Boards That Don’t Do Finance Have No Business Leading

You can’t steer the ship if you’re scared to look at the map.

Let’s not dance around it.

In charities, CICs, and social enterprises, there’s a dangerous idea that floats around boardrooms like a bad smell:
“I’m not a finance person.”

It usually comes from well-meaning trustees. The ones who turn up on time, care deeply, and work hard on “their” bit — fundraising, safeguarding, marketing.

They leave it to the treasurer. Or the accountant. Or the one who “knows what they’re doing.”

It sounds harmless. But it’s not.

This Isn’t Just a Gap — It’s a Governance Breach

When a board member avoids the numbers, they’re not being humble.
They’re failing to do their job.

You don’t need to be an accountant to be financially literate.
But if you’re sitting on a board that controls other people’s money — donors, funders, local councils, taxpayers — you need to understand how that money is used, stored, allocated, and reported.

That’s not a bonus skill. It’s a legal duty under the Charity Commission and Companies Act frameworks.

The Three Faces of Financial Avoidance

In my work with boards, I see this play out in predictable ways:

1. The Silent Signer
   The one who votes to approve accounts without asking a single question — because they don’t want to look daft.
2. The Deflector
   Loves strategy and impact, hates balance sheets. Switches topics as soon as income gets discussed.
3. The Over-Reassured
   Asks vague questions like “Are we doing OK?” and accepts “Yes” as a complete answer.

These people are lovely. They care. But they are a risk — because when something goes wrong, they will be the ones saying “I had no idea.”
And HMRC, Companies House, and the Charity Commission won’t care.

Boards Set Culture — Including Financial Culture

When financial reports are skipped, rushed, or dumped at the end of an agenda, it sends a message:

“This isn’t worth our time.”

Worse, when only one person (usually the treasurer) is expected to read and understand the numbers, it creates an invisible power imbalance.
The board becomes passive. The mission gets foggy.
No one can challenge bad decisions because no one feels confident enough to do so.

So What Does a Healthy Board Look Like?

Here’s what I look for:

• Finance is on the agenda early, not buried in Any Other Business.
• Reports are written in plain English, not accounting jargon.
• Every trustee understands the budget, the cash position, and the risks.
• Questions are encouraged, not shut down with “don’t worry, it’s fine.”

And perhaps most importantly — no one gets to opt out because they’re “not a numbers person.”

But Rob, What If They’re Just Intimidated?

Fair enough. Finance can be scary — especially for those who never got comfortable with spreadsheets.
That’s why we run finance training for boards. Not lectures. Not exams.
Real-world, plain English workshops that make people say:

“I actually get this now.”

It’s not about turning trustees into accountants.
It’s about turning well-meaning amateurs into effective stewards.

Final Word

Mission without money is fantasy.
And boards that pretend otherwise are not protecting the organisation — they’re undermining it.

If your board hasn’t had a proper financial discussion in months, don’t wait for a funder, regulator, or auditor to force the issue.
Lead. Ask. Challenge. Learn.

Because a strong mission demands strong governance — and that includes the numbers.