Here is a great quote from Sam Younger, chief executive of the Charity Commission, that Canadian charities should think about.

“I hope that, over the course of the next few years, we’ll see charities viewing good governance not as a hurdle to clear, but as an opportunity to show the public they’re accountable, they’re trustworthy, they’re a wise investment. This is clearly what the public expects. Our consultation revealed that, while people have great trust in charities, they demand a lot in return: good governance, sound management and absolute probity. The Commission has taken that message on board, and my advice to charities would be: do the same. Think of your relationship with the public as a contract in good faith, not as a relationship of unconditional love”.

http://www.charitycommission.gov.uk/RSS/News/pr_sam_speech_280611.aspx