In a personal statement, Claire said she was stepping down ‘with a heavy heart’ after 3 years in which she has been a Trustee, Vice-Chair, and Chair.
Claire has served on the Board since 2018, becoming Chair in 2020. She will remain Chair until the Chartered Institute’s AGM on 5 July.
In her announcement, Claire said that it was ‘the right thing to do both for the organisation and for me personally’ and that ‘fresh leadership at both executive team and board of Trustees will ‘enable the organisation to finally move forward.’
Dhivya O’Connor, Interim Chief Executive of the Chartered Institute said:
“On behalf of the Chartered Institute, I would like to thank Claire for her leadership and contribution to the fundraising community in this role. In the brief time that I have got to know her, I have been inspired by her vision, passion and dedication.”
Current Trustee Ian Wilson will also step down from the Board at the AGM for personal reasons.
The Board have also confirmed that and as part of their commitment to continually refresh the Board, current Trustee Liz Tait has volunteered to step down at the end of the year.
Full message from Claire Rowney to members of the Chartered Institute of Fundraising:
“After 3 years as a Trustee, Vice-Chair and most recently Chair, I hope in small part I have made a positive contribution to the Chartered Institute as a proud fundraiser. I became a trustee to help a sector I love and to celebrate and promote the dynamic and powerful collective we are.
“However, it has been a very difficult year as Chair, spending much of the time addressing failings of the past and present and not being able to move the sector or the organisation forward in the way I had hoped. So it’s with a heavy heart that I have decided to step down and make way for a new Chair, which I believe is the right thing to do both for the organisation and for me personally. Currently, the role of Chair at the Chartered Institute needs someone who can dedicate more time to drive the change that is so badly needed and it is with regret that I have come to realise that individual is not me. Fresh leadership both on the executive team and board of Trustees will enable the organisation to finally move forward and I hope that by stepping away this new leadership will come forward and make the Chartered Institute a professional body the fundraising community can be proud of.
“I would like to wholeheartedly apologise for the hurt and disappointment that victims of harassment and abuse have had to endure and for any mistakes that happened during my time at the Chartered Institute. I am, and always will be, a passionate advocate for women in fundraising and I want every single woman affected by this to know that I believe them and am here to support them.”