Let’s be honest—writing policies is no one’s idea of fun. Sitting down to decide rules and procedures for an entire organisation is time-consuming and not particularly exciting. It requires thinking through every possible situation and accounting for all the “what-ifs.” More often than not, it’s the finance or admin team tasked with drafting these documents, and writing may not come naturally to them. Worse still, after all that effort, policies often sit on a metaphorical shelf, unread and unused, which can feel pretty demoralising.

BUT policies are critical. They provide clear rules of engagement, ensuring everyone knows where they stand. By being explicit, you can prevent misunderstandings, confusion, and even conflict. One common example I’ve seen in many non-profits is around credit card use for travel. When the finance team and programme staff don’t have a shared understanding of what’s allowed, it can lead to disputes, particularly when a donor later disallows an expense. Documenting clear policies prevents these kinds of after-the-fact compromises and headaches.

For practical reasons, policies are generally divided into three key areas (consolidated into manuals): financial, human resources, and operational. However, not everything needs to be a formal policy. Sometimes a simple guideline works better for less critical matters. Take, for example, the question of whether the organisation will cover extra luggage fees for staff when they travel. You obviously should pay for extra baggage if a staff member is travelling with training materials, but if they’re bringing an extra suitcase for their hair accessories and shoes, probably not! This kind of decision doesn’t need to be a policy but can be addressed in travel guidelines instead. Policies should be high-level, guiding overall decisions, while guidelines can help with smaller, everyday matters.

Policies should evolve as your organisation grows and changes. Regular review and updates are essential, as well as tracking version control. If documenting the organisation’s existing policies in-house seems overwhelming (and let’s be honest, no one has the time), consider outsourcing it to get the job done efficiently. The whole point of documented policies is for communication—policies are there to provide a framework for your team, and they should be part of your organisation’s wider conversation. If you need help with drafting, reviewing, or updating your policies, don’t hesitate to reach out.