Types of charity structure

There are four main types of charity structure:

• charitable incorporated organisation (CIO)
• charitable company (limited by guarantee)
• unincorporated association
• trust

Your charity structure is defined by its ‘governing document’ (the legal document that creates the charity and says how it should be run).

The type of structure you choose affects how your charity will 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

About corporate structures

Some charity structures are corporate bodies. If you choose a structure that forms a corporate body, the law considers your charity to be a person in the same way as an individual.

About charities with a wider membership

Some charity structures have a wider membership. If you set up a charity with a wider membership, it can have members who vote on important decisions (usually at AGMs).

Charities without a corporate structure: which type to choose

With wider membership

Set up an unincorporated association if you want your charity to have a wider membership but it doesn’t need a corporate structure (for example, if it will be relatively small in terms of assets). Choose a constitution as your governing document.

Without wider membership

Set up a trust if your charity doesn’t need a corporate structure or a wider membership.

Choose a trust deed as your governing document. It must specify a sum of money, land or some other assets that your charity will start with (it doesn’t matter how much). Otherwise you won’t be able to register it with the commission.

More detailed information about charity structures can be found here