Coming in 2027: Practical finance courses for Community Interest Companies

Genny Jones

1 hour ago

2 min read

Running a community interest company means wearing many hats. You're delivering for your community, managing staff and volunteers, writing funding bids, and somewhere in between you're expected to keep the books, report to funders and get your accounts filed on time.

After more than 30 years as an accountant and trainer, I see the same challenges come up again and again:

A funder asks how their grant was spent, and the books can't show it clearly.
A project is fully funded on paper but still loses money, because the budget didn't cover rent, insurance or management time.
Year-end arrives as a surprise, with missing paperwork, a stressed accountant and a bigger bill than expected.

That's why, in 2027, Genny Jones Training Ltd is launching a new series of finance courses designed specifically for CICs.

Six practical courses, on zoom

1. Bookkeeping that tracks your funding. Set up your books so every transaction shows which funder, which project, and whether the money is restricted or unrestricted, in Xero, QuickBooks or Excel.

2. Budgets that cover your real costs. Build project budgets that include a fair share of overheads, combine them into one budget for the whole CIC, and plan three years ahead.

3. Quarterly management accounts. Compare actual figures with the budget, keep track of each grant, and give your board a clear one-page summary.

4. Year-end, accounts and corporation tax. Prepare everything your accountant needs, or do it yourself. Covers the CIC34 community interest report and the basics of corporation tax.

5. Setting up and using QuickBooks. A hands-on session in a practice company, from set-up to reports.

6. Setting up and using Xero. The same hands-on approach, for Xero users.

Every session uses a real-life CIC case study, and you'll leave with templates you can use straight away. Book the whole series or just the courses you need.

Why 2027 is the right time

From April 2028, every company, including every CIC, will have to file its accounts with Companies House using accounting software. If you still keep your books on paper or in spreadsheets, 2027 is the year to get your systems in order.