The perennial problem of finding new charity trustees

A skilled, experienced and engaged board of trustees, governing well, is essential for the success and sustainability of any charity. While trusteeship is a significant responsibility, it is also immensely rewarding. Trustees give back to their community, help shape vital services, gain new skills and experience, and meet new and interesting people. So why do small and medium sized charities find it so difficult to recruit new trustees?

A March 2026 report published by nfpResearch offers some insights, in particular suggesting that a key factor is a lack of public awareness and understanding of trusteeship.

The results from their poll conducted in January 2026 show that only 13% of the public say they definitely know what being a trustee is, with 27% saying the probably know. This only improves slightly after people are shown a definition of trusteeship. Only 35% of poll respondents understand that trustees are unpaid volunteers who receive expenses. 18% believe they are employees, 17% thought they are paid to be trustees and 29% were unsure.

An earlier nfpResearch poll also showed that only 15% of the public understand that trustee are responsible for a charity’s direction and strategy, with most believing this is the responsibility of the Charity Commission or the government.

In our view, this lack of understanding is a symptom of the unnecessary and counterintuitive complexity of charity law and regulation. The Charity Commission and government need to do something about this.

Lack of awareness of trusteeship seems to be just as big a problem as lack of understanding. Fewer than 20% of respondents to the January 2026 poll said they know a charity trustee and only 1% say they are themselves a trustee. Only 6% said they would definitely consider becoming a trustee with 54% said they would definitely or probably not. Notably, 19% said they had simply never come across a charity looking for trustees.

Time remains the biggest barrier to becoming a trustee, cited by 32% of respondents, followed by skills (31%) and legal responsibility (28%). Training, clarity and support were the factors most likely to increase motivation to become a trustee, particularly amongst younger respondents.

Interestingly, 35% said paying a trustee is acceptable for securing specialist skills, 28% for those who lose income when becoming a trustee, and 25% for trustees doing significant work between meetings. Only 16% said trustees should not be paid under any circumstances, and that view was particularly rare among younger people (2%). Is it time for the Charity Commission and government to change their tune on this vexed issue?

As we reported previously, young people are more likely to consider trusteeship. The January 2026 poll found higher interest amongst under 45s, while none of the over 65 respondents said they would definitely consider trusteeship. This reinforces previous research by the insurance company Ecclesiastical and the Young Trustees Movement, which found that 40% of 18-24 year olds would consider becoming a trustee, and a previous report by nfpResearch, which also concluded that volunteering amongst young people is rising, while it is falling amongst older age groups.

This suggests some cause for optimism for the medium to long term but a short term crisis, given the experience of most charities that trustees are aged 55 and older, and often are retired.

All of this reinforces our view that great care is needed when recruiting trustees and charities should target all sections of society, particularly young and/or marginalised people. Getting support from specialist agencies like Reach Volunteering can help with this, as can use of social media, particularly LinkedIn advertising, which one of our clients recently used very successfully to recruit new trustees. Using specialist agencies can be particular helpful in reaching a diverse range of candidates; LinkedIn can sometimes be little more than the online equivalent of a tap on the shoulder because our networks tend to consist largely of people who are like us

Our recent experience with clients suggests that, while trustee recruitment is challenging, critical success factors tend to be a combination of:

• High quality recruitment materials that emphasise the benefits as well as the responsibilities of trusteeship and commit to investment in trustee learning and development.

• Effective and wide publicity to reach diverse audiences.

• A robust selection process, including attendance at board meetings as an observer before appointment.

• A comprehensive and supportive induction, including training, background reading, meetings with key people and visits to learn about the charity and its work.

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Want to find out more? Contact us at julian@almondtreeconsulting.co.uk to discuss your organisation’s needs.