Trusted Charity is a flexible and outcome-focussed quality standard designed to help charities operate more effectively and efficiently

What is Trusted Charity?

Backed by the National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO), Trusted Charity is a nationally recognised quality standard. It can help your organisation to:

  • carry out a systematic self-assessment process across 11 quality areas, covering all aspects of operation
  • gain independent accreditation following an external assessment.

Research has shown that organisations using Trusted Charity gain the following benefits:

  • Better quality of services for users – strengthening outcomes and impact for your organisation.
  • More effective and efficient organisational systems and procedures - freeing up time and energy to focus on what really matters to you and your organisation.
  • Better communication amongst staff, Board members and volunteers - providing team members with time to reflect on their achievements and how they feel further improvements can be made.
  • Increased motivation for staff, Board members and volunteers - involving everyone in the process of improving the way you work will bring fresh ideas, new ways of working and commitment to the changes you bring about.
  • Greater credibility and legitimacy with funders and partners - reassuring them that your organisation is using an established quality standard to plan and review continuous improvement.
  • More creative thinking, enabling new perspectives and ways of working – encouraging all team members (and service users) to work together to consider how improvements can be made and ensuring their ideas are heard.
  • Organisational learning – utilising an external framework to review your current practices and, where appropriate, to enhance team members’ and your organisation’s performance.
  • Continuous improvement – establishing processes to embed continuous improvement within your organisation.

Achieving the Trusted Charity Mark accreditation will give your organisation:

  • external verification that you have achieved Trusted Charity standards.
  • recognition and legitimacy with funders and partners- reassuring them that an independent assessor has confirmed that your organisation is well run, conforms to legal requirements, is accountable and transparent.
  • increased engagement from staff, Board members and volunteers to continue your improvement journey and retain the accreditation in future.
  • confirmation that your organisation has reached a recognised quality standard.
  • enhanced organisational learning through the assessment process.

Get in touch to see how we can support your organisation to implement the Trusted Charity Standard

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