In this Guidance On Governance, I explore how newer trustees in small and medium size charities can navigate that space with confidence, clarity and impact. I draw on my reflections and experience of trusteeship having been a trustee twice and in the Senior Leadership Team of two small non-profits, most of which doubled in board, team or income size during my tenure. This offered unique challenges in scalability whilst growing impact.
1. The double role: strategist and doer
In small organisations, trustees are often asked to straddle strategy and execution. You may be called on to:
- Oversee or lead a project (e.g. launch a blog, pilot a new initiative or project),
- Offer direction on operational challenges,
- Support, mentor or appraise staff.
When I was a trustee of ItGetsBetterUK, I was tasked with developing a blog as a fresh content avenue – an operational project. In contrast, at Safe In Our World, where we had a small staff complement, my trustee role shifted more toward strategic support and oversight sitting on a Finance and Governance Committee.
The degree to which you’ll “roll up your sleeves” depends on the charity’s maturity and structure. The trick is knowing when to lean in – and when to step back. Here are my tips on that- consider:
- Whether a matter falls within your purview as a trustee (referring to the job description is helpful here) – whether the matter requires strategic or governance input or operational oversight as appropriate;
- Am I the best person to speak to this matter, or do I need to bring someone else into that conversation (look to your trustees as a sounding board and glean insight from their own approaches);
- What are the implications of a particular matter- is there a regulatory, compliance or governance issue (use the Charity Commission Guidance and Charity Governance Code to guide this);
- When and how to intervene.
2. Why small and medium is often the right entry point
For those new to trusteeship, smaller organisations offer advantages:
- Accessibility: You’re more likely to get meaningful responsibilities early on.
- Visibility of impact: You can see the difference your contributions make.
- Flexibility: With fewer layers, there’s room for initiative and innovation.
However, smaller charities frequently operate with looser structure. Policies may be lightweight, minutes sketchy, training limited, and formal support minimal. As a trustee, part of your job is to bring a bit of order – not bureaucratic rigidity, but the right scaffolding where it’s needed. Also, we have to acknowledge charities with less than £1m annual income are the most prevalent, comprising 96% of the sector.
3. Navigating informality with intention
In less formal or smaller charities, processes may be ad hoc. Your role is partly to judge where clarity, assurance, or structure is essential, and where flexibility can be preserved. Ask:
- Is this task best done by staff/a volunteer or by a trustee?
- Would formalising this process strengthen accountability?
- When is it okay to tolerate ambiguity – and when isn’t it?
- How does this matter fit into the context of all the work of the charity broadly and how shall I prioritise it and feedback on this basis?
You don’t need to insist on full operable governance overnight. The Commission understands the need for proportionality. Instead, prioritise the “must-haves” (finance, safeguarding, conflicts, risk) and gradually strengthen the rest over time.
4. Legal responsibility is real – when to be directive
Even in small charities, trustees bear ultimate legal responsibility. If actions aren’t delivered there are risk and implications, it’s on you and your fellow trustees to address it. In practice:
- Begin each board meeting by reviewing action points from the last session.
- Where something hasn’t been done, ask for explanation, remediation, and clarity on next steps.
- Ask for key decisions, responses or remedial plans to be minuted.
- Where delays or non-responses persist, involve the Chair or convene a focused discussion with trustees.
Your role is not to micromanage – but neither is it to let things slip in silence.
5. Collaborate, don’t dominate
Because formal support is often sparse, your relationships with fellow trustees and staff matter enormously. You should:
- Promote collective decision-making, not acting unilaterally.
- Play to each trustee’s strengths and divide responsibilities openly.
- Use shared accountability (e.g. “working groups”) rather than policing.
- Encourage clarity about roles (who owns which area) to avoid confusion or overlap.
The Charity Commission emphasises that trustees must act together – not as isolated authorities.
6. Finding strategic levers of value
One of the joys of trusteeship is helping to steer growth. As you settle in:
- Suggest new ideas (e.g. new partnerships, streams of income, joint ventures).
- Use your networks to connect the charity to new contacts or resources.
- Encourage an evaluation mindset – propose metrics, feedback loops and learning cycles.
- Tie your proposals to mission and capacity: growth without purpose is counterproductive.
Your role is less about day-to-day delivery, more about sustaining ambition, horizon scanning, and helping the charity evolve wisely.
7. Embrace learning and humility
No trustee arrives knowing everything, and the smaller the charity, the more likelihood there are blind spots. You can:
- Undertake or advocate a skills audit for the board (finance, safeguarding, digital, fundraising, governance).
- Identify gaps and push for training, external advice or mentoring.
- Rotate trustees or periodically refresh the board to bring in new perspectives.
Your value is not in perfection – it’s in curiosity, agility, and willingness to grow.
8. Mistakes will happen – let them teach you
Whilst governance failures carry reputational, regulatory and legal risk, avoiding every error is impossible. What matters is how you respond:
- Be transparent about failure or slippage.
- Set up processes for detection, correction, learning.
- Document decisions and remediations.
- Accept that healthy governance includes adaptation, reflection, and accountability.
If you act honestly, reasonably and in good faith, the law generally protects trustees. But your best protection is sound process, clear record keeping, and active oversight. Do not skip this evaluative step and it will pay dividends in future.
In summary
Trusteeship in small and medium charities is a demanding but deeply rewarding role. You’ll be asked to switch between strategic oversight and hands-on contribution. If you step into that space knowingly – managing ambiguity, collaborating with the board, insisting on follow-through, and staying curious – you won’t just support the charity – you’ll grow as a leader and a steward.
Guidance On Governance* is a new series focusing on the practicalities of non-profit governance from Sharma On Governance, Suneet Sharma’s non-profit governance hub. Its aim is to help those who engage charities and are part of charities with practical and actionable governance insights.
*All scenarios and guidance are generalised to protect confidentiality and ensure sensitivity.
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