Setting up a Charity

Structure

Choosing the right structure for your charity is a very important decision as this will determine how your charity will be able to operate, such as:

• Who will run it and whether it will have a wider membership
• Whether it can enter into contracts or employ staff in its own name
• Whether the trustees will be personally liable for what the charity does

Out Private Client and Corporate Teams have a wealth of experience and can advise whether the best charitable structure for you would be; a trust, a company or the more specialised Charitable Incorporated Organisation.

Objectives

It is important to carefully consider the objectives of your charity as these are a statement of your purpose and they must be exclusively charitable.

In order to successfully register with the Charity Commission we can ensure that your charity’s governing document is drafted to accurately reflect your charity’s objectives and meet the legal requirements for charitable status.

With extensive experience our team is well versed in the Charity Commission’s requirements and processes. We’ll advise you on how best to time your application, which depends on the type of charity being established, and how you can change the structure of your charity.

If you are interested in setting up a charity or need any advice on your existing charity, please contact Parker Bullen LLP on either 01264 400500 (Andover) or 01722 412000 (Salisbury) and ask to speak to a member of the Private Client team.