Governance review and strategic alignment – Homeless Link

Homeless Link is the national membership body for organisations working to end homelessness in England. As the organisation entered a new phase of strategic development under a new Chair, Membership Matters was commissioned to conduct a strategic governance review to ensure the Board, committee structures, and leadership arrangements were equipped to support future organisational priorities and sector influence.

Governance challenge

Homeless Link had already implemented a number of operational improvements following an earlier governance review and was now looking to evolve from a largely compliance-led governance model towards a more strategically focused and collaborative approach.

The organisation recognised that stronger alignment was needed between governance structures, strategic priorities, and organisational delivery. There was a particular focus on improving Board cohesion, clarifying decision-making responsibilities, strengthening trustee capability, and ensuring governance arrangements enabled more effective strategic leadership.

At the same time, Homeless Link wanted to ensure its governance model reflected the needs of a modern membership organisation, with clearer accountability, improved collaboration between trustees and senior leadership, and governance processes that supported long-term organisational sustainability and member value.

Governance review and strategic alignment – what we did

Membership Matters designed and delivered a structured governance review programme combining governance analysis, stakeholder consultation, benchmarking, and facilitated strategy sessions.

The review began with a detailed assessment of governance documentation, committee structures, governance processes, and previous review recommendations to understand how existing arrangements operated in practice and where gaps or friction points remained.

We then conducted one-to-one interviews with trustees, senior leadership, and key stakeholders to explore themes including strategic focus, governance effectiveness, role clarity, organisational culture, teamwork, and the relationship between the Board and executive team.

To support future governance design, we carried out comparative benchmarking across membership bodies and federated organisations, reviewing governance models, committee structures, trustee recruitment approaches, succession planning, and decision-making frameworks.

Alongside this, we facilitated Board strategy workshops focused on collective effectiveness, governance behaviours, committee structures, and strategic priorities. These sessions helped test future governance options, improve shared understanding, and build alignment around future organisational direction.

Impact

This review helped Homeless Link to:

With these recommendations, Homeless Link was better positioned to strengthen strategic leadership, improve governance effectiveness, and ensure its structures and ways of working supported both future organisational ambitions and the evolving needs of its membership community.

 

“Membership Matters brought together robust research and practical consultancy, helping us better understand our members, challenge our assumptions and build a stronger evidence base for the future direction of our membership strategy.”

Rob Cartridge

Director of Membership

Transform your membership experience

Want to understand your members better and boost engagement? Our research can help you unlock deeper insights and deliver a more personalised experience. Get in touch to see how we can support your membership strategy. Contact us today on 0345 955 5155 or email us at 

Don’t miss out on exclusive membership insights

Love this article? Sign up for our newsletter below for exclusive access to expert tools, research, and guidance on membership. No spam, we promise.

Share blog post