Events and insights for charities

When confronted with big unknowns, it’s tempting to imagine the worst. Amid the fog of war, our investment process aims to manage the risks while not missing the boat if things suddenly take a turn for the better.

It’s best to stick to long-term strategies, rather than trying to trade on the unpredictable twists and turns of this war.

Trustees who are responsible for a charity’s investment portfolio might need to adjust their priorities in the current challenging financial climate, James Ayre, Fund Manager, Charities, and Kate Elliot, Head of Research, Rathbones Greenbank, tell Ian Allsop, contributing editor for Charity Finance.

The Autumn Budget sets the tone for the economic and policy environment that charities will face over the coming years. In this recording of the Rathbones Charity Expert Series webinar, we explore what the Chancellor’s announcement in November 2025 means for the sector - looking not only at the immediate impact but also at the financial and operational implications for 2026 and beyond.

The Chancellor's autumn statement arrives at a critical moment for the voluntary sector. Demand for support is rising, fundraising conditions remain challenging, and policy decisions made this week will shape the financial realities facing charities for years ahead.

As the Chancellor unveils the Autumn Budget, charity leaders across the UK are again assessing what it means for their funding, reserves and long-term plans. Against a backdrop of economic uncertainty, the Budget’s policies ripple quickly through the voluntary sector, shaping everything from government grants to investment returns.

For trustees, the challenge is clear: how to balance immediate financial pressures with the need to secure their charity’s future. At Rathbones, we believe that resilience, not reaction, is the defining principle for the months ahead.

Responsible investment is about more than just avoiding investments that may conflict with the mission of your organisations. Instead, it can encompass a wide range of approaches that, together, help charities manage risk (whether financial or reputational), identify opportunities, and stay true to their values.

In this article, we cover some of the main strategies within a responsible investment toolbox and their importance to charity investors.

All charities should be examining how they can harness the opportunities presented by AI, while remaining alive to the risks, Andrew Maxwell and Simon Lapthorne tell Ian Allsop from Civil Society Media.

For institutional charities such as foundations and endowments, investment strategy is not just about navigating short-term market movements. It is about building portfolios that preserve and grow capital in real terms, so that charitable missions can be supported not only today but well into the future.

Gemma Gooch, Rathbones’ Head of Charities Distribution, reflects on her experience sitting on the 2025 Charity Awards judging panel.

As the global financial system comes to terms with systemic risks such as climate change, nature loss and social inequality, do we need a fresh approach to understanding wealth generation? 

The next decade for the global economy will look very different to the 2010s, even as the immediate impact of the pandemic and war in Ukraine continues to fade.

In today’s fast-changing digital world, adapting is essential for charities looking to increase their impact. This session will focus on practical ways to build digital resilience, highlighting how charities can use digital tools to improve storytelling, fundraising, audience engagement, and service delivery.

The pandemic has transformed many areas of charity operations. However, it does not appear to have significantly affected charity finance management.

The Autumn Budget 2024 presents a mixed picture for the UK charity sector, with both opportunities and challenges. Read our key highlights.

Building, powering and managing the built environment is responsible for a huge portion of global emissions. To transition to net zero, the building and construction industries urgently need to reduce their emissions. We discuss what this could mean for charities and their investments.