How we are helping to improve the charity sector....

Our Livery Company is a key partner in a programme aimed at improving governance in the charity sector throughout the country....

Following a wide-ranging review of previous work and detailed investigation of data held by the Charity Commission, a carefully constructed survey instrument was developed and a stratified sampling frame was defined. 

The Commission sent out the survey early in the New Year to more than 19,000 charity trustees – drawn from the 900,000 charity trustees in England & Wales.  Our Charitable Fund provided a grant to the Cass Centre for Charity Effectiveness to get the research under way and Liveryman Bob Harris is leading pro-bono consultancy support to the programme.  The survey aims to understand better the support that trustees need to run their charities efficiently, effectively and in compliance with the law. 

At the time of writing this article, the target response rate of 10% had been comfortably exceeded – and preliminary analysis shows twice as many male respondents as female.  It is being complemented by in–depth analysis of casework undertaken by the Charity Commission and a parallel survey of providers of advice and support to charities.  The results will be published in the Spring.  This is a very important initiative for the sector, with strong support not only from the Charity Commission but also from the Office of Civil Society, and we will be developing plans for Company members to engage in the subsequent action plans to strengthen the Third Sector.

Liveryman Bob Harris