Trustee Skills Audit Template for Charities
Written by
Published
A practical template for reviewing trustee skills, spotting gaps, and building a stronger board without overcomplicating the process.
A board is only as strong as the mix of skills around the table. That is why a skills audit is useful even for a small charity.
The point is not to create a perfect board. It is to understand what the charity needs now and which gaps could affect decisions, risk, or growth.
Start with the skills the charity actually needs
A board should be able to answer a simple question: what do we need to govern this charity well?
- Finance and accounting experience.
- Fundraising or income generation knowledge.
- People management or HR understanding.
- Legal, HR or safeguarding expertise.
- Lived experience or community knowledge.
Use a simple scoring model
You do not need a complex survey. A short table with three levels is enough.
- Strong knowledge and current experience.
- Some familiarity but not a specialist.
- Limited knowledge and a need for support.
What to review
- Current trustee roles and time capacity.
- How often the board meets and what decisions it makes.
- Whether the charity has enough knowledge in finance, risk, fundraising and safeguarding.
Turn the audit into action
A skills audit becomes useful when it changes recruitment, induction and board planning. If the board has a gap, the next question is straightforward: who can help close it?
This guide is part of our Charity Governance hub, where you can explore every practical guide in this area.
Frequently asked questions
What is a trustee skills audit?
It is a simple review of the skills, experience and perspectives on a charity board so trustees can see where the board is strong and where it needs support.
How often should a board do one?
Most charities should review board skills at least once a year, or sooner if the charity is growing, changing strategy, or losing trustees.
Who should complete the audit?
The chair, the chief executive or senior staff lead, and the trustees themselves can all contribute, but the chair should own the process.
Sources
External references used in this article. Links open on the original publisher’s site.
- Charity Commission: The Essential TrusteeCharity Commission · Accessed 27 Jul 2026
- Charity Governance CodeCharity Governance Code Steering Group · Accessed 27 Jul 2026
You might also like:
What a trustees annual report must include, how to meet the requirements, and how to write one that supporters and funders actually read rather than file away.
A practical trustee skills audit for small UK charity boards: eight categories, a confidence and capacity scoring scale, and a 30 minute meeting format.
The slim trustee onboarding pack and the structured first 90 days that get new charity trustees contributing from their very first board meeting onwards.