Charities urged to instil good governance

IRISH charities have been urged to emulate the professionalism of private companies after new research identified good governance as the most important criteria that needed to be met.

More than 40pc of Irish people that have donated in the last six months said good governance was more important than a personal link to the organisation, according to a study by Amarach Research on behalf of the Charities Institute Ireland (CII).

A third of respondents were unaware that charities required trustees to operate while 60pc were unaware of the role played by a trustee. CII chief executive Lucy Masterson said: “Having good governance, reputable trustees and good management is a key factor for donors. It scored the highest attribute that donors look for when choosing a charity.”

The study was conducted ahead of the visit of best-selling author Dan Palotta, who will speak at the institutes’s ‘Bolder Board’ event in the Mansion House tomorrow.

Palotta has written at length around non-profit business practice and how it can obstruct organisations from reaching their potential.