Workshop 4: Financial planning and control – don’t fear the numbers
Workshop postponed from 31 March to 28 April
As organisations grow and adapt to an increasingly uncertain funding landscape, strong financial planning and controls are essential to ensure your mission translates into sustainable impact. Program budgeting, budget to actual reporting, understanding cost structures and cashflow forecasts help ensure that you are well informed, resources are aligned with your mission, which enable organisations to survive and thrive, becoming resilient to changing circumstances.
Building on the reflections from the previous Workshops in the series, in this workshop, we will demonstrate how financial planning can serve you better as a management and reporting tool rather than simply an administrative exercise. Participants will learn how to develop simple but effective financial tools that support growth, monitor financial performance throughout the year, and use financial insights to inform decision-making.
We will discuss how effective financial management can strengthen coordination between programme and finance teams, helping organisations identify issues early — such as overspending or misalignment between plans and resources, and reinforce the confidence of donors and stakeholders in your management by demonstrating a sound understanding of the numbers underlying your organisation.
About our facilitators
Joanna Boyd – Finance & NGO Professional
Joanna is committed to driving positive change by improving the lives of women in developing countries while promoting environmental sustainability. With over 12 years of experience supporting women’s empowerment, education and maternal health initiatives in Ethiopia, she focuses on designing sustainable, systemic solutions. She has also contributed as a consultant on a strategic review for a major fistula charity and served for more than three years on the board of a Swiss foundation. Alongside this work, Joanna brings over 25 years of professional experience in audit, financial management and reporting across multiple sectors, including expertise in charity accounting. A Chartered Accountant (ACA, ex-PwC) and qualified teacher (PGCE), she has chaired the Switzerland branch of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) for over eight years, supporting a network of more than 600 members.
Hellen Hipsagh – Financial Management Professional
Hellen is a certified accountant with over 20 years of experience across a range of industries, including the nonprofit sector. She holds master’s degrees in Financial Accounting and NGO Management from Bayes Business School. Hellen focuses on strengthening financial reporting systems to support transparency and reinforce donor confidence. Having lived and worked in the diaspora for many years, she is particularly interested in helping bridge the cultural and practical gaps in financial reporting and management between grassroots NGOs and their international donors.
About the workshop series
Navigating growth and transitions so your organisation can thrive through change – In this time of great upheaval and uncertainty in the development and humanitarian sectors, we are all reflecting on the changes needed within our organisations to meet these challenges. Giving Women invites you to a five-part workshop series designed to help organisations navigate growth and transition, enabling them to thrive amidst change and theses challenging times.
Ticket options & details
Members: Free
Not yet a member? You can purchase tickets for this workshop
Individual session ticket: You will receive the recording and supporting materials for that session.
Workshop 4: Financial planning and control – don’t fear the numbers
Workshop postponed from 31 March to 28 April
As organisations grow and adapt to an increasingly uncertain funding landscape, strong financial planning and controls are essential to ensure your mission translates into sustainable impact. Program budgeting, budget to actual reporting, understanding cost structures and cashflow forecasts help ensure that you are well informed, resources are aligned with your mission, which enable organisations to survive and thrive, becoming resilient to changing circumstances.
Building on the reflections from the previous Workshops in the series, in this workshop, we will demonstrate how financial planning can serve you better as a management and reporting tool rather than simply an administrative exercise. Participants will learn how to develop simple but effective financial tools that support growth, monitor financial performance throughout the year, and use financial insights to inform decision-making.
We will discuss how effective financial management can strengthen coordination between programme and finance teams, helping organisations identify issues early — such as overspending or misalignment between plans and resources, and reinforce the confidence of donors and stakeholders in your management by demonstrating a sound understanding of the numbers underlying your organisation.
About our facilitators
Joanna Boyd – Finance & NGO Professional
Joanna is committed to driving positive change by improving the lives of women in developing countries while promoting environmental sustainability. With over 12 years of experience supporting women’s empowerment, education and maternal health initiatives in Ethiopia, she focuses on designing sustainable, systemic solutions. She has also contributed as a consultant on a strategic review for a major fistula charity and served for more than three years on the board of a Swiss foundation. Alongside this work, Joanna brings over 25 years of professional experience in audit, financial management and reporting across multiple sectors, including expertise in charity accounting. A Chartered Accountant (ACA, ex-PwC) and qualified teacher (PGCE), she has chaired the Switzerland branch of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) for over eight years, supporting a network of more than 600 members.
Hellen Hipsagh – Financial Management Professional
Hellen is a certified accountant with over 20 years of experience across a range of industries, including the nonprofit sector. She holds master’s degrees in Financial Accounting and NGO Management from Bayes Business School. Hellen focuses on strengthening financial reporting systems to support transparency and reinforce donor confidence. Having lived and worked in the diaspora for many years, she is particularly interested in helping bridge the cultural and practical gaps in financial reporting and management between grassroots NGOs and their international donors.
About the workshop series
Navigating growth and transitions so your organisation can thrive through change – In this time of great upheaval and uncertainty in the development and humanitarian sectors, we are all reflecting on the changes needed within our organisations to meet these challenges. Giving Women invites you to a five-part workshop series designed to help organisations navigate growth and transition, enabling them to thrive amidst change and theses challenging times.
Ticket options & details
Members: Free
Not yet a member? You can purchase tickets for this workshop
Individual session ticket: You will receive the recording and supporting materials for that session.