New Charity Website

kaz

Hi all,
i am actually in the process of gathering all the information that i need to setup a charity website that will operate internationally.i am working together with a friend of mine who is only on a working permt in this country. We are setting up this charity website in order to hep orphans and other organisations that help with deprived people. I have a few issues that i was wondering whether any one of you guys might help.

1)it is legal for a foreigner,on a working permit, to setup a charity here?(we have written to the home office and we are just waiting for their response)

2)Is it possible to open a charity bank account?

3)Do online payment companies like paypal charge to accept payment for donations?

if you have any tips that i'm sure you have , and that will help, please post them to me. I am to keen to set this website up, and every little advice and help is welcome.

thanks again
kaz

Savvy_Sue

Some tentative answers:

1)it is legal for a foreigner,on a working permit, to setup a charity here?(we have written to the home office and we are just waiting for their response)

I don't know the answer to this from the Home Office point of view, but it would be worth looking at the Charity Commission site and taking the longer view.

http://www.charity-commission.gov.uk/

Because I don't think an individual can 'set up' a charity: you need trustees. And in the longer term, you need good committed trustees, able to give some time and expertise to the charity, to keep the thing going.

Incidentally, it is worth looking into setting the charity up so that it is also a company limited by guarantee. That means that if it goes bust owing £000s, the trustees are not personally liable.

2)Is it possible to open a charity bank account?

Yes. But if you need specialist services like being able to accept donations on line, or sending money overseas cheaply and easily, check they are available from your bank of choice. You may need to get a business account in order to get everything you need. I'll try to put some links at the end of this post.

if you have any tips that i'm sure you have , and that will help, please post them to me. I am to keen to set this website up, and every little advice and help is welcome.

I don't know a lot about websites, but there have already been discussions about various useful topics, so I have had a look and posted a few below. But I may have missed some useful to you! So I suggest you have a good look at older posts on the CH & SB bit and see what you find. Don't limit yourself just to the CH posts: you may need some business tips too!

Business Banking

CH High Interest accounts for charities?

Bank accounts for a charity ???

CH Untitled but about setting up a charity

CH: Donations on-line

CH: Funderfinder - useful free software!

CH: useful info for Trustees or Administrators

CH: Free Gift Aid Toolkit, increase income!

CH Free Computers for Charities!!!

(And if I can't now remember how to make this kind of link, I NEVER will!)

kaz

Thank you very much for you advice, and link. My friend is waiting for his reply from the home office.
i will have a look at the charity commision website as soon as the get the chance..

i will also look at your link and i will keep things posted ,,....never know i might be helpful for somebody else one day..
kaz

soolin

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