Charity Governance Tools and Templates

The best charity governance depends on robust and reliable systems and procedures. This resource brings together key tools and templates to help you smooth the processes so you can focus on what matters – the effective oversight, leadership and direction of your charity.

The strength of this publication lies in its practical focus – each tool has a short introduction and guidance on when and how to use it. These easy-to-use tools will guide your board to maximise your charity’s impact and strengthen constructive and collaborative board dynamics. They will help you to think through and manage many tricky governance issues and may also inspire you with new ideas to modify your current practice.

The publication is formatted as a single Word file, and the tools and templates are deliberately low on formatting and design, intended to be tailored and applied to suit your charity and its specific circumstances.

What does it cover?

From recruiting trustees to board performance and managing risk, this publication offers a concise and practical collection of over 80 tools designed to support trustee boards and individual trustees in meeting their governance responsibilities.

In addition to the general introduction, there are 14 sections covering:

• Foundations of good governance
• Roles and responsibilities
• Trustee recruitment
• Board composition and inducting new trustees
• Committees and working groups
• Board meetings that work
• Evaluating and improving board performance
• Managing risk
• Fulfilling reporting duties
• Policies and compliance
• Staff and volunteer relationships
• Equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI)
• Strategy and impact
• Solvency and financial sustainability

It should be noted that while this is a supportive resource, it cannot be used as a substitute for professional advice where required. We hope you find it of value and invite you to let us know what you think once you have used it thoroughly. We want to make future editions even better, so please share with us what is good, what could be better or clearer and what you think is missing –  email [email protected] to share your feedback.

NB: Our standard terms and conditions for digital downloads do not allow changes to our documents, but this product is one of our exceptions. It is expected that these templates will be amended and personalised to suit your organisation.

‘This is a must-have resource for any charity looking to get governance right. It brings together everything from trustee recruitment and committee terms of reference to strategy, codes of conduct, performance review and risk management. This bank of resources will save you time and headaches, and help you avoid dead ends.’

Penny Wilson, Inclusive Governance Consultant

 

‘Don’t let the dry title fool you! This is an invaluable tour of the engine room of good charity governance. Combining established tools with plenty of original thinking, this resource provides a truly comprehensive and value-adding guide.’

Andrew Hind, former Visiting Professor of Charity Governance and Finance, Bayes Business School

 

‘I can think of no better guide to trusteeship than this resource – comprehensive and entirely practical. A first-time trustee can use it to prepare themselves for this important and possibly dauting undertaking, but even the most seasoned trustee will find insight and new ways of doing familiar tasks. Every board needs a copy.’

David Cutler, Director, Baring Foundation 

Who is this book for?

If you are a trustee, company or board secretary, chief executive or a senior leader in one of the many thousands of charities across the UK that make a massive contribution to our well-being, quality of life and economy, then this publication is for you.

Look inside

Have a look inside Charity Governance Tools and Templates.

About the authors

Emma Mathews 

Co-author, Emma Mathews began her career working in policy at the Coalition of Care and Support Providers in Scotland’s Housing Support Enabling Unit. In this role, she helped housing support providers across Scotland to navigate, understand and influence the development of relevant policy.

As well as having a degree in Social Policy and Politics from the University of Edinburgh, Emma is completing a Master of Research in Public Policy at the University of Glasgow, while providing research support services to charities.

Andrew Purkis

Co-author, Andrew Purkis started his career in the Civil Service, but since 1980 he has been Deputy Director of NCVO, National Director of the Campaign for Rural England (CPRE), Secretary for Public Affairs to the Archbishop of Canterbury, Chief Executive of the Diana, Princes of Wales Memorial Fund and  Chief Executive of what is now called Global Health Partnerships.

He has been chair of four UK charities: the Green Alliance, Living Streets, The Empty Homes Agency and ActionAid UK and has been Vice-Chair of Contact A Family, the Office of the Adjudicator for Higher Education, ActionAid International and his local Parochial Church Council (PCC).

He was a board member of the Charity Commission for England and Wales from 2006 to 2010 and has been a member (and on the executive board) of The Parole Board.

Andrew is currently a trustee of Directory of Social Change and of Choose Love as well as of his local PCC. He is a frequent contributor to Civil Society News with his blog commenting on civil society trends and challenges.

Please note this is a Word document (ignore reference to PDF below as this is an automated website setting).

These templates are correct as at publication date June 2026.

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