he wishes on this.

Another approach might be to identify an existing grantmaker with the same or similar interests and negotiate with them to use their processes/administration - and perhaps a seat on the Board to get involved with decision making. Association of Charitable Foundations is the membership body for trusts large and small and probably the quickest place to get the longest list of 'em. Purely personal opinion, but I would say that identifying a commercial fund manager is the 'last resort' - if your friend wants the money to benefit charity, why not use a charity - if possible - to manage it :)

I make no secret of the fact that I work for a funder! If you are talking about grantmaking and your friend thinks it might be useful to contact me off-list to discuss please feel free to put him in touch. ukenquiries at a glimmerofhope.org (replace at with @ and remove spaces)

Sandre
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Hi, Daniel

I'm not entirely clear on what you mean - is this a £1m trust fund (from which grants will be given), or is it a reserve for
a working charity?

Either way, it's a nice problem to have, though looking for a charity to manage it may be challenging, since most have their own charitable purposes to pursue.

You could look at CAF's investment vehicles, for a start. My recollection is that they're reasonable, but not exciting.

Here in the North East we have a Community Foundation which will manage funds for other trusts and individuals - there may be one in your area.

Or you may find that using an independent broker is the best way forward - at £1m it's worth having the fund individually managed, in my opinion, and a fee waiver might be available if the approach is right.

Cheers

Gerry
Gerry Beldon FInstF
Director, 26-01 CIC
www.26-01.com