Risk Management Support

Effective risk management is a fundamental component of good governance, organisational resilience and long-term sustainability. However, many charities, community organisations, voluntary groups and social enterprises struggle to implement practical risk management systems that are proportionate to their size, resources and activities.

Risk management continues to be identified as one of the most common areas of non-compliance with the Charities Governance Code. While many organisations recognise the importance of managing risk, they often lack the knowledge, confidence, tools and governance structures required to embed risk management into decision-making, strategic planning and organisational oversight.

Many organisations have developed risk registers, but these are often treated as compliance documents rather than active management tools. As a result, boards and management teams may not have effective oversight of emerging risks, mitigation actions or organisational vulnerabilities.

This programme is designed to provide practical, hands-on support to participating organisations, enabling them to move beyond compliance-driven approaches and establish sustainable risk management practices that strengthen governance, improve decision-making and enhance organisational resilience.

The programme combines facilitated learning, governance review, practical workshops and tailored consultancy support to build internal capacity and leave participating organisations with the tools, systems and confidence required to manage risk effectively into the future.

Please read the full programme information here: Risk Management Support

Programme Objectives

The programme aims to:

• Strengthen governance and board oversight of
• Improve compliance with the Charities Governance
• Increase organisational understanding of risk management principles and
• Support organisations to identify and manage strategic, operational, financial and compliance
• Develop practical and proportionate risk management
• Strengthen organisational resilience and
• Improve decision-making through effective risk assessment and
• Build internal capacity and confidence in managing
• Create sustainable risk management processes that can be maintained beyond the
• Support organisations to embed a culture of proactive risk

Alignment with the Charities Governance Code

The programme will support organisations in strengthening compliance with the Charities Governance Code, particularly in relation to:

• Principle 4 – Working
• Principle 5 – Behaving with
• Principle 6 – Being Accountable and

Effective risk management supports trustees and senior leaders to make informed decisions, allocate resources appropriately, safeguard services and demonstrate good governance practices.

Target audience

The programme is aimed at:

• Registered
• Community and voluntary
• Social enterprises operating in the Republic of

Priority will be given to organisations:

• With an annual turnover of less than €750,000.
• Seeking to strengthen governance
• Experiencing organisational growth, change or service
• Developing strategic
• Seeking to improve compliance with the Charities Governance
• Managing increasing regulatory or funding

Each organisation should nominate two to three participants, including trustees, directors, senior managers or staff with responsibility for governance, risk management or organisational development.

Format

Each participating organisation will receive ten hours of tailored support delivered over approximately three months.

Phase 1 – Governance and Risk Review (2 Hours)

• Review of existing governance
• Review of current risk management
• Assessment of organisational strengths and
• Identification of governance and risk management
• Baseline organisational risk maturity

Phase 2 – Risk Management Workshop (2 Hours)

Interactive workshop covering:

• Understanding organisational
• Why risk management
• Roles and responsibilities of boards and
• Strategic, operational, financial and compliance
• Risk assessment
• Risk appetite and risk
• Integrating risk management into governance and

Phase 3 – Development of Risk Management Framework (3 Hours)

Facilitated support to:

• Identify organisational
• Develop or enhance a risk
• Assess risk likelihood and
• Establish risk scoring
• Identify controls and mitigation
• Allocate ownership and
• Establish monitoring and review

Phase 4 – Embedding Risk Management (2 Hours)

Support to:

• Integrate risk management into strategic
• Develop board reporting
• Establish risk review
• Strengthen oversight and
• Embed risk management into organisational decision-making.

Phase 5 – Final Review and Action Planning (1 Hour)

• Review progress
• Conduct post-programme risk maturity
• Identify priority
• Develop an implementation
• Agree future governance and organisational development

Contemporary Risk Management Focus

The programme will address both traditional and emerging risks facing charities and community organisations, including:

• Strategic and governance
• Financial sustainability and funding
• Operational and service delivery
• Safeguarding and duty of care
• Health and safety
• Human resources and workforce
• Volunteer management
• Data protection and GDPR compliance
• Cyber security and ransomware
• Technology and third-party supplier
• Reputational and communications
• Business continuity and crisis management
• Succession planning and organisational change

Methodology

Via Zoom.

The funding for the provision of these services comes from the National Training Fund administered by the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research Innovation and Science. The €100 nominal charge is by way of contribution. All participants will be asked to provide further information regarding Age Range, Gender, Employment Status, Educational Background, Role in Organisation, Organisation Activity & Size post registration.

Outcomes

Learning Outcomes

By the end of the programme participants will be able to:

• Understand the principles of effective risk
• Understand the role of boards and management in risk
• Identify strategic, operational, financial, compliance and reputational
• Apply practical risk assessment
• Develop and maintain a risk
• Establish clear risk ownership and
• Monitor and review risks
• Report risks to boards and
• Integrate risk management into organisational planning and decision-making.
• Strengthen compliance with the Charities Governance
• Improve organisational resilience and
• Foster a culture of proactive risk awareness within their

Programme Deliverables

Each participating organisation will receive:

• Governance and risk management
• Risk maturity
• Tailored risk management framework.
• Organisation-specific risk
• Risk assessment methodology and scoring
• Risk action
• Board risk reporting
• Board Risk
• Risk appetite statement
• Annual risk review
• Guidance on ongoing monitoring and review
• Practical resources and templates to support

Organisational Risk Management Toolkit

Each participating organisation will receive a practical toolkit containing:

• Risk Management Framework
• Risk Register
• Risk Assessment
• Risk Appetite Statement
• Board Risk Dashboard
• Annual Risk Review
• Risk Reporting
• Incident Escalation Template.
• Governance and Risk Management Guidance

 

Fees

€100	Nonprofit Organisation
€100	Carmichael Resident Organisation
€100	Statutory Organisation
€100	Corporate Organisation

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