Supporting Trustees Across Perth & Kinross
At the end of 2025, TSI Perth & Kinross partnered with The Gannochy Trust to deliver a four-part Trustee Finance Training Series aimed at strengthening financial confidence across the local third sector. Managing a third sector organisation’s finances can feel complex and high-stakes, with trustees and directors responsible for ensuring their organisation remains sustainable, compliant, and able to deliver on its purpose. This series was designed to provide practical guidance, clarity, and reassurance in some of the most important areas of financial management.
We were privileged to welcome Elaine Alsop as our speaker across the series. With over 25 years’ experience supporting charities, CICs and community organisations, Elaine brought deep expertise, practical insight, and an understanding of the real challenges trustees face. As a finance manager, trustee, and co-author of The Charity Treasurer’s Handbook, she offered both professional knowledge and lived governance experience.
Whether you joined us for the series or couldn’t attend, this page brings together key learning and resources from each session so you may revisit the content or explore it for the first time!
Explore the Sessions
1. Understanding Charity Annual Accounts
Annual accounts can often feel technical or intimidating, but they don’t have to be!
In this session, Elaine breaks down what charities are required to prepare, what should be included, and what independent scrutiny involves. You’ll also find a helpful introduction to the Charities SORP and guidance on how to read the numbers with confidence, so you can better understand what your accounts say about your charity’s financial health.
2. Reserves and Full Costing
Financial sustainability starts with good planning.
This session explores why reserves matter, how to decide what level is right for your organisation, and how full cost recovery ensures your projects cover their true costs – including overheads. Clear explanations and practical examples help demystify two concepts that are key to long-term resilience.
3. Financial controls, management accounts, budgeting
Strong financial oversight doesn’t have to be complicated.
In this session, you’ll find practical guidance on simple financial controls, what meaningful management accounts look like, and how to build and use a budget effectively. It’s designed to help trustees and directors feel more confident in safeguarding assets and making informed decisions.
4. Taxes & Gift Aid
Tax can feel like a complex area – but understanding the basics makes a big difference.
This introductory session outlines how corporation tax, VAT, and employment taxes may affect charities and CICs, and when to seek specialist advice. It also provides a clear overview of Gift Aid – including registration, eligible claims, and record keeping – to help ensure your organisation maximises its income responsibly.
This resource was created with the assistance of approved AI tools and has been carefully reviewed by a subject matter expert to ensure accuracy and suitability.
Perth & Kinross Association of Voluntary Service Ltd (PKAVS) is a registered Scottish Charity (005561) and a Scottish Company Limited by guarantee (SC086065).