A governing document acts as a rule book. It sets out your organisation’s purposes (‘objects’), the activities (‘powers’) it will engage in, who (‘trustees’) can be a member and other rules about payments, who can make changes to these rules, how decisions are made and disputes are resolved. It can include changes that can be made as a result of an emergency, such as delays to submitting accounts or holding and AGM.
You can find templates online from the Charity Commission and OSCR has an extensive range of tools to help write a governing document.
You will need the correct document depending on the type of organisation or group. If your organisation or charity is associated with a national group, it may have templates you can use. The legal forms information leaflet from OSCR (link below) is great starting point.
You can find templates online from the Charity Commission and OSCR has an extensive range of tools to help write a governing document.
You will need the correct document depending on the type of organisation or group. If your organisation or charity is associated with a national group, it may have templates you can use. The legal forms information leaflet from OSCR (link below) is great starting point.
Key points
- Templates are available from the Charity Commission
- Further advice can be found OSCR
Links for more information
Good Governance
This link leads to a new and very useful 'Good Governance' section to help you get things right including case studies when you click on the various sections.
https://www.oscr.org.uk/managing-a-charity/trustee-duties/good-governance/
How to write your charity's governing document
How to set out your charity's purposes and rules in its governing document, how to start using it and how to change it.
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/how-to-write-your-charitys-governing-document#how-to-write-your-charitys-purposes-objects
Governing Documents and Meetings
A comprehensive list of helps and examples of governing documents.
https://www.oscr.org.uk/guidance-and-forms/guidance-and-good-practice-for-charity-trustees/governing-documents-and-meetings
Glossary of Terms
An excellent pool of terms and links to the underpinning legislation
https://www.oscr.org.uk/guidance-and-forms/glossary-of-terms#GoverningDocument
Charities and Coronavirus: An update from the regulator
For the latest information on contacting the Scottish Charity Regulator and a FAQ responses related to holding digital meetings.
https://www.oscr.org.uk/news/charities-and-coronavirus-an-update-from-the-regulator/
Legal Form Fact Sheet OSCR
The link leads to a table which sets out some of the key characteristics of the most common types of legal form used by Scottish charities. This comparison may help you consider which legal form is suitable for the proposed charity.
https://www.oscr.org.uk/media/2506/legal-forms-factsheet.pdf
Good Governance
This link leads to a new and very useful 'Good Governance' section to help you get things right including case studies when you click on the various sections.
https://www.oscr.org.uk/managing-a-charity/trustee-duties/good-governance/
How to write your charity's governing document
How to set out your charity's purposes and rules in its governing document, how to start using it and how to change it.
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/how-to-write-your-charitys-governing-document#how-to-write-your-charitys-purposes-objects
Governing Documents and Meetings
A comprehensive list of helps and examples of governing documents.
https://www.oscr.org.uk/guidance-and-forms/guidance-and-good-practice-for-charity-trustees/governing-documents-and-meetings
Glossary of Terms
An excellent pool of terms and links to the underpinning legislation
https://www.oscr.org.uk/guidance-and-forms/glossary-of-terms#GoverningDocument
Charities and Coronavirus: An update from the regulator
For the latest information on contacting the Scottish Charity Regulator and a FAQ responses related to holding digital meetings.
https://www.oscr.org.uk/news/charities-and-coronavirus-an-update-from-the-regulator/
Legal Form Fact Sheet OSCR
The link leads to a table which sets out some of the key characteristics of the most common types of legal form used by Scottish charities. This comparison may help you consider which legal form is suitable for the proposed charity.
https://www.oscr.org.uk/media/2506/legal-forms-factsheet.pdf
