Charities which meet and exceed best practise criteria will now be able to apply for Charity Commission endorsement funds, the regulator has announced.

Plans have been set out in which the regulator will work with umbrella and membership charities to promote quality practice.

The first charities to join and become commission-endorsed are Age Concern and YMCA England. In order to meet the commission’s “hallmarks of an effective charity,” standard, charities must prove to be effective in managing conflicts of interest, managing staff and volunteers and also dealing with risk.

Dame Suzi Leather, chair of the Charity Commission said: “Charities that champion best practice in their quality standards should be applauded.

“By endorsing these policies we hope to encourage more charities to adopt the principles in our guidance hallmarks of an effective charity for the benefit of their beneficiaries, to improve effectiveness and to enhance their reputation,” she added.

A recent survey carried out by the commission found there to be strong support for the scheme as it will allow knowledge to be shared and spread the best practice.

The project has been helped after the Charities Evaluation Service was awarded a major grant by the Big Lottery Fund.

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