Charitable Funds - Terms of Reference
1. CONSTITUTION
The Board hereby resolves to establish a Special Interest Group to be known as the Charitable Funds Special Interest Group (The Group). The Group is a sub-committee of the HFMA Board of Trustees and is bound by the rules and regulations of the Association as they relate to the sub-committee.
2. MEMBERSHIP OF THE COMMITTEE
Membership of the Committee
The Committee is comprised of the following members:
• Each HFMA branch is invited to nominate a representative
• Individuals working within the NHS can be co-opted onto the Committee by resolution of the Committee to ensure a balanced (geographic and organisational) membership. Individuals may also be co-opted to work on specific projects or because they have expressed a particular interest in Charitable Funds issues.
• Charities Commission and Audit Commission representatives will be co-opted on to the committee
• At the discretion of the Committee, representatives from other outside bodies can be co-opted on to the committee. The membership of these representatives will be periodically reviewed.
• A list of Associate Members will also be maintained for individuals/organisations that have an interest in the work of the committee but are unable to regularly attend meetings.
Quorum
The quorum is 5 for voting purposes, with the Chair having the casting vote.
Chair
The Chair is nominated by the branches and determined by the Nominations and Selections Panel. Final approval of the selection is given by the Board of Trustees and announced at the HFMA Annual General Meeting in December. The appointment shall be initially be for three years.
Frequency
The committee will meet three times a year.
3. DUTIES OF THE COMMITTEE
Statement of Purpose
The Group is a Special Interest Group of HFMA which represents the financial management interests of those in the Charitable Funds healthcare community.
Aims of the Committee
• Be the representative voice of HFMA on all matters connected to the financial management of Healthcare Charitable Funds
• Co-ordinate HFMAs policy on Charitable Funds matters and enable HFMA to comment on these issues
• Provide an appropriate vehicle for influencing and shaping policy, particularly in relation to finance and general related matters
• Showcase good practice in the area of Healthcare Charitable Funds financial management
• To provide a sign-posting function to point Healthcare Charitable Funds practitioners to useful sources of information
• Disseminate information to members about the progress of initiatives related to Healthcare Charitable Funds
• Support those involved in the Charitable Funds financial management sector by providing network and training opportunities, with a view to problem resolution and the prevention of undue intervention by the Charities Commission
• Provide opportunities for ordinary members of HFMA to voice concerns, seek advice and make comments
• To provide a forum and conduit for Charitable Funds finance practitioners to test issues with the Charities Commission
• Develop partnerships with other professional bodies and particularly work in partnership with the Charities Commission
4. REPORTING
• The Committee reports to the Board of Trustees.
• The minutes of the Committee meetings shall be formally recorded by the Committees Manager and approved at the subsequent Committee meeting.
• The Board of Trustees will receive an Executive Summary of the most recent Committee Meeting prior to each Board of Trustees meeting.
• Full minutes of the Committee meeting will be available to Trustees online via the HFMA website or from the Committees Manager on request.
• The Committee will also provide a report on all activity via the HFMA Annual Report.
• The Chair of the Committee is a member of the Policy Forum, and shall draw to the attention of the Board any issues that require disclosure to the full Board, or require executive action.
November 2009