The Association of Charitable Foundations has published a new report highlighting recommendations for chairs of foundation boards. The report, 10 Pillars of Stronger Practice for Chairs of Foundation, builds on the six thematic reports that emerged from ACF’s Stronger Foundations initiative. This new report also marks ACF’s annual event for foundation chairs of trustees.

The pillars set a high bar for ambitious practice, but can be pursued by all foundations, whatever their remit, size or area of focus. Recommendations to chairs include making the foundation accountable to those it serves, designing funding processes in accordance with its values, seeking to understand the foundation’s impact on others and avoiding harm, and having a diverse trustee board and staff team.

‘The challenges we all face are immediate and existential,’ notes the report. ‘The climate crisis and Covid-19 are having an unprecedented short and long-term impact on society – locally, nationally and globally; on institutions, communities and individuals. Civil society is looking to foundations to help ameliorate the damage and enable the recovery, as well as address the challenges that Covid-19 has laid bare. Now is a time for foundations to be more ambitious and more effective than ever before in how they use their individual and collective resources for public good.’

To read or download ACF’s new report, click here.