Developing Governance Group

The Developing Governance Group (DGG) has produced the Code of Good Governance for Northern Ireland, the Governance Health Check and redeveloped the diycommitteeguide website with resources mapped to the Code. 

Current members of the Developing Governance Group

NICVA, Volunteer Now, Arts & Business NI, Rural Community Network, Early Years, Supporting Communities NI, NI Sports Forum, Sport NI, Age NI, Community Arts Partnership and Youth Work Alliance.  

NICVA’s governance and charity advice manager provides secretariat to the group jointly with Volunteer Now. As part of our secretariat role, we organise meetings, take minutes, organise seminars and promote the Code and its accompanying resources.

What is the Code of Good Governance

The Code of Good Governance sets out the principles and key elements of good governance for the boards of voluntary and community organisations.  It was first launched in 2008 by the Developing Governance Group (DGG), following consultation with the voluntary and community sector, and has been widely accepted as the set of standards for governance in the sector.  A revised edition was launched in January 2016 and the third edition and current edition was launched in November 2021.  

The Developing Governance Group also devised the governance health check and remapped the practical resources on the diycommitteeguide website in line with the principles of the Code.   Both resources have been devised to provide practical information and a self-assessment framework for voluntary boards to assess their own governance practices.