A new report by the charity consultancy and think tank New Philanthropy Capital (Trusteeship Report 2010) claims that to survive the current recession, charities will need to strengthen their boards. It is argued that the role of a trustee to a charity is as central as a director is to a business and that where cuts must be made across charities activities, trustees are the people to identify priorities, and areas where the biggest return on investment is made. Tesse Akpeki, an OnBoard governance consultant raises the problem of personality clashes between trustees, who have often formerly held senior positions. She says these clashes can often damage the charity, and that these trustees need to become more involved in the work of the charity throughout the year to avoid conflicts of interest. In keeping with the government’s vision of ‘Big Society’, it is argued more people should get involved in volunteering in the charitable sector, and in particular become trustees.
To read the full report go to the New Philanthropy Capital website.
