Running an organisation

Setting up an organisation

Start-Up Toolkit
We have written a Start Up Toolkit for people interested in setting up a voluntary organisation - it's available to download on the right, along with template constitutions for small and large charities.

Advice from the Charity Commission
The Charity Commission website includes a section called Start Up a Charity. This includes advice on whether you need to register as a charity. Only about 1 in 3 voluntary organisations do this - many don't need to register because they are too small.

Different Legal Statuses
You need to decide what formal status your group will have. Unincorporated association? Limited company? Registered charity? The guide to Governance and Organisational Structures - available to download in the right-hand column - provides advice.

Setting up a Social Enterprise?
The term "social enterprise" refers to a business which works for a good cause, such as the community or the environment. "Social enterprise" isn't a legal status like a charity or limited company - it's more of an ethos or a way of working. You can register for the Social Enterprise mark to show that you are a genuine social enterprise.