CH: Starting a charity

Savvy_Sue · 6 February 2005 at 12:43AM

Since this board has now been around for a while, I’ve asked the Board Guide if we can have a few stickies, and Bridie has agreed! I was simply going to suggest which ones to ‘stick’, but then I found some of the really early (and I think terribly useful!) ones had disappeared altogether, so I’m starting some new threads with useful links in instead! In some cases I’m just highlighting an original MSE post, but if it contained several useful links, I’m sometimes repeating them for speed and convenience (and in the hope that if old posts are culled again, the links won’t be lost for ever…) And this is with thanks to Pablo Money who got charities a slot on the board originally!
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What are the steps to setup a new charity? - we were promptly directed to The Charity Commission, and since they are responsible for regulating all aspects of charities, from setting them up to winding them down, that is the best place to start. There is also a link to Ali’s Dream, which has a very readable page under the ‘Official’ link about how that charity was started.

ekekiman · 3 March 2005 at 2:43PM

Registering as a charity can take six months or longer. A small piece of advice to speed up the process:

Some poor sod at the Charity Commission has to read every word of your application before s/he decides whether or not your venture is kosher.

To make his/her life far easier and to accelerate the application, find a charity that does very similar work to yours and, if you can, get their charity application document (APP1) off them (nb this document is *not* in the public domain and doesn't have to be given to you).

Create a copy of this application, go through it, make changes as necessary to fit your charity, and highlight those changes. Then when you submit to the Charity Commission, point out in the covering letter that the document has been approved already apart from your added/changed highlighted information. Fast reading = happy civil servant = faster work, and hopefully = approval. Good luck!

Savvy_Sue · 4 March 2005 at 12:33AM

Good tip ekekiman! Of course, you can save yourself even more time if you decide you don't need your own charity but can achieve your aims through one that's already been set up! That's not always possible, but as time goes by some charities do find it in their best interests to merge.

And don't stop with the governing document. There is no point re-inventing the wheel every time you need a new policy: what groups do you know who will already have something similar? If not another charity, then the local CVS may have 'sample' polices. For Child Protection and Vulnerable Adults Protection, the local council is likely to have a pro forma. If you're applying for a grant and the funder says "We expect you to have X policy, send us a copy" they will often have a pro forma of what they expect the policy to contain. See the other 'stickies' for other helpful contacts!

eponymous · 2 January 2006 at 3:22PM

but why start another charity when there are almost 200 000 in the UK? wouldn't it be better to associate with an existing one that largely shares your objectives? overeads would be slashed, for starters.

lily_the_pink · 17 June 2006 at 3:12PM

There are various model objects on the charity commissions website - if you use these, then the registration time will be quicker. there are also some model governing documents available to be downloaded - the charity commission also suggest that existing charities might want to update their governing documents by using these templates.

The model objects are quite broad in what they cover and would apply to most groups.

http://www.charity-commission.gov.uk/registration/default.asp

Wings_of_Ambition · 10 July 2006 at 1:28PM

Is there a directory of these charities, as it would be useful to know which ones have the same aims as me?

Feel free to delete this post once an answer/link has been posted.

WoA

Savvy_Sue · 11 July 2006 at 1:35AM

Charity Commission website - don't know how easy it is to search for aims, I'm afraid as I've never had to do it ... Guidestar is another. If they're not helpful, even a google for your main aim plus charity might throw up something?

urban_spirit · 11 July 2006 at 12:53PM

Wings_of_Ambition wrote:

Is there a directory of these charities, as it would be useful to know which ones have the same aims as me?

Feel free to delete this post once an answer/link has been posted.

WoA

http://www.charity-commission.gov.uk/registeredcharities/default.asp

This page gives you all the links you need to search the register of charities, including tips on how to search and the link to search the register.

If you type in some keywords from your charities aims and objectives, you should be able to match it with existing charities. The charity info is very clearly set out, as is the website.

Hope this helps.

A_Nice_Englishman · 15 September 2006 at 11:57PM

See if there is an organisation in your area set up to help charities and voluntary organisations. I am a Trustee / Director of two charities and Gwent Association of Voluntary Organisations (GAVO) have helped us considerably over the years.

TopTipper_2 · 26 December 2008 at 11:25PM

I've found GuideStar to be very informative in the past. Also, be aware that the Charities Commission is encouraging Charities to set up as businesses so that there is limited liability. If the charity suddenly finds itself in debt, for example if a donor pulls out, you don't want to be personally responsible for that debt as a trustee.

Laura_Ellis · 9 January 2009 at 4:05PM

Wings_of_Ambition wrote: »

Is there a directory of these charities, as it would be useful to know which ones have the same aims as me?

Feel free to delete this post once an answer/link has been posted.

WoA

GuideStar UK, www.guidestar.org.uk, provides a comprehensive database of all main registered charities in England and Wales.

The base information is provided by the Charity Commission, with charities then given the opportunity to add and update information. Each entry includes detailed information about the charity's activities and finances.

You can search this database by keyword, and also by other filters such as area of benefit and income bracket, using the advanced search facility. The results are then 'clustered' so that you can easily find a relevant organisations without having to wade through a huge list.

The site could be really useful for you to find charities with the same aims as you.

CH: Starting a charity

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