Better Boards initiative launched to transform sector governance
Howard Lake | 13 January 2026 | News
Henry Smith Foundation has launched Better Boards to tackle the systemic lack of diversity and professional development within UK charity governance.
Recognising that many boards struggle to reflect the communities they serve, the initiative provides multi-year core funding to four strategic partners: Reach Volunteering, Board Racial Diversity UK, the Young Trustees Movement, and the Association of Chairs.
These organisations were selected for their collective impact on the trustee lifecycle, from opening recruitment to underrepresented groups to strengthening chair leadership. Despite their national influence, these groups often face funding fragility as their work is cross-sector rather than issue-specific.
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By investing in these “backbone” organisations, Henry Smith Foundation‘s Better Boards aims to move the sector away from homogenous decision-making. For senior leaders, this represents a vital shift toward inclusive, high-functioning governance as a prerequisite for meaningful social impact.
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About Howard Lake
Howard Lake is consultant editor of UK Fundraising. He founded the site in 1994 and successfully sold it in 2022. As director of Giving X Ltd he is exploring growing giving on a massive scale.
He is the founder of Fundraising Camp and co-founder of GoodJobs.