Post | July 2025 | For Volunteers | 1 min read

What is a Trustee?

Three white adult women smiling and standing shoulder to shoulder plus one white man sitting in front wearing a medical face covering.

Charity trustees play a very important role in making sure that the charity is run well. They are volunteers who strategically oversee the management, governance and administration of the organisation.

Trustees ensure their charity has a clear strategy, and that its work and goals are in line with its vision and mission. A trustee's role in a charity is to make sure that all decisions put the needs of the service users/beneficiaries first and that they don't move away from the organisation's constitutional goals.

Trustees safeguard the charity’s assets – both physical assets, including property, and intangible ones, such as its reputation. They make sure that the charity is run sustainably and in line with legal requirements.

Trustees are not typically involved in the day-to-day operations of a charity. Instead, they delegate these responsibilities to staff, led by the Chief Executive Officer (CEO). Trustees act as a ‘critical friend’ to the CEO—offering support while also providing constructive challenge to ensure effective leadership. However, in smaller charities with limited staff, trustees may also take on more direct, operational responsibilities.

Check out these open Trustee roles: