Description

This service is suitable for those who want to set up a charity, but are not yet ready to register with the Charity Commission for England and Wales

Charity law says that, to be a charity, an organisation must have purposes which are exclusively charitable for public benefit. To become a charity, you will need to put in place a governing document (the set of rules that say what your charity does and how) with objects that are exclusively charitable

The type of governing document that you use to set up your charity will depend on what structure you choose. There are four main options for the structure of a charity – a charitable association, a charitable trust, a charitable company limited by guarantee or a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO)*

Our approach is to offer you a free initial telephone consultation about your proposal to help you to decide if setting up a charity is the right option for you

If you then decide to use our Start a Charity service, we will ask you for further details about what you plan to do and how so that we can guide you on what you need to do to become a charity

We will use our extensive knowledge of the legal and regulatory framework that applies to charities to guide you through the process for setting up a charity. We will explain the options for the structure of your new charity and help you to choose the structure that most suits what your charity will do and how

Depending on which structure you choose, we will prepare a governing document with objects that are exclusively charitable and administrative provisions that are suitable for your charity’s needs

Included in the price of this service:

Assessment of your proposal and guidance about what you need to do to set up your new charity so that it meets the strict legal rules to be a charity;

Draft a governing document with objects that are exclusively charitable

Business Plan template and guide to writing a charity business plan

Policies for Child and/or Adult Safeguarding, Conflicts of Interest and Grant Making

*Please note that to become a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO), you will need to register with either the Charity Commission for England and Wales or the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR). Take a look at our Start and Register a Charity package which includes applying on your behalf to register as a charity with the Charity Commission for England and Wales or OSCR