What would you think of a profession – doctors, lawyers, accountants, therapists, beauticians whatever –  that had no requirement for Continuing Professional Development (CPD)?  Even more, what would you think if that profession had absolutely no entry qualifications whatsoever ? Not much of a profession, more likely to be a shambles? Taking trusteeship seriously Nowadays […]

Is it just one trustee?  The one who ‘understands the accounts’ the best? Well then, you’re within the legal requirement is for your charity’s accounts to be signed by “one or more of the trustees.” But here’s a thought.  Why not have them signed by each and every trustee? So your whole trustee board takes […]

Most of the provisions of the Charities (Protection and Social Investment) Act 2016 came into force in July 2016. Much of it may seem dry and far removed from the everyday operation of most charities.  But if your charity is badly run or your trustees inept or worse, you must expect the full weight of the […]

Your charity’s legal structure is a hot topic right now.    Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) status was a bright idea in the Charities Act 2011, and it may have some substantial benefits for your charity.  Three reasons you might want to convert are: Limited liability!  A boon to nervous trustees of unincorporated charities Saving on admin […]

Making decisions is one of the most important parts of your role as a charity trustee. There may not be one single correct answer to each significant or strategic decisions that you need to make, but how you and your fellow trustees ARRIVE at the decision is critical. Make sure you reach a sound conclusion Using a robust decision […]

What are the ingredients of charity governance? For that matter, what is this ‘governance’ that we’re always talking about? It’s rather hard to find a good definition. And rather easy to slip into thinking that it’s all about rather dull and dry policies and procedures and documents and ooh, zzzz, I’ve just dropped off myself…. […]

Recently someone asked me “Would you hold a charity accountable or file a complaint if you thought malpractice was involved, if you were a trustee?” My short answer was “yes!”  But read on for more… Doing the right thing Dealing with dishonesty is a tough call wherever it happens.  All the more so in the […]

Have things at your charity got to the point where you’re keen to know how to remove a trustee? It doesn’t need to be as daunting as you may be thinking. The no brainers Your charity’s constitution or governing document should outline a process for removing a trustee who, for example: Doesn’t show up to […]

Well done all of you who have taken Good Trustee / Bad Trustee – the Quiz so far! I must say you’re looking like rather a good bunch of trustees. And it’s tantalising, because more than one of you has scored 123/125, but so far, no-one’s hit a ‘perfect’ 125/125… Do you know this marvellous […]

Being a trustee is tough!  Are you a trustee superstar, or is there a risk that you are a problem trustee? Your hard work, people skills, and level of commitment are likely to be significant factors in how well your charity thrives, and how vigorously it is able to pursue its mission. Are you a […]

With charity governance so much in the news, yellow cards may soon not just be for footballers. On the football field, the yellow card is the sign of an Official Caution. In  upcoming changes to charity law, charity trustees may be at risk of finding themselves booked by the Charity Commission. New Powers It’s all […]

New charity trustees may be about to enjoy a stimulating new involvement or find themselves walking into a minefield!  To make sure yours feels more like the former: 1) Avoid walking unawares into personal financial liability An important first step is to find out the legal structure of the charity.  Whilst there are currently over 165,000 […]

What Lehman Brothers did to the public’s confidence in banks, Kids Company seems to have done for UK charities. A survey in October 2015 revealed public confidence in charities at its lowest point since 2007 – when the surveys started – with charities now less trusted than supermarkets. The failure of Lehman Brothers precipitated the […]