These roles come with an ever-increasing weight of responsibility to make the right decisions. Let us share that weight with you, providing you with the support you need, to keep supporting others.
Whether you’re considering investment and risk strategy, an Investment Policy Statement, investment manager selection, cash or treasury advice, or investment monitoring and reviews, our independent expert advisers can support you in making the right decisions. With decades of experience in investment management and the charity and not-for-profit sectors, our team can provide bespoke services tailored to your needs and objectives – meaning you can benefit from just one area of expertise, or our full end-to-end solution.
Appointing an investment adviser will ensure that your organisation receives professional consultancy on its assets and leave you reassured and confident that your investments are being managed in the best interests of your organisation. We take on the burden of ensuring suitability, holding investment managers to account, and ensuring that legal requirements and guidance are adhered to, giving you the time you need to focus on what really matters.
Guidance is given to trustees around their investment strategy and the risks that they are willing, or able, to accept when investing assets. Changes to trustees, your organisation’s circumstances, or objectives, also act as prompts for risk and strategy reviews. Hiring an independent professional adviser is the best way to ensure that any risk is appropriate and in-line with the organisation’s needs.
Our experts can support your organisation with reviews to your investment and risk strategy, risk tolerance, and agreed approach to risk. Our understanding of ethical, environmental, social, and governance factors is unrivalled, and we will always consider your organisation’s specific circumstances and objectives in our approach.
Find out more: Investing charity assets – getting risk and strategy right
When appointing a discretionary investment manager, trustees have a legal requirement to have a written investment policy in place. This policy should include agreement of suitable levels of risk and constraints, an accurate recording of your organisation’s objectives and views, and the use of relevant benchmarks for comparison – all of which are crucial to effectively managing your assets.
Our team can review your existing policy statement, recommend changes, or draft a new one entirely, to align your investment strategy with your desired outcomes and give you peace of mind that you are meeting legal requirements and current guidance.
It can be challenging to know where to start with the selection of an investment manager – with such a crowded marketplace, you want to be sure that you’ve picked the right individual or firm for your organisation. We research the whole market to find the most suitable managers for you.
Not only can we find the most appropriate investment managers, but we can also interview, provide recommendations, and negotiate with, the most suitable investment firm(s) to understand and deliver your requirements. This provides you with the peace of mind that a rigorous process has been followed and the best solution implemented.
Read now: What to know when selecting a Charity Investment Manager
When assets are invested, it’s important for them to be monitored and reviewed regularly to ensure they remain suitable for your needs and are performing relative to your objectives. We track and benchmark portfolio performance, scrutinise your investments and manager(s) on your behalf, and help you assess risk taken versus return achieved.
We can provide reviews of existing portfolios and managers, conduct regular review meetings with you, and provide comprehensive reports with all the data you require. Rely on our help and expertise to make sure your chosen investment manager is delivering against your objectives.
What works for a long-term portfolio is very different from what’s needed to manage liquid assets. Whether it be cash funds, corporate or government bonds, or deposit accounts, we evaluate the full range of risks to help you decide on the best cash and treasury policy, mitigating risks, matching objectives or liabilities, and maximising return.
Read now: Cash and treasury management - time to review your strategy?
Buzzacott has provided services to the not-for-profit sector since the finances of UK charities first became regulated in 1992. We have committed ourselves to it from the start. Our investment advisers have a wealth of experience in finding the right solution for you. They can also help to put in place correct policies that will establish suitable investments, meet any legal requirements and adhere to guidance. Our specialists are highly qualified with recognition from the CFA, CISI, and CII, and have over 25 years of experience advising on investments.
Buzzacott Financial Services Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). The FCA does not regulate some forms of investment consultancy. Some investment consultancy services may not be available to existing Buzzacott audit clients.
Our FAQs address common questions about charity investments, offering insights into available investment options, the role of investment consultants, and the importance of an Investment Policy Statement (IPS). They also highlight trustee duties and the types of risks that must be managed to safeguard the charity’s financial health and mission.
Sign up and receive relevant news, insights and industry analysis from our experts.
Fill out the form below to leave an enquiry or submit a request for a proposal, and one of our investment consultancy experts will be in touch to discuss your requirements.