The Charities Aid Foundation and the ICAEW have recently published a report looking at the future of trusteeship and the challenges and opportunities facing charities and their boards in 2022.
The report, ‘What’s on the horizon for charity trustees?’ is based on interviews with trustees from local, national and internationally focused charities whose areas of operation included faith-based, educational, humanitarian, health, animal welfare, and women’s support.
The report identifies a range of factors affecting the operating environment for charities:
- Financial resilience: the need to diversify and increase funding sources in a time of scarcity
- Cybercrime: protecting personal data and protecting funds
- Political complexities: The effects of political decisions on funding
- Mental health: Considering staff, volunteers and the people the charity supports
- Covid-19: The financial and logistical pressures caused by the pandemic
- Inflation: The impact demand on charities’ services, donations and running costs
- Continuation and evolution: The challenges of surviving and developing
- Digital transformation: The potential, but also barriers related to ability and cost
In addition, the report looks at three elements of diversity when considering the requirements for a trustee. Included are diversity of skills and knowledge, of personal characteristics and of service user board representation.
The full report can be viewed and downloaded here.
