We cannot give you that answer on this website as there are many variables at play. We can, however, suggest a couple of steps.
- Work out exactly what you want to do over the next 10 years. Use this information to set out your aims or objects. All your charitable work has to fit within the objects. Let’s say you set up an after-school club for children. Running the club is what you do / your activity. Your object could be ‘advancing the education of children up to 16 in Croydon’ as you might want to set up a primary school in 2020. The broader they are, the more flexibility you have in the future.
- Work out the rules by which you want all your members to abide - how you elect committee members, accept new members, how many meetings you have etc. Most legal documents have general rules listed that you amend. These include:
Powers - what you can do legally to carry out activities e.g. hire buildings
Membership - who can join your group, how members are disqualified
Committees- how and when it is elected, which jobs need filling (chair, secretary and trustee normally).
Annual General Meeting - how often you hold this so you can elect the committee members and review the annual finances
Finance - how your group prepares annual accounts and reports
Changing things- how you can alter these rules if they don’t work for you
Dissolution - how you close down your organisation
This work forms the start of your governing document, used by everyone to know:
- what your organisation aims to do
- how your organisation will be run
- who is responsible for running your organisation
- how to hold you accountable for funding received
A small group often starts with a constitution which enables a group of people to come together democratically, with a specific aim. Members decide who will be on the management committee, who is responsible for overseeing the activities. Once the constitution is agreed it becomes a legal document. The committee members, not the group’s members are personally responsible for making sure the rules are followed.