Download the Governance Survey 2008 (PDF - 1.78mb)

In the current economic crisis the impact on charities is hard to determine, although it is clear that most will be affected, some more immediately in the case of those with funds in Icelandic banks.

Past recessions suggest that areas such as fundraising will be affected although often the full impact can be delayed by a number of months due to the impact of committed givers. However the funding profile of charities is very different than in the last major recession so the lessons of the past are no predictor of the future. What is certain is that the actions of charities and charity trustees can come under even closer scrutiny than usual. As such, it is a good time to look at existing governance arrangements and consider how these would stand up to such scrutiny in your charity.
 
This survey of 550 charities provides an analysis of the latest views on governance in the sector and tracks the development of practice over the last eight years. Whilst governance has improved over this period there are still some significant weaknesses that need attention. So in addition, we are running a nationwide series of seminars (in January and February 2009) relevant to trustees and senior managers to address key emerging issues and best practice.

 Download the Governance Survey 2008 (PDF - 1.78mb)