Verdant Purpose HR

A few years ago, I worked with a charity that was falling apart. The trustees thought their role was simply to attend meetings and nod along. The management team beneath them had shut them out, made poor decisions, and driven the organisation to the brink of bankruptcy.

Volunteers were leaving in droves. Staff turnover was through the roof. The finances were a mess.

And when the trustees told me they’d been advised that their role was “just to be a bum on a seat,” I realised why things had gone so wrong.

Because trustees are not decoration. They are the safety net, the conscience, and the steering wheel of any charity. 

The Myth That Ruins Charities

It’s a common misconception that trustees are honorary figures who simply “oversee” things.
That might sound harmless, but it’s a dangerous myth.

Here’s what I see far too often in struggling charities:

• Trustees who don’t understand their legal duties.
• Boards that are too small or lack essential skills.
• Management teams that exclude trustees from key decisions.
• No oversight of finances, risk, or people.

When that happens, the results are predictable: low morale, high turnover, and a slow slide towards crisis.

And that’s exactly what I found in this charity.

Reclaiming Governance: How We Turned It Around

We started with one simple idea; trustees are there to govern, not to spectate.

Step 1: Re-education and clarity

We ran a workshop to go back to basics: what the Charity Commission expects of trustees, what their legal duties are, and what should be on their agenda.
We compared what was happening with what should be happening, using the Charity Commission’s six key duties as the benchmark.

Step 2: Setting the right boundaries

We drew a clear line between governance and operations. Trustees signed off on strategy, budgets, and major risks. Management handled the day-to-day; but under proper reporting and accountability.

Step 3: Restoring structure

We rebuilt meeting agendas around decision-making, not updates. Every report linked back to the charity’s purpose, risk register, or KPIs. Governance became active again.

Step 4: Recruiting for skills

We launched a trustee recruitment campaign based on the skills we were missing.
We didn’t just fill seats, we filled gaps.
We brought in trustees with financial oversight, marketing, digital, and compliance experience.

Step 5: Training and a proper skills audit

Once the board was in place, we carried out a Training Needs Analysis (TNA).
Each trustee rated their confidence across areas like finance, safeguarding, GDPR, fundraising, and digital.
We identified weaknesses, matched training to each gap, and built a plan for regular review.

Within months, things began to change.
Volunteers came back. Staff felt heard. Finances stabilised.
The trustees were finally in control, and proud of it.

The Six Duties Every Trustee Must Know

If you’re a trustee or charity leader, here’s what the Charity Commission expects from you.

1. Carry out the charity’s purpose for the public benefit.
   Stay true to your objects and make sure every activity supports them.
    
2. Comply with your governing document and the law.
   Know your constitution, Articles, and legal obligations.
    
3. Act in your charity’s best interests.
   Set aside personal agendas and focus on what helps the organisation thrive long-term.
    
4. Manage your resources responsibly.
   Protect assets, ensure financial control, and never take unnecessary risks.
    
5. Act with reasonable care and skill.
   Prepare, research, and question. Bring your expertise, or ask for help when you need it.
    
6. Ensure accountability.
   Report transparently to donors, regulators, and the people you serve. Keep your processes open and honest.

These aren’t just guidelines. They’re the foundation of good governance, and they protect your charity’s mission.

How a Training Needs Analysis (TNA) Strengthens Your Board

A TNA isn’t just for staff. It’s one of the most powerful tools a charity can use to build a strong board.

Here’s how to do it properly:

Step 1: Define what skills your board needs
Think beyond finance and legal. You might need digital skills, fundraising experience, safeguarding knowledge, or lived experience of your cause.

Step 2: Run a skills self-assessment
Ask each trustee to score themselves (for example, 1 to 5) in each area. Include space for comments like “I’ve not looked at GDPR in years” or “I’m confident with financial statements.”

Step 3: Compare what you have with what you need
Identify gaps and decide which ones pose the greatest risk.

Step 4: Build a development plan
You might use in-house sessions, mentoring, or short courses. The key is regular learning, not a one-off tick box.

Step 5: Repeat annually, or everytime you need a new trustee
Your charity’s needs change as it grows. Keep your board’s skills current.

When you use a TNA to guide trustee recruitment, you stop filling seats and start building a team that drives your charity forward.

Key Takeaways

• Trustees aren’t there for decoration; they are the backbone of charity governance.
• Misunderstanding trustee roles puts your organisation at risk.
• A skills-based, trained, and accountable board can save a charity from failure.
• Governance isn’t red tape, it’s what keeps your mission alive.

So, Are Your Trustees Sitting Back or Stepping Up?

If your board feels unsure, stretched, or too quiet, now is the time to act.
A quick governance review or skills audit can reveal where you stand. and where you need to build strength.

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Because your board matters, and your charity deserves trustees who do more than sit.