Only one in 16 trustees of foundation boards are from ethnic minority backgrounds, the Association of Charitable Foundations (ACF) is warning.

ACF chief executive Carol Mack said that the 6% proportion of trustees at foundations is “still lagging behind the corporate sector”, where 19% of board members are from communities experiencing racial inequality.

Corporate board membership is more aligned to the general population, where 18% are from such backgrounds, the ACF points out.

“The need for further progress is clear,” said Mack, who adds that “there is a strong business case” to improve board level diversity.

“A board of trustees that reflects the communities a foundation serves brings tangible benefits,” she said.

“It opens up access to a wider pool of talent, enhances knowledge of the foundation’s mission, increases credibility, and strengthens decision-making.

“Including diverse perspectives and experiences – encompassing demographic characteristics such as ethnicity, LGBTQ+ identity and age, as well as diversity of thought, skills and life experiences – is critical for foundations to reach their full potential.

“A more representative board also deepens public trust – in individual foundations and collectively as a sector.

“Foundations that are more diverse, more inclusive and working towards more equitable opportunities and outcomes will be confident about their role in society and well-placed to welcome scrutiny.”

Despite foundation boards failing to match their counterparts in the private sector, Mack points out there has been “significant improvement” since 2018, when 99% of foundation trustees were white.

“Since then, there has been a sea change in the recognition that diversity is an important factor in the effectiveness of boards,” she adds.

There has also been a slight improvement in improving representation of women on foundation boards.

While six years ago 32% of foundation trustees were women, the proportion is now 39%.

But representation of younger trustees looks to be worsening, while in 2018 58% of trustees were over the age of 64 data from 2025 shows that 60% are over 65.

Mack says that while progress in reducing the average age of boards has “shifted little”, she points out that “the overall population is also ageing”.

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