Impact of trustee vacancies on charities
Our survey results show that board vacancies have multiple effects on organisations and individuals.
- 60% of charities say board vacancies are preventing them from developing as an organisation.
- 4 in 10 (43%) say vacancies are limiting their ability to follow good governance practices.
- A third (35%) say vacancies are limiting their ability to make effective decisions.
These issues increase for micro charities.
- Almost 80% of micro charities say board vacancies are preventing them from developing as an organisation.
- Almost half of micro charities (46%) say vacancies are limiting their ability to follow good governance practices and make effective decisions.
- 50% of micro charities say vacancies are causing stress and anxiety.
Micro charities are more likely to have smaller boards, so trustee vacancies have a much bigger impact. This can be seen in the survey results.
It’s understandable that the biggest impact of board vacancies is on organisations’ ability to develop. Boards set the direction and strategy for their charity. Boards with a range of skills, knowledge and perspectives can innovate and respond to changes in the external environment.
For our organisation, receiving support to develop a clear strategic direction was key to the success of a recent funding application. The funder praised the clarity and focus of our proposal, which ultimately led to the recommendation and subsequent approval. Without this clear direction, we wouldn't have been able to communicate our vision as effectively.
Stress and anxiety
Stress and anxiety was the second highest recorded impact (45%) of trustee vacancies.
The negative impact on wellbeing increases as organisation income level decreases.
- Half of micro charities (50%) say trustee vacancies cause stress. This increases to 58% for small charities.
- In contrast, only 11% of large and major charities said that board vacancies were causing stress and anxiety.
This may be because large and major charity boards often have more trustees and greater structure. This means they are better able to absorb the impact of vacancies and delegate tasks among a wider team. They also have better financial resources so can afford to pay for extra guidance and support.
Skills gaps
We found several common skills gaps across various fields.
- Almost half (49%) of survey respondents are missing marketing and communications skills.
- 2 in 5 (41%) are lacking legal skills.
- 41% are missing technology skills.
- Over a third (35%) reported a lack of financial expertise.
Income size breakdown
Skill gaps differ depending on the level of income.
The most common skills gaps for large and major charities are:
- technology skills (35%)
- artificial intelligence (29%)
- human resources/people management (27%)
- public affairs (27%).
The most common skills gaps for small and medium charities are:
- marketing and communications (55%)
- legal (46%)
- technology skills (43%)
- financial (36%)
- human resources/people management (36%).
The most common skills gaps for micro charities are:
- marketing and communications (46%)
- governance (39%)
- financial (37%)
- legal (34%)
- technology (34%).
Skills gaps appear to be connected to the different charity structures related to income.
It’s more common for smaller charities to be run by volunteers. This means they often need staff from their board to help with operational tasks such as communications and marketing.
Most large and major charities employ staff. Boards need to consider staff in decision-making, which requires HR and people management skills.
According to the Charity Digital Skills Report 2024, 62% of charities say their trustees’ digital skills are low or could improve. This can also be seen in the high prevalence of technology skills gaps found in our survey.
Charities’ perceptions may also play a part. Charities might think they need certain skills for their board, but this isn’t always the case.
For example, charities may report needing legal skills because they often access legal advice and support. They may think holding that knowledge within their board could be a benefit.
But it may also be a symptom of the charity believing they’re required to have legal expertise on their board. This isn’t the case. The Charity Commission doesn’t specify any skills or knowledge required on boards. Instead, they expect the charity to identify the mix of skills, knowledge and experience which will be most valuable in decision-making.
As chair of our board, I prioritise good governance practices through regular monitoring of the skills and competencies across our team. We conduct an annual trustee skills audit, where board members appraise their skills and knowledge. This process helps us understand our board’s ability to respond effectively and highlights any skills gaps, allowing us to target recruitment as needed.
You can download a printable PDF version of the report below.
