UK Non-Profit Documents

You will use this category when you are setting up a new organisation and need the right structure from day one. Choosing between a charitable incorporated organisation (CIO), a charitable company limited by guarantee, or an unincorporated association is not a branding exercise. It affects liability, filing obligations, who can sign contracts, and what happens when trustees change.

They are also useful when you are already operating, but governance has drifted. It happens quietly: a trustee resigns and no minute records it, the AGM is held but nobody files or stores the minutes, a bank mandate changes on an email chain that later disappears. Then a funder asks for evidence, or the bank freezes the account, and suddenly you are scrambling.

Use these documents when trustees need to make a decision that should be recorded formally. Think: approving the annual report, adopting a safeguarding policy, entering a lease, appointing a new chair, opening a bank account, setting delegated authority limits, or agreeing a serious contract with a supplier. If the decision would look awkward on the front page of a newspaper, minute it.

Finally, these templates help when you are dealing with the Charity Commission, Companies House, or a grant-maker who wants to see your governing document and proof of proper oversight. Good governance is often the difference between getting the grant and getting rejected.

• Constitution and governing document templates for charities and non-profits, including clauses on objects, trustee powers, membership (if any), meetings, and dissolution.
• CIO and charity governance documents, designed around the way CIOs operate in practice, including trustee decision-making and record-keeping.
• Trustee resolutions and written decisions, for recording decisions between meetings or where a quick, formal approval is needed.
• AGM and general meeting minutes, including standard agendas, voting wording, and recording of accounts approval and trustee appointments.
• Trustee appointment, resignation and role documents, covering consent to act, declarations, and handover basics.
• Conflict of interest and connected persons paperwork, to record declarations, manage abstentions, and keep the audit trail clean.
• Policies and governance add-ons, such as delegated authority schedules and meeting procedures that make day-to-day management less messy.

For charities in England and Wales, the Charities Act 2011 is the backbone. It sits alongside Charity Commission guidance (for example on trustee duties, conflicts of interest, and serious incident reporting). If you run a charitable company, you also have the Companies Act 2006 in the background, plus your articles of association and the filing rhythm that comes with them. The law is one thing, but the regulator will judge you on behaviour: decision-making, oversight, and whether you can evidence it.

Trustees have core duties that do not go away because you are busy or underfunded. Act in the charity's best interests. Manage resources responsibly. Act with reasonable care and skill. Make sure the charity carries out its purposes for the public benefit. The practical consequence is boring but real: keep proper records, manage conflicts, and do not treat trustee meetings as informal chats. When a decision is challenged, your minutes are often your only defence.

Common pitfalls are predictable. Using a constitution that does not match your actual structure is one. Another is failing to follow your own rules on quorum, notice periods, and voting, which can make decisions vulnerable. Conflicts of interest cause repeated headaches, especially where trustees are also service providers, landlords, or related to staff. The issue is rarely the connection itself; it is the lack of a recorded process showing the conflict was declared, managed, and that the decision was taken properly.

• Drafted for UK practice and aligned with the Charities Act 2011, with wording that fits how trustees and small teams actually work.
• Regularly updated to reflect Charity Commission expectations and common governance issues seen in audits and grant due diligence.
• Lawyer-reviewed structure and clauses, with plain-English prompts so you know what to complete and what to leave alone.
• Available in Word and PDF, so you can edit, circulate for approval, then lock a signed version for your records.
• Designed to create an evidence trail: consistent headings, decision wording, and minute formats that stand up to scrutiny.

Do we need a constitution if we are "just a community group"?

If you take money, hold assets, or make decisions as a committee, you need a governing document. It does not have to be long, but it must say what the group exists to do, who can make decisions, how meetings work, and what happens to funds if the group closes. Without it, banks, local authorities and funders often treat you as a risk.

What is the difference between a CIO and a charitable company limited by guarantee?

A CIO is a charity with its own legal personality, registered with the Charity Commission, without dual regulation by Companies House. A charitable company is a company under the Companies Act 2006 that is also a charity, so it has company filings as well as charity reporting. The right choice depends on your activities, appetite for admin, and whether you need a company-style framework for contracts, staff, and property.

How detailed should trustee minutes be?

Detailed enough to show good decision-making, not so detailed that they read like a transcript. Record the decision, the key reasons, any alternatives considered, the vote (if relevant), and any declared conflicts with how they were handled. If a trustee leaves the room, note it. If you rely on professional advice, record that you did.

Can trustees make decisions by email instead of meeting?

Sometimes, yes, but check your governing document first. Many organisations allow written resolutions or decisions outside meetings, provided the required number of trustees agree and the decision is recorded properly. The safest approach is a written trustee resolution that is circulated, approved, and then filed with your minutes so the audit trail is clear.