ASPIRE is a pioneering pilot leadership development programme with a Dream to co-create with 8 aspiring Trustees of Colour and 4 leading VCSE organisations to change the face of the city’s boardrooms for good.

With only 8% of Trustees being People of Colour, ASPIRE is a pilot leadership development program that will support 8 aspiring PoC to become Trustees of 4 leading VCSE organisations in Bristol. 

At our recent launch, we saw a great turnout and interest. BeOnBoard CEO Kalpna Woolf said: “Diversifying your Board is a very important step in helping to tackle the inequalities that many VCSE sector organisations are set up to address. In fact, you could say its mission is critical. That’s why we are delighted to partner with the National Lottery who also recognise the importance of ASPIRE, which we hope will become a template to helping organisations to address this long-standing boardroom imbalance.” 

With a package of support that’s valued at over £15000 for organisations and £10.000 for aspiring Trustees, thanks to funding from the National Lottery, participation in ASPIRE is totally free. So, whether you’re an aspiring Trustee of colour looking to break through the glass ceiling into the Boardroom, or if you’re an organisation looking to advance its commitment to ED&I, check the eligibility criteria below to see if you can apply to participate. 

ASPIRE runs from March to September 2022. To be part of this game-changing pilot programme apply by:

VCSEs: Midnight March 10th

• Are you based in Bristol or does your work impact the residents of Bristol?
• Does your organisation value ED&I and want to intentionally practice inclusive governance?
• Is your organisation prepared to host 2 aspiring Trustees of Colour from March to September 2022?

If yes then you are eligible to apply to be one of the four ASPIRE organisations. Participation is free and valued at £15,000. Benefits include:

• 1 x gap analysis to audit the inclusiveness of your recruitment and Board culture 
• 2 x workshops on how to build an inclusive Board
• 1 x mentoring session with Chair/ CEO or ED&I lead
• Toolkits to support learning
• Comms support and participation in launch activities and celebratory event
• Inclusion in evaluation report – shared widely 

If you missed us on launch day, click here to watch the full video.