Aim for a minimum of three unconnected trustees with a good range of skills. You need enough trustees to govern the charity effectively. It’s also important to keep your board small enough to arrange meetings easily and allow effective discussion and decision making.
Do charity trustees make money?
It is a fundamental rule that, except in certain specified circumstances, trustees cannot receive any benefit from the charity. However, a trustee cannot be paid for performing his or her duties as a trustee, such as participating in trustee meetings. Nor are they allowed to become a paid employee of the charity.
Are trustees liable for charity debts?
If charity trustees fail to meet their obligations and they have either acted dishonestly and/or unreasonably, they can be held personally liable and required to compensate their charity for any financial loss caused.
Why become a trustee of a charity?
Being a trustee gives you the opportunity to: Provide support to a CEO leading an organisation that is making a real difference to individuals or society as a whole. Contribute your skills and expertise to a cause that is important to you. Gain valuable experience and learn new skills within a leadership role.
What are the responsibilities of Trustees of a charity?
Unlike the commercial sector, where the roles & responsibilities of company directors may vary according to their position, in most charities all the trustees have collective responsibility for ensuring that their charity is run in accordance with its governing document and the Charities Act.
What are the responsibilities of a small charity?
In many small charities the Trustees also do much of the day-to-day administration and management of their charity.
How big are the charities in the UK?
Take the next 4,000 or so largest charities, with incomes of between £1m and £10m a year and we still have less than 3% of the total charities in the UK. In contrast the majority of charities (54%) are very small, local volunteer-run organisations with less than £10,000 a year coming in.
Who is taking the lead in a small charity?
Some of the leaflets below deal with specific aspects of running a small charity which one Trustee is identified as “taking the lead”. But ALL Trustees should be aware of what is involved so that they can collectively monitor that those aspects are being managed properly.
