New 5-minute guides for charity trustees

The Charity Commission has launched a new set of simple, easy to understand guides to help trustees run their charities in line with the law.

The new guides cover five key aspects of charity management covering the basics that the regulator expects all trustees to be aware of.

They explain the basics of:

• financial oversight
• achieving a charity’s purposes
• good decision making
• addressing conflicts of interest
• what to file with the Commission and what support is available

The Commission says that this ‘gateway’ level guidance will make it easier and quicker for all trustees to check what is expected and to find more detailed information if needed, which is all the more important as charities respond to the Covid-19 pandemic. The Commission’s research and testing with trustees have helped shape their design and content.

The Commission stresses that whilst the guides may be basic, they are designed to serve the needs of experienced trustees as well as those new to the role. It says that years of experience cannot immunise even the very best trustees from running into questions or problems.

The guides are available in Welsh and English.

Tips for using the guides

We would recommend that you share these guides with your trustees and include them in your induction packs when new trustees join the charity.

• Perhaps you could put one guide on the agenda at trustee meetings and ask the board to discuss each one and consider whether the charity’s governance reflects what it says.
• Why not join our next Charity Governance webinar and find out about the latest news and updates for trustees?
• Have you signed up to the Third Sector Support Wales Knowledge Hub, a place where you can learn and connect with others just like you across the third sector?

Charity Commission, Coronavirus (COVID-19) Guidance for the Charity Sector

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