Advice and Resources

Becca Bunce on Governance, Small Actions and Big Impact

Read a thought-provoking piece from our 2020 ‘keynote speaker’ about changing the way we think, personally and as trustees or charity professionals.

Top Tips for a Successful Entry

In general, our judges are offer the following advice for successful entries:

• Tell a compelling story about the charity’s journey – and especially the Board’s role in that journey. Explain why you made decisions and how changes were implemented. Don’t leave it to the judges to piece the story together themselves.
• Be specific about change. Charities should be clear on the exact change or impact that has been achieved. Don’t use vague phrases in your entry like ‘great benefits’ or ‘more diverse’. Instead, spell out exactly what happened and why it is significant.
• Back up your statements with evidence. Use both figures and anecdotes to support your claims, demonstrating the difference between where you started and where you ended up.
• Be clear on the Board’s part in the process. Explain what roles the trustees adopted or actions they took to contribute to your success – if relevant, include how this evolved over time. You may want to ensure your entry is written by someone who understands the role the Board played in the charity’s achievements and how this contributed to the change or success you’re reporting.
• Don’t shy away from failure, and explain how you handled challenges – failure is an opportunity for learning and improving.

Achieving Great Governance Everyday

Over the past few years, our professional judges have offered their best practice tips and advice from on how to achieve great governance and effective trusteeship for your charity across all our award categories — good advice for all, but especially for those considering entry to the awards! Read more about good governance in the following categories:

• Board Equity, Diversity and Inclusion
• Transforming With Digital
• Improving Impact – small charities (0-3 paid staff)

 Governance Resources

View our useful list of governance resources to help your charity achieve exceptional governance.