Trustee roles and duties
Board roles
There are 3 different types of trustees – responsible trustees, custodian trustees, and advisory trustees. Each have their own responsibilities and duties within the trust.
On any board of trustees, there are roles that help to ensure that the board runs smoothly, legal obligations are met and all the admin tasks are done.
These roles are usually held by trustees, though you can bring in external people or whānau to carry out these roles.
Different boards can have different roles, but they all generally include:
- a chairperson — responsible for chairing meetings and keeping them on track, setting the agenda
- a treasurer — responsible for presenting financial reports to trustees, liaising with any professional advisors, ensuring financial obligations are met
- a secretary — responsible for taking and sending out minutes of meetings, sending out the agenda ahead of meetings.
Other trustees might be given specific responsibilities, for example a fundraising officer could be responsible for applying for funding or grants.
Trustees are usually elected to these roles at the first meeting of trustees, and new elections can be held at AGMs or special meetings when required.