General Governance Resources

General Resources

Governance Hub

http://www.governancehub.org.uk/index.html

Arguably the best ‘one stop shop’ for governance resources for both trustees and boards. Everything from readable introductions to the basic concepts to guides, toolkits, newsletters and updates, research reports, and the Resource Finder searchable database. The Good Governance Code, National Occupational Standards for Trustees, ‘Learning to Fly’, and ‘Tending your Board’ can all be found here along with many others.

“The Governance Hub brings together people, information and ideas about governance in the voluntary and community sector. Whether you are a trustee, management committee member, chair, adviser, funder, CEO - or just want to know more - this is the place to come.”

THE GOVERNANCE HUB HAS NOW CLOSED AND THIS WEBSITE IS NO LONGER BEING UPDATED

Work is underway to ensure the transition of Governance Hub resources to NCVO's Governance and Leadership 'askNCVO' pages, which can be found at www.ncvo-vol.org.uk/askncvo/

In the meantime, If you find you are unable to download a particular publication from the Governance Hub site, you can email governance.temp@ncvo-vol.org.uk and they will send you the document in PDF form

Governance basics

Boards

Support for you

Funding Governance

Publications

“The Governance Hub is a leading source of publications about governance for the UK voluntary and community sector. We produce a range of materials both online and in print…. All Governance Hub publications can be downloaded free from this web site. Hard copies of many of the publications can be ordered…”

Core publications

Guides

Toolkits

Toolkit downloads

Other Hub publications

Research reports from the Hub

Newsletters and Updates

“We also publish a bi-monthly e-newsletter for voluntary and community organisations and a half yearly Hub update, Governance Matters for advisers and infrastructure organisations.”

Sign up here

http://www.governancehub.org.uk/sign_up.html

View the archive

http://www.governancehub.org.uk/newsletter_archive.html

Resource Finder – searchable database

http://www.governancehub.org.uk/resourcefinder.html

“The Governance Hub resource finder can help you if you are looking for publications, toolkits, research, training guides, networks, events or other support and resources on governance.”

Code of Good Governance

http://www.governancehub.org.uk/code_of_governance.html

Produced by ACEVO, Charity Trustee Networks, ICSA, NCVO on behalf of The National Hub of Expertise in Governance and aimed at the trustees and Chief Executives of voluntary and community organisations, as well as to a wider audience, the Code sets out a series of principles as a framework to encourage best practice.

“The Code of Good Governance for the VCS (third sector)… is designed for all those involved in the governance of voluntary and community sector organisations, and particularly for trustees and chief executives… [it] is intended to be concise, user friendly, and universally applicable…

“Adopting good practice can help charities keep pace with the changes and make them more effective where it really counts – in helping the people they were set up to benefit… It has been produced by the sector, from the sector and for the sector. The code provides a flexible and proportionate framework for charities; there are common standards to which all charities should aspire, with higher expectations of larger charities.” – from the Introduction.

THE GOVERNANCE HUB HAS NOW CLOSED AND THIS WEBSITE IS NO LONGER BEING UPDATED

Work is underway to ensure the transition of Governance Hub resources to NCVO's Governance and Leadership 'askNCVO' pages, which can be found at www.ncvo-vol.org.uk/askncvo/

In the meantime, If you find you are unable to download a particular publication from the Governance Hub site, you can email governance.temp@ncvo-vol.org.uk and they will send you the document in PDF form

The key principles of good governance:

Board leadership - Every organisation should be led and controlled by an effective Board of trustees which collectively ensures delivery of its objects, sets its strategic direction and upholds its values.

The Board in control - The trustees as a Board should collectively be responsible and accountable for ensuring and monitoring that the organisation is performing well, is solvent, and complies with all its obligations.

The high performance Board - The Board should have clear responsibilities and functions, and should compose and organise itself to discharge them effectively.

Board review and renewal - The Board should periodically review its own and the organisation’s effectiveness, and take any necessary steps to ensure that both continue to work well.

Board delegation - The Board should set out the functions of sub-committees, officers, the chief executive, other staff and agents in clear delegated authorities, and should monitor their performance.

Board and trustee integrity - The Board and individual trustees should act according to high ethical standards, and ensure that conflicts of interest are properly dealt with.

The open Board - The Board should be open, responsive and accountable to its users, beneficiaries, members, partners and others with an interest in its work.

Governance and Participation project - Co-operativesUK

http://www.cooperatives-uk.coop/NewVentures/gp

Huge range of good quality information, although sadly, this was a time-limited project and the website is no longer actively maintained, which means you may some links may be broken or inactive. Those listed below were working as of 26-05-08

“The Governance and Participation project is a pilot project delivered across England and Wales, by Co-operativesUK. Its purpose is to develop and enhance ways and methods in which organisations across the social economy sector are able to actively involve members on governance.”

Legal Forms
http://www.cooperatives-uk.coop/NewVentures/gp/resources/legalForms

Organisational Types
http://www.cooperatives-uk.coop/NewVentures/gp/resources/organisationalTypes

Case Studies
http://www.cooperatives-uk.coop/NewVentures/gp/resources/caseStudies

‘A range of case study examples of organisations demonstrating participation in governance.’

FAQs
http://www.cooperatives-uk.coop/live/dynamic/faqListCategories.asp

Reports
http://www.cooperatives-uk.coop/NewVentures/gp/resources/reports

Produced to date:

Searchable Publication Database
http://www.cooperatives-uk.coop/live/dynamic/PublicationSearch.asp?id=165

Governance Pages

http://www.governancepages.org.uk/index.html

Good range of readable information arranged in an easily approachable FAQ format with sample documents and a simple to use online tool for finding appropriate support, training and advice with UK and international governance search engines

‘This website is a project of Arvac (the Association for Research in the Community and Voluntary Sector)… [it is a] new website that aims to produce useful information on governance and management committees for community groups and small voluntary organisations.’

Contents:

  1. Quick guide to joining a committee
  2. Quick guide to finding new committee members
  3. Sample Documents
    • Job/Role Descriptions
    • Recruitment Documents
    • Skills Audits
    • Conflict of Interest
    • Codes of Conduct/Governance Codes
    • Sub Committee Remits
    • Meetings
    • AGMs
  4. Frequently Asked Questions on Governance
    1. What is governance?
    2. Who are the committee members?
    3. What is the role of the committee?
    4. The committee's role in governance
    5. What qualifications are needed to be on a committee?
    6. What qualities are needed to be on a committee?
    7. Should we do a skills audit?
    8. Who should we get on the committee?
    9. The different perspectives of committee members
    10. How do we recruit committee members?
    11. How do you become a committee member?
    12. Starting on the committee - induction and committments
    13. Job Descriptions for specific roles - chair, treasurer, secretary etc
    14. What are governance codes?
    15. Why are there so many different names for the committee and its members?
    16. What are ex-officio, holding, custodian and co-opted committee members?
    17. Advisory and steering committees
    18. Can we have collective decision making? There is some confusion over who has a right to take part in our committee meetings.
    19. Constitutions
    20. Sub-committees
    21. Users
    22. Conflict of Interest
    23. Members
    24. Meetings
    25. AGMs
    26. Assessing the committee's performance

Governance and Trusteeship –
Downloads, Briefings and Best Practice - Community Links Bromley

http://www.communitylinksbromley.org.uk/sai/governance.html#govbriefings

Links to information on some of the other main sites but also locally produced information sheets on a number of topics:

Northern Ireland Council for Voluntary Action - Governance and Charity Advice

http://www.nicva.org/index.cfm/section/article/page/CharityAdviceService

Includes Resources, Advice notes, Frequently Asked Questions, and Legal Reforms. The Guide to Good Governance, Managing your Money guide and Legal Reforms update are particularly excellent, although be aware that the legal framework in Northern Ireland may be different as they do not fall under the jurisdiction of the Charity Commission.

FAQs

Resources

Advice Notes

  1. Charitable Status
  2. Committee Procedures
  3. Legal Structures
  4. Setting up a Group
  5. Companies
  6. Setting up a Company
  7. Charity Trustees' Duties
  8. Accounting
  9. Lotteries
  10. Collections
  11. Sub-committees
  12. Insurance
  13. Risk Assessment
  14. Conflicts of interest

Legal Reforms ‘Find out about changes to legislation that will directly affect the regulation and administration of charities.’

Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations - Governance Project

http://www.scvo.org.uk/governance/Home/Home.aspx

Some good resources from plain English introductory guides to the full Getting to Grips with Governance toolkit, plus free Governance E-learning online courses. Be aware that Scottish Charity Law may differ from that in England and Wales.

‘This website offers a one-stop shop for members of boards and management committees looking for the information and support they need to maximise that contribution. Staff and development professionals who support boards and management committees in their work will also find the site of value.’

An introductory leaflet: Your Mission… Governance
(Downloadable in Word or PDF format)

http://www.scvo.org.uk/governance/GovernanceHome/Resources.aspx

Eminently readable introduction to the concept with complementary wall chart and checklist

‘”At a glance” the key responsibilities of management committees and boards - ideal for beginners and as a checklist for the more experienced.’

Getting to Grips with Governance Toolkit (Online Version)

http://www.scvo.org.uk/scvo/Information/

Comprehensive, yet readable and easy to navigate online resource. Again, be aware that Scottish law may differ to that in England and Wales.

‘A toolkit designed to get you up to speed on what you need to know on governance in a voluntary organisation in Scotland… More detailed guidance for governing bodies and their members on all aspects of their function and duties, signposted to further information.’

  1. Introduction
  2. Being part of a governing body
  3. How should the governing body work?
  4. Understanding your legal status
  5. Developing governing bodies
  6. What next?

Volunteering England – Good Practice Bank

http://www.volunteering.org.uk/Resources/goodpracticebank/index.htm

A steadily growing bank of articles, information sheets, case studies and links to other helpful guidance or external websites relating to volunteering issues and contributed by various voluntary organisations.

‘Volunteering England is an independent voluntary agency committed to supporting, enabling and celebrating volunteering in all its diversity…. The Good Practice Bank aims to improve information sharing and reduce duplication within the volunteering sector… it has Core Themes which deal with general good practice on managing volunteers, and Specialist Themes which focus on more specific topics. In each theme you will find articles, information sheets, case studies and links to other helpful guidance or external websites. Most sections include example and template documents to help you develop your own volunteer programme.’

Guidance Notes and Best Practice Guides, Not for Profit Sector –
Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators (ICSA)
- Shows latest updates

http://www.icsa.org.uk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=61m

Model documents and guidance on a wide range of issues

‘The ICSA Guidance Notes and Best Practice Guides are highly respected sources of practical information on legislation and regulation. Applicable to companies, the not-for-profit sector and the public sector, ICSA's guidance helps to clarify complex areas of governance and provides model solutions for organisations to adapt to their own circumstances.’

Fact Sheets – Dudley CVS

http://www.dudleycvs.org.uk/downloadable_factsheets.htm

Comprehensive range of factsheets from Dudley CVS website covering many essential topics in an approachable manner