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A guide to third sector trading - WCVA

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It’s an idea, but is it business? A <strong>guide</strong> <strong>to</strong> <strong>third</strong> sec<strong>to</strong>r <strong>trading</strong><br />

1: Getting<br />

started<br />

2: First steps 3: Business<br />

planning<br />

4: Legal and<br />

governance<br />

5: Funding<br />

and<br />

resourcing<br />

6: Financial<br />

controls<br />

7: Managing<br />

growth<br />

8: Management<br />

and<br />

governance<br />

9: Social<br />

enterprise<br />

10: Sources<br />

of support<br />

• Even if you don’t follow the detailed running of the business,<br />

the balance sheet should tell you what is actually going on. In<br />

the above example<br />

− relying on the income and expenditure report for January may<br />

mislead a novice in<strong>to</strong> thinking that you are making a fortune<br />

• interpret their <strong>trading</strong> activities and business organisation<br />

in terms which are relevant <strong>to</strong> the social objectives of their<br />

organisations, and <strong>to</strong> minimise business concepts which are<br />

alien <strong>to</strong> these social objectives.<br />

− a comparison of the balance sheets over several months<br />

(specifically, the monthly change in the ‘net current assets’<br />

figures) will tell you whether your sales are actually generating<br />

a profit.<br />

Get the format of reports right for you: Direc<strong>to</strong>rs may have a<br />

need and certainly have the right <strong>to</strong>:<br />

• determine the format and content of financial reports <strong>to</strong> make<br />

them more understandable <strong>to</strong> members<br />

• receive training on business and financial issues, and on<br />

interpreting financial reports<br />

• be supported <strong>to</strong> learn about the special features of <strong>third</strong> sec<strong>to</strong>r<br />

<strong>trading</strong> which make it different from other types of business<br />

activity<br />

164

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