I’ve just done a routine skim-read of the Charity Commission website. I like to know what’s going on in the charity world and this is one of the key places to find out.
Four of the five top stories involve statutory inquiries. Four! This is both good and bad news.
Good, because it shows how involved the Commission is as a regulator, more than many others. It is limited in the information it has access to and which informs what actions it takes. Naturally it doesn’t have the resource to sit on the shoulder of every senior team and trustee body in the land. But when it becomes aware of sloppy or bad behaviour, it can and it does act. This involvement should reassure those who deal with charities and the public at large that charity is a largely worthwhile and well regulated endeavour.
But this is also bad: it shows there are charities around which waste all of our time. Where there is deliberate bad practice, this wastes the time, money, and confidence of the public. Where there is negligent or sloppy practice, this shows the ineffectiveness of the charities concerned – they will be slower applying their money towards charitable purposes. Also, having advised numerous poorly run charities over the years, I can tell you what a time drain it is dealing with the Commission’s interest, time which would be far better focussed on the charity’s true purposes.
So what can we all learn from this? Awareness.
First, to be aware of the purpose, environment, challenges and regulation of a charity before getting involved. And if you’re in a position to advise someone, then make sure they truly understand this as well as their likely workload.
Second, to remain aware of the challenges, legal and governance requirements, and opportunities for your charity for as long as you are involved. And again, if you’re advising, then do so with this in mind.
In other words: engage fully in the role. Read more here.
