Essential Charity Governance

For charities, good governance helps attract resources and use them effectively, ensures compliance with relevant regulations and supports a culture in which the whole organisation is working towards the charity’s vision. Poor governance can result in serious financial or reputational damage, and crucially can damage trust from the communities and stakeholders they serve.

This one-day course gives an intensive insight into the principles of charity governance, including the charity governance structure, the regulatory landscape, effective board operations and behaviour and key responsibilities for trustees. The programme blends detailed technical information with practical guidance on compliance and best practice.

Who is this course for

Anyone seeking to apply corporate governance principles in their organisation. This could include:

• Staff with responsibility for supporting the board
• Junior company secretarial or compliance staff
• Senior managers and aspiring managers
• Trustees and Chairs
• Lawyers, accountants and other professionals with governance-related responsibilities.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, participants will:

1. A practical understanding of key governance frameworks and regulations
2. The ability to apply these to your charity or organisation
3. A detailed knowledge of the Charity Governance code
4. Down-to-earth advice on compliance and best practice (including charity board effectiveness, appointments, risk management and accountability)
5. Tools to assess your current practices and suggest improvements.

You will also receive:

• A delegate pack containing comprehensive course notes and presentation slides
• A certificate to show you have attended the course
• 6 hours credit towards your Continuing Professional Development (CPD)
• 6 months complimentary professional subscription of The Chartered Governance Institute UK & Ireland. This includes a subscription to G+C Magazine as well as access to briefings, discounts and our knowledge base.

People who take this course often go on to book:

• Certificate in Charity Law and Governance 
• Effective Chairing Skills 
• Introduction to Board Performance Reviews 
• Non-Executive Directors’ programme

Useful CGI Resources:

• Charity handbook, 4th edition 
• Charity checklists, 2nd edition 
• A wealth of further information and guidance on Charity governance practices can be found on our website.

Competency framework:

This course aligns to CGI’s competency framework: Entry/Emerging
Use the competency framework to identify your strengths and areas for improvement in governance.