Other useful websites
We’ve put together a list of external websites and resources that chairs and trustees may find helpful.
Members can find more resources in the members’ area including guides, presentations and briefing papers, all written specifically from the chair’s perspective.
Governance resources
A sound understanding of governance is the foundation to good chairing and is the responsibility of every board member. Here are some key resources that chairs and board members will want to be familiar with:
.png)
Charity Commission for England and Wales
The Charity Commission is the regulator of charities. It provides a wide range of useful free resources on different aspects of governance and trustee legal responsibilities, including a set of five-minute guides. Chairs and trustees should visit the Charity Commission’s website for the latest guidance. You can sign up to receive Charity Commission News, their quarterly newsletter which contains essential information for charity trustees.
Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own regulators: the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator is at oscr.org.uk and the Charity Commission in Northern Ireland is at charitycommissionni.org.uk.
Here are some useful in-depth guides from the Charity Commission:
Charity Governance Code
The Charity Governance Code is written specifically by the voluntary sector for the voluntary sector. It was refreshed at the end of 2020, and is a practical tool to help charities and their trustees develop high standards of governance. It sets out seven principles for effective boards:
- Organisational purpose
- Leadership
- Integrity
- Decision making, risk and control
- Board effectiveness
- Equality, diversity and inclusion
- Openness and accountability
You’ll find the latest version of the Charity Governance Code at www.charitygovernancecode.org (note there are different versions for small and large charities).
Regulator of community interest companies
The regulator of community interest companies provides information and resources at gov.uk/government/organisations/office-of-the-regulator-of-community-interest-companies
The Chartered Governance Institute (previously ICSA)
The CGI provides a range of general resources and some guidance relevant to the non-profit sector at www.cgi.org.uk
Non-profit sector
A number of organisations can help you understand the non-profit sector and your responsibilities as a chair. They provide information and briefings and hold events that may be of interest to you. Here are the key ones:
NCVO: National Council for Voluntary Organisations
NCVO provides a very wide range of information and resources on most matters affecting the voluntary and community sector. Look out for their microsites as well, for example, data.ncvo.org.uk and knowhownonprofit.org
NCVO publishes the very useful and regularly updated Good Trustee Guide. Why not make sure every member of your board has a copy? It also runs an annual Trustee Conference. Find out more at ncvo.org.uk
ACEVO: Association of Chief Executives of Voluntary Organisations
ACEVO is an important source of information and support for your CEO. Their publication ‘Leading the CEO and Chair to Effective Governance’ explores the Chair-CEO relationship and includes a section about CEO appraisal, examples of CEO role descriptions, case studies and a useful role analysis exercise. It also has a section on ‘The CEO and chair in crisis – positive steps for recovery’. ACEVO also publishes an annual pay survey. ACEVO’s CEO in Crisis service is for CEOs, designed to help when their relationship with the chair has broken down and they need support in trying to repair the relationship or they believe their job is at risk and want to understand their rights and options. The service is available to full members of ACEVO who have been members for three months or more. ACEVO’s annual conference is open to chairs. See acevo.org.uk.
DSC: Directory of Social Change
DSC is a leading provider of publications and training on voluntary sector issues, including resources and training for trustees, at dsc.org.uk. They also offer the Governance App, a free and easy way for your board of trustees to review and improve its governance.
Social Enterprise UK
SEUK provides advice, information and services to social enterprises and helps social enterprises to network at socialenterprise.org.uk.
Co-operatives UK
Co-operatives UK has a range of resources including the corporate governance code for consumer co-operative societies at uk.coop.
Sector magazines and newsletters
Civil Society is a useful online resource on news and developments in the sector. You might like to take out a subscription to their Governance and Leadership magazine. The subscription includes additional copies that you can share with board members. If you have an online subscription you can access past copies, research and model documents which you may find useful. Third Sector is published online and in print and is a useful source of news and analysis of events in the non-profit sector.