Setting up a new charity and getting it registered with the Charity Commission can be a daunting process. You need to navigate the questions and online forms, as well as drafting a constitution which the Charity Commission will accept. How can you move forward in your mission as a charity without getting held back in this process?
We can help.
We have worked with hundreds of new Christian charities and churches to establish Charitable Incorporated Organisations (“CIOs”), getting them registered and set up ready to start work. We help Christian charities and churches protect the long term impact of their ministry for the gospel by ensuring their governing documents include the necessary provisions.
As a Christian charity ourselves, as well as a fully regulated law firm, we want to help other Christian ministries to move forward with robust governance structures which aid ministry and protect the gospel reputation of their work.
Let us partner with your church plant or organisation to put your charity on a sound legal footing.
How does it work?
Our CIO package is for new charities and for church plants. We will provide a CIO constitution, which works with the Charity Commission’s requirements for CIOs. We will also draft the application to the Charity Commission to register the CIO and will submit it on your behalf.
If you are doing a church plant, setting up a straightforward governance structure will serve you well as you start but may need to be reviewed in the longer term, as the church grows.
What will you need to do?
We will ask you first to complete a short form which gives us the information we need. Once we have opened a file, we will then produce a constitution and application to suit your charity’s needs. You will review the documents and be updated throughout the process.
How can you start?
To begin the process, please contact us at [email protected] or on 01858 411568. We will send you a short form to fill out about your new ministry. Once we have that completed, we’ll then be in touch to request the ID we need to complete our ‘know your client’ checks and to arrange a call to discuss the work.
How much will this cost?
£1,400 (inclusive of VAT): for a straightforward set up where you know what you want and the trustees take all the decisions, the purposes of the charity are the advancement of the Christian faith and none of the trustees (or their family members) will be employed by the ministry.
Tailored fee estimate: if you need help with deciding on the best structure for your charity or there are other questions you want to discuss, this will cost more and we will provide a tailored fee estimate for you. We have lots of experience of more complicated arrangements for charities and churches and of advising on concerns you may have as you establish your charity. Examples of where we would need to give you a separate fee estimate are:
- Your objects need to be broader than advancement of the Christian faith.
- You are a church plant and you want to think through the issues on trustees and spiritual leadership.
- The trustees aren’t the members of the charity.
- Any of the trustees or family members of the trustees will be paid by the charity.
- You want us to draft rules to go alongside your constitution.
We can also help with other issues which might arise on setting up a charity, for example, grant making policies and funding agreements, acquiring property, employing staff etc.