Fewer than one in two people agree with charities paying their chief executives, according to a new poll. The results also reveal that the public are still confused about who is actually paid in charities, with many thinking presidents, trustees and patrons draw a wage.

In 2006, we wrote a first edition of Getting the Message across, but eight years later it is clear that the gap between how 21^st century charities work and how the public think they work remains substantial. In response to the resurgent public debate about charity expenditure, executive pay and a host of other broader trust issues, nfpSynergy held three focus groups earlier this year with charity donors of a range of professional backgrounds and ages.

Adverts are everywhere we look these days and it's hardly surprising when the UK advertising market stands at over £14bn. But how much of that is spent by charities? And what do they actually spend it on? 

This briefing will tell you the answers and give some food for thought. Are charities deliberately shunning the rising star of the advertising world?

The new research that we released this week shows that, on average, the public think seven or eight months is about the right amount of reserves for a charity to have in the bank. Around half of those who expressed a view thought six months of expenditure or less was the right level. Interestingly though, when the same people were asked how much a £12 million charity should keep in reserve, the average dropped to around £3 to £4 million.

As it's the season of goodwill, we're giving away The 12 Insights of Christmas. They look at some of the key issues facing the charity sector and include research, interviews and advice from charities and from us. Unwrap our 12 free reports just in time for Christmas.

Thank you to everyone who attended our Insights event. If you couldn't make it, thank you for your interest in the event and we hope to see you next time.

Our presentations are now available for free download on this page for anyone who would like them.

A charity board will usually monitor finances. But measuring just finances is a bit like measuring just the heart rate of an athlete; it’s important, but it’s just one of a range of ways of knowing whether an athlete is healthy. A great heart rate in an athlete certainly doesn’t tell if they will win any races.

So in charities, what else should trustees (or senior managers) measure apart from money? And how should they measure the money stuff? Here are some ideas about things that every charity can measure based on my experience on different boards. I have yet to see an organisation that measures all of these areas perfectly.