Refresh your knowledge with the Charity Commission’s 5-minute guides for trustees
Regulatory bodies
The Charity Commission for England and Wales registers and regulates charities in England and Wales, ensuring that the public can support charities with confidence. If you would like to receive updates on news and guidance from the Charity Commission, sign up to the CC Newsletter.
The Charity Commission for Northern Ireland registers and regulates charities in Northern Ireland ensuring charities are meeting their legal requirements e.g. managing your charity and charity essentials and working with charities if things go wrong.
The Fundraising Regulator is the independent regulator of charitable fundraising in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and sets the standards for fundraising in the UK-wide Code of Fundraising Practice.
The Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator registers and regulates Scotland’s charities supporting public confidence in the sector and charities to run their affairs appropriately and confidently.
Sector support organisations
ACEVO is a membership organisation that supports civil society leaders of organisations of all shapes and sizes by providing connections, advocacy and training.
Association of Chairs is an independent association supporting Chairs of charity, social purpose and not-for-profit organisations to lead their board and deliver their aims, providing training and topical events, passing on information, facilitating peer support and networking with other Chairs, commissioning research, and developing standards of best practice.
The Chartered Governance Institute UK & Ireland is the governance and qualifying and membership body for governance professionals working in all sectors, including the charity sector, providing Qualifications and Training (cgi.org.uk) and Resources (cgi.org.uk) to trustees.
Education and Employers connects schools and colleges with volunteers from a wide range of careers who share their knowledge, experience and enthusiasm via career insight talks, mentoring, job- shadowing and work experience.
The Foundation for Social Improvement is a charity that supports the UK’s small charity and social enterprise sector to deliver their social impact by supporting them with capacity building and team development through the provision of training, advice and resources.
Getting on Board provides training, guidance and free resources for charitable bodies and aspiring charity trustees, particularly those under-represented on trustee boards and people with lived experience of disenfranchisement.
ICAEW’s self-directed trustee training programme provides a learning space where you can explore the knowledge and skills required to be an effective charity trustee. These online training modules provide an overview of charity trustees’ legal and financial responsibilities and their strategic and operational considerations.
NAVCA (The National Association for Voluntary and Community Action) supports its members, local infrastructure organisations, with policy briefings, communications, inclusion and diversity, and more. You can find your local NAVCA member here, or read more about NAVCA here.
NCVO is the membership community for charities, voluntary organisations and community groups, championing the remarkable role of charities and volunteers and providing guidance, training and support to over 17,000 member organisations of all causes, shapes and sizes – ranging from large charities to small community groups.
The National Governance Association is the membership organisation for governors, trustees and governance professionals in England’s state schools, aiming to make governing boards more effective and promote high standards by providing information, advice and guidance and professional development.
Reach Volunteering helps charities to find trustees and volunteers, providing support and guidance to enable them to recruit people with the professional skills and expertise they need.
Trustees Unlimited recruits trustees for charities and develops the skills of potential and existing trustees, connecting them with organisations who need their skills and providing individuals and boards with coaching, development and support. It also helps business leaders become trustees.
Wales Council for Voluntary Action enables voluntary organisations in Wales to make a bigger difference together by acting as their national membership body..
The Young Trustees Movement aims to increase the number of trustees aged 30 and under by bringing together current and aspiring young trustees, employers and allies, advertising vacancies and providing training.