Constitution for a Charitable Association

The governing document for a small charity or community group run as an unincorporated association: members join, elect a committee of trustees at an annual general meeting and the trustees run the charity for its charitable purposes. It covers purposes, powers, trustee benefits, conflicts, membership, meetings, money, amendments and dissolution.

• Setting up a new membership-based charity or community group that will not employ staff, lease premises or sign large contracts
• Replacing an old, informal set of rules with a complete constitution
• Applying to register with the Charity Commission once income is over the registration threshold

• Agree the name, purposes and area of benefit (clauses 1 and 2) first – these are hard to change later
• Choose the trustee numbers, terms and quorum in clauses 9, 10 and 13
• Adopt it at a founding meeting and have the chair and two others sign the adoption section
• Keep the signed original safe and send a copy with any registration application