Governance

Becoming a Trustee

This resource covers what to consider and what to ask if you are invited to become a charity trustee. It was written primarily for small charities but applies to any size of charity, albeit there will be more delegation to staff in a larger charity. PCC members, deacons and elders of churches that are charities are usually the trustees of the organisation.

Its for anyone who is approached to become a trustee or is considering offering to be a trustee of a charity. It is also useful for anyone recruiting trustees.

This version of the resource is primarily written for a UK audience, though much of it will be relvant in other countries.

A Balanced Board: developing a board skills matrix

The board of every charity needs a good balance of skills and experience. A board skills matrix is a helpful way to identify the current situation and identify gaps to fill in future trustee recruitment.

This is for:

Chairs, chief executives and company secretaries of charities
Trustees of charities
Anyone else involved in preparing or analysing a board skills matrix.

A Framework for Trustee Inductions

An outline of the aims and content for a trustee induction session, trustee induction pack and trustee training handout. The resource includes downloadable pdfs which can be adapted for your charity. This is for:

Chair of trustees, company secretary or whoever is responsible for trustee inductions.

New trustees who may find it helpful as a checklist of what they need to know.

This version of the resource is written primarily for a UK audience.

A well-tuned board: great governance for small charities

A well-tuned board will make a significant difference to the smooth running of a charity. Here are some key aspects to consider so that the board runs effectively and has a positive impact on the charity. This is for:

Chairs of trustees of small charities including churches, especially if new to the role.
Trustees of small charities including churches, especially if new to the role.
Chief executives of small charities and ministers of local churches.

Succession Planning

This resource outlines the main considerations when forward planning for the succession of key leaders, as well as what to do when the change actually occurs. This is for:

Chairs of trustees whose chief executive/director is moving on or who wish to do some advance planning.
Anyone overseeing the change or potential change for a key post.
Those recognising the need for their own succession in due course.

Twelve Tips for Interpreting Charity Accounts

Looking at a set of annual accounts can be a minefield if you don't know what you're looking for. Here are 12 tips to get you started.

Crisis Management for small charities

This resource outlines what to put in place ahead of a potential crisis. Whilst the crisis may never happen, if it does your task will be less challenging if you have a plan ready. It can be tailored to the specifics of the situation that you face.

This resource is for:

Chief executives, operations directors, operations managers and trustees of small charities.
Anyone who has responsibility for risk or crisis management.

Risk Management for small charites

This resource outlines what all charities should have in place in relation to management of the risks they face. In particular it is for small charities and signposts to the range of additional help that is available that deals much more extensively than this short headline does. It also provides a glossary of useful terms. This is for:

Chief executives, operations directors, operations and other senior managers and trustees of small charities.
Anyone who has responsibility for risk or crisis management.

Considerations for a Charity Merger

Here’s a brief heads up to help you grasp the likely scope and implications of exploring a charity merger. It’s primarily for trustees and senior charity staff who are considering a merger but have never been involved in one before and want to know where to start.

Further governance resources coming shortly include:

Assessing charity risk appetite
A schedule of charity policies

You may also find some of the resources in the management section of the website helpful.