A Short Guide to Church Trustees

“Charity trustees are the people who share ultimate responsibility for governing a charity and directing how it is managed and run.” (Charity Commission webinar on trustee duties, 2026)

A charity’s governing document should set out who the trustees are and how they are appointed. Across FIEC, churches have adopted different models for who trustees are:

• The trustees are entirely separate from the spiritual leaders (pastor, elders) of the church.
• The spiritual leaders of the church are part of a wider group of trustees, in which they may or may not be in the majority.
• The spiritual leaders are the trustees.

Ecclesiology, tradition, and practicalities will all impact decisions on who will serve as trustees. Because the role of the trustee is defined by what the trustees do, if someone has “control and management” they may be treated as a trustee even if they have not been formally appointed to that role.

Some churches may also have separate property trustees who are responsible for holding property or land for the church.

Trustees are responsible for ensuring that the charity operates for “the public benefit” in meeting its objectives. So, if the charity is set up to “advance the Christian faith in accordance with the basis of faith”, ultimately the trustees are responsible for ensuring that the church shares the gospel with those around them (not just to the church members).

It is important that the trustees understand what the charity’s objectives are and can explain how the activities of the church ensure it meets it’s objectives.

Your church’s governing document should set out what the church is established for, the responsibilities and powers of trustees and others in the church, and how certain activities and decisions must take place. 

The trustees must act in line with the requirements of the governing document and are responsible for following charity law and other relevant laws, including employment law, health and safety legislation, safeguarding, and data protection law.

The trustees are responsible for managing the resources of the charity responsibly, acting with reasonable care and skill, and being open and accountable.

The trustees are required to act collectively, doing so in the best interests of the charity and managing the risks that arise in activities of the charity.

Setting the strategy of the church

Trustees need to set the strategy of the church.

In simple terms, that means deciding how the church will be structured (staffing, building ownership/meeting location) and what it will do (its activities) to achieve what it has been established for.

Managing risk

Trustees need to manage the different risks which could impact the work of the church.

It is important to think widely about risk – not simply considering health and safety risks, such as accidents, but also reputational risks, financial risks, and things which risk the ability of the church to continue its ministry (such as a lack of volunteers or key individuals being unavailable).

Measures to identify and manage risk must be reviewed on a regular basis to ensure they are relevant and effective.

Financial management

Trustees need to manage the finances of the charity to ensure they are used for the purposes of the charity and that decisions regarding finances are made appropriately

Safeguarding

Trustees have overall responsibility for safeguarding within the charity, ensuring that no-one, particularly vulnerable beneficiaries, is harmed by the work of the charity.

Data protection

Trustees must manage the data that the charity holds about those it comes into contact with to ensure it is kept appropriately and securely.

Health and safety

Health and safety law requires that every organisation has a health and safety policy to ensure that those engaging with the organisation are kept safe and healthy.

Employment

Trustees should seek to honour and care well for those who are employed by the charity. The law requires contracts to be in place and pay and conditions to be appropriate.

Trustees may delegate day-to-day practical responsibility in many areas to others within the church (eg. staff members or to other volunteers), but they must always retain overall responsibility and accountability.

When delegating responsibilities, trustees must ensure that they are clear what is being delegated, the limits of the responsibility they are delegating, and how they will retain oversight and accountability.

For example, the trustees may feel that they do not have the appropriate knowledge or skills to maintain the church building to ensure the health and safety of those using it. They may choose to delegate to a member of the church who has the appropriate skills and experience, who may in turn call in professionals for some tasks, to take day-to-day responsibility for building maintenance. The trustees remain accountable for the health and safety of those working for or engaging with the church.