When times are tough, what does good governance look like?

Being a charity trustee can sometimes feel a little strange.

You are legally accountable for the organisation, but you aren’t running it day to day. You don’t see every conversation, every decision or every challenge facing your staff and volunteers.

And that’s as it should be.

Trustees delegate the day-to-day running of the charity to the people with the knowledge, skills and responsibility to do it. But when things get difficult, that distance can feel much harder to navigate.

When funding is uncertain, demand is rising and difficult decisions need to be made, it is natural to want more information. More detail. More reassurance.

And that’s when good governance really matters.

Resist the urge to dive into the detail

When we’re worried, our instinct can be to get closer to the problem.

We ask for more reports. More figures. More frequent updates. We want to understand exactly what is happening and why.

But more information isn’t necessarily better information.

Every additional report takes time to produce. Every request for detail takes someone’s attention away from something else. And if the information doesn’t help the board make a decision or provide meaningful oversight, it may simply create more work without giving trustees any greater clarity.

The question isn’t:

“What else can we ask for?”

It’s:

“What do we actually need to know to govern well?”

That distinction matters at any time, but particularly when organisations are under pressure.

Your staff are worried too

It is easy for trustees to forget that the people running the charity are navigating the same uncertainty.

When a CEO says, “We don’t know yet”, that can be frustrating.

But sometimes there genuinely isn’t an answer yet.

Your executive team may be worrying about funding, staff, beneficiaries, services and the future of the organisation all at once. They don’t need their board to add to that pressure. They need trustees who can provide calm, constructive challenge and support.

That doesn’t mean avoiding difficult questions.

Quite the opposite.

Good trustees ask difficult questions. But they ask them in a way that helps the organisation move forward, rather than creating a culture of blame or defensiveness.

The real test of board leadership

It’s relatively easy to demonstrate good governance when everything is going well.

The harder test comes when the organisation is under pressure.

That’s when trustees need to be clear about their role, understand the risks, challenge constructively and keep their focus on the charity’s purpose.

It is also when boards need to resist the temptation to confuse being involved with providing good governance.

Your job isn’t to run the charity.

Your job is to make sure it is being well led, well governed and kept focused on its purpose and the people it exists to serve.

Ten questions for trustees to consider

So, if your board is navigating a difficult period, here are ten things worth asking:

1. Are we staying calm?
Uncertainty is uncomfortable, but panic rarely improves decision-making. How can the board provide reassurance and perspective?

2. Do we really need more information?
Before asking for another report or another set of figures, consider whether it will genuinely help the board understand the situation or make a decision.

3. Are we asking the right questions?
Good governance isn’t about knowing everything. It’s about knowing what you need to know.

4. Are we creating space for honest conversations?
Do staff feel able to tell trustees when something isn’t working, when they don’t know the answer or when they need help?

5. Are we focusing on solutions?
When things go wrong, it can be tempting to look backwards and ask who was responsible. Sometimes the more useful question is what the organisation needs to do next.

6. Are we keeping our own knowledge up to date?
Trustees shouldn’t assume they have nothing left to learn. The challenges facing charities change, and governance needs to evolve with them.

7. Are we looking after our people?
Staff and volunteers are part of the charity’s ability to respond to difficult circumstances. Are you giving them the support, trust and space they need?

8. Are we reviewing risk proportionately?
Not every difficult situation is a crisis. Take time to understand the risks without allowing fear to drive the process.

9. Are we prepared to think differently?
Sometimes difficult circumstances create a need to change direction, collaborate, try something new or rethink what is essential.

10. Are we keeping sight of the bigger picture?
Don’t let one difficult issue consume the board’s attention. Keep coming back to the charity’s purpose, its beneficiaries and its long-term sustainability.

And, finally, breathe.

Good governance doesn’t happen by accident

There is no single formula for getting governance right.

Every charity is different, and every board will face different challenges. But difficult times can be a useful opportunity to step back and think about how your board works, how trustees and staff work together, and whether your governance arrangements are giving the organisation what it needs.

That is exactly the kind of conversation we want to create at the DSC Charity Leadership and Governance Summit, taking place online on Wednesday 7 and Thursday 8 October 2026.

Across two days, the Summit will bring together charity leaders, trustees and governance professionals to explore the challenges facing charities today, with conversations around leadership, strategy, culture, funding, governance and responsible campaigning.

It is a chance to step away from the day-to-day, hear different perspectives and think about how we can strengthen the way our organisations are led and governed.

Because when times are tough, good governance isn’t about having all the answers.

It’s about asking the right questions, supporting the people doing the work and keeping your charity focused on what matters most.

Find out more about the DSC Charity Leadership and Governance Summit here.