County Finance Committee

The County Finance Committee is responsible for the finances of Girlguiding Hampshire West, including membership subscriptions, the insurance of county property and the annual budget and accounts.

Keeping account records

Fulfil your duties as a charity trustee by maintaining your accounting records. If you’re in a unit leadership role, an administrator handling finances, or a commissioner, it's your responsibility to make sure your unit or level’s accounts are properly maintained. Keeping proper accounting records is a legal requirement for everyone who handles charity money. 

This part of our finance procedures explains how to keep up-to-date accounting records

End of year review of accounts

All guiding units and levels, whether registered as charities or not, must prepare annual accounts. And their accounts must be independently reviewed.

End of year accounts must be submitted to a local commissioner within 3 months of the end of year and should include account summary/balance sheet, independent reviewer checklist, county summary sheet and next year’s budget.

Check the finance policy as well as this guidance to help you prepare for your end of year review.

Setting and following a budget

A budget is an estimated plan for the money you need for your unit and other guiding activities.  Ahead of your financial year, get together with your leadership team to put together a budget for the year ahead.  Making this yearly budget together will help you plan effectively and  provide assurance that you have enough money to do everything you want in your unit.

Guidance on what costs your budget needs to cover

Grants and funding

Do you, your members, or your unit need financial support for guiding activities?

Girlguiding have a number of grants to give units, girls and volunteers a helping hand, support trips away, and ensure members with additional needs can fully participate in guiding. 

The HQ grants available are:

• Accessible guiding grant.
• Travelling abroad grant.
• Trefoil Guild new unit grant.
• UK units in need grant.
• WAGGGS Ukraine emergency fund.

Country and region offices also offer various funds to enable guiding in their areas. 

The funding available will vary, as will the eligibility criteria. But you may find that there’s financial help for:

• Subs.
• Travel.
• Training costs.
• Trips.
• Starting a new unit.
• Uniform.
• Equipment, resources and badges.

You can find more information about what’s available to help you from your country or region team on their websites: South West England

There are funds available within the county to assist young members and adult volunteers to attend residential events or buy uniform, to support leaders attending training and to help units struggling to provide young members with a full guiding experience. Please refer to Grants Available below for full details.