Charity Operations Software | Governance and Compliance Management
Run your charity more efficiently with charity operations software designed for the unique challenges of the third sector. OpsPal helps charities manage volunteer coordination, demonstrate governance to trustees and the Charity Commission, track compliance obligations, manage multi-site operations, and prove accountability to funders and donors—all while maximising the impact of limited resources. You can get discounts as a charity from the Charity Intelligence website.
Manage volunteers and staff in one system
Charities depend on volunteers alongside paid staff, creating unique operational management challenges. Volunteer availability fluctuates, qualifications vary, training needs differ from employees, and governance requirements demand proper oversight.
OpsPal treats volunteers as first-class users. Track volunteer inductions, DBS checks, safeguarding training, role-specific qualifications and availability. Assign tasks to volunteers or staff based on competency and schedule. See who’s completed essential training and who needs renewals before they work with vulnerable people.
Digital induction streamlines volunteer onboarding
New volunteers receive role-specific training, policies and procedures through their user area. Track completion showing which induction elements are finished — safeguarding, health and safety, organisational values, activity-specific training. This systematic approach ensures consistent volunteer preparation regardless of which paid staff supervise them.
Volunteers access the information they need without constant staff supervision
Procedures, risk assessments, activity guides and reference materials are available on any device. This empowers volunteers to work safely and effectively whilst reducing the burden on stretched staff teams.
Multi-site charities gain visibility of volunteer deployment across locations. See which sites have sufficient volunteers, which need recruitment, and where experienced volunteers could support newer sites. Track volunteer contributions across your charity, evidencing the value volunteers deliver to support funding applications and trustee reports. See how we help Onside Youth Services here
Demonstrate governance to trustees and regulators
Charity trustees carry legal responsibilities for governance, compliance and risk management. The Charity Commission expects demonstrable governance systems, not informal arrangements relying on individual knowledge. OpsPal provides the structure and audit trails trustees need.
Charity Commission compliance
Track activities required by the Charity Commission and charity law — annual returns, risk assessments, safeguarding policies, financial controls, trustee meeting schedules, conflicts of interest registers. Automated reminders ensure compliance deadlines aren’t missed. Complete audit trails show systematic governance rather than reactive responses to regulatory requirements.
Safeguarding accountability
Safeguarding is paramount for charities working with children, young people or vulnerable adults. Track DBS checks, safeguarding training, supervision records and incident reporting. Link safeguarding requirements to the activities requiring them — only appropriately checked and trained volunteers work with vulnerable beneficiaries. This systematic approach evidences safeguarding governance to trustees, funders and inspectors.
Risk management for trustees
Trustees must understand and manage organisational risks. Maintain risk registers covering operational, financial, reputational, safeguarding and compliance risks. Track which controls are implemented and effective. Provide trustees with risk oversight through dashboards and reports, supporting informed governance decisions.
Policy management and acknowledgement
Ensure staff and volunteers read organisational policies — safeguarding, health and safety, data protection, equality and diversity, complaints handling, whistleblowing. Track who has acknowledged policies, creating evidence that your charity communicates governance standards throughout the organisation.
Audit trails for inspections
Whether facing Ofsted inspection, Charity Commission inquiry, funder audits or quality assessments, produce comprehensive evidence instantly. Show how activities are managed, risks controlled, incidents investigated and improvements implemented. Demonstrate systematic governance rather than spending weeks compiling evidence from scattered sources.
Prove accountability to funders and donors
Funders and donors expect transparency about how their money is used. Grant applications require evidence of governance, safeguarding and operational competence. Impact reports demand data showing activities delivered and outcomes achieved. OpsPal helps charities demonstrate accountability efficiently.
Track funded activities and outcomes
Link tasks, activities and service delivery to the funding streams supporting them. Track how many sessions were delivered, people reached, or services provided under each grant or contract. Generate reports showing activity completion against funded commitments, evidencing that restricted funds were used for intended purposes.
Demonstrate operational competence
Grant applications often require evidence of governance, safeguarding systems, health and safety management, volunteer training and quality assurance. OpsPal provides this evidence — showing systematic operations management, not informal arrangements that concern funders about risk.
Evidence social value and impact
Track activities contributing to social value commitments or community benefit requirements. Record volunteer hours, beneficiary numbers, geographic reach and service outputs. This data supports impact reporting, funding applications and demonstrates charity effectiveness to donors and stakeholders.
Cost transparency and efficiency
With limited resources, charities must demonstrate efficiency. Track how long activities take, which locations deliver most effectively, and where operational improvements could redirect resources to frontline impact. Show funders that their money supports mission delivery, not excessive administration.
Multi-location accountability
For charities running multiple sites, projects or service locations, prove consistent quality and governance across all activities. Location tracking shows each site meets the same standards. Compare performance across locations to identify best practice and support underperforming sites.
Frequently asked questions for charities
Q: What operational challenges do charities face?
A: Charities face unique challenges, including managing a mixed workforce of staff and volunteers, demonstrating governance to trustees and the Charity Commission, ensuring safeguarding compliance for vulnerable beneficiaries, proving accountability to funders and donors, managing multi-site operations with limited resources, and maximising impact whilst controlling administrative costs.
Q: What is Charity Commission compliance?
A: Charity Commission compliance includes registering as a charity, submitting annual returns and accounts, following charity law and governance requirements, managing charity funds properly, maintaining trustee records, ensuring safeguarding policies, handling complaints appropriately, and demonstrating public benefit. The Charity Commission regulates charities in England and Wales.
Q: What safeguarding requirements do charities have?
A: Charities working with children or vulnerable adults must implement safeguarding policies and procedures, conduct DBS checks on staff and volunteers, provide safeguarding training, designate safeguarding leads, maintain incident records, follow reporting procedures for concerns, ensure appropriate supervision, and demonstrate safeguarding governance to trustees and funders.
Q: How do charities manage volunteers effectively?
A: Effective volunteer management includes structured recruitment and induction, DBS and reference checks where needed, role-specific training, clear responsibilities and expectations, regular supervision and support, recognition and appreciation, tracking contributions, ensuring appropriate insurance, and managing volunteer records for governance and safeguarding.
Q: What accountability do charities owe to funders?
A: Charities must demonstrate to funders how grant funding was spent according to restrictions, activities and outcomes delivered against commitments, operational competence and governance, safeguarding and compliance systems, impact achieved with funding, efficient use of resources, and transparent reporting on challenges or changes to planned delivery.
