2020 has been a rollercoaster year for our Not for Profit clients. The schools and academies we work with have been supporting the nation’s key workers and vulnerable children. And lockdown pulled the plug on our charity clients’ key sources of income, virtually overnight.
The same requirements for high standards of finance and governance remained though, which is why we’re proud to share everything our Not for Profit team has achieved through a period we’ll never forget.
THE UK’S #2. NEXT STOP: THE TOP
Nothing tells a story quite like client feedback, and every year, the Charity Auditor Awards ranks all Not for Profit firms on overall service and expertise, based on their clients’ experience with them.
In early December, the 2020 results came in, and we’re over the moon to say we’re ranked #2 in the UK. Of course, a huge thank you goes out to our clients for their feedback, coupled with huge congratulations to the NFP team for this incredible achievement.
The team were also shortlisted for the Accounting Excellence Awards’ “COVID-19 Hero” prize, thanks to the easy-to-digest, impactful support they provided to clients over the course of the pandemic.
That included: daily COVID-related updates and articles for academies and charities; free of charge, client-specific interpretations of new guidance; free webinars on financial management and governance for our clients and the ISBL and ASCL communities, with an average feedback score of 9.2/10; and the completion of approaching 100 audits and over 20 internal assurance reviews for Not for Profits in the period between March and December.
ONWARDS. UPWARDS. ALWAYS
By welcoming 10 fresh faces this year, the team has grown to 23. One of those faces was none other than Nick Simkins, our Head of Not for Profit, and with his arrival came a new leadership team and new, refined development plans for everyone.
It all seems to be working, too, because in the last six months the team has won a whopping 50 new clients, including 35 academies for external audits, internal audits and project work, and 12 more charities for external audits.
They’ve enjoyed a 70% win rate on tenders, too, and with a palpable buzz and energy to everything the team does, their 2020 achievements bode very, very well for 2021.
Nick Simkins, our Head of Not for Profit, said:
“Cooper Parry have certainly disrupted the Not for Profit world in 2020. Our fantastic team have given our clients first-class service during a difficult year, shown by our ranking in the Charity Auditor Awards.
We’ve welcomed loads of new clients to Cooper Parry who appreciate the way we roll. And now, it’s time for everyone to switch off for a well-deserved Christmas break and spend some time with our loved ones.
Merry Christmas to everyone and here’s to a brighter, more normal 2021.”
