We all want to make the world a better place in any way that we can, and there are many ways we can go about doing this. Some people decide to offer their help and services to charities that work with a cause that is close to their heart. Most charities need volunteers and donations so that they can keep up with the good work that they do, as they can’t always afford to hire full-time staff, and they might not receive any corporate funding or cash from the government. So, there is no wonder why lots of people do everything that they can to help their local charities. But how about going one step further and setting up your own charity? Don’t worry; it may sound tricky but, in actual fact, it can be a lot easier to put into practice. If you follow these next few steps, you should find that creating your own charity is as easy as can be.
Find Some Trustees
First of all, you will need to set up a board of trustees. If you struggle to find any, you might want to go to a non-profit expert like David Johnson of Cane Bay for advice. Generally speaking, most charities need at least three trustees but most tend to have more than this. These individuals will oversee all of the organization’s big decisions and duties.
Create A Brand
Next, it’s worth spending time creating a great brand for your charity. In some sense, you need to run your charity like a company. This way, you will find that it is easier to make more money that you can put towards your cause. One of the best ways to market the charity is with an exciting brand. So, it’s really worth hiring a graphic designer who can help you make your charity look as good as it can.
Register As A Charity
Before you start trying to raise funds and working with social causes, you will need to register as a charity. There are different types of charities that you could register, but the majority are registered as charitable companies. It will cost you a small fee to do this, but once you are registered, you will be exempt from all tax and other fees that often apply to corporate companies.
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Yvonne was diagnosed with breast cancer five years ago and has since had three lumpectomies, followed by radiotherapy and chemotherapy - but she hasn’t let this hold her back! As well as running the New York Marathon, Yvonne has also cycled in India to raise money for us. Yvonne is now taking on #Cycle300 this September. ‘’I find cycling very enjoyable, as it can be as challenging or as relaxing as you want to make it - whether you want the rush from flying downhill, or a leisurely cycle taking in the world around you! Fundraising is very important to me as I have benefitted directly from the latest treatments. If it wasn’t for research, which is made possible by donations and fundraising, I would not have had the most up-to-date treatments.’’ Are you cycling 300 miles this September, like Yvonne? Let us know how you’re getting on!
A post shared by Cancer Research UK (@cr_uk) on Sep 18, 2018 at 12:10pm PDT
Decide On Your Charity’s Structure
You also need to structure your charity. Most of the time, trustees agree to structure their organization as if it were a company, so they will put a hierarchical structure in place. Of course, how you run and organize your company is entirely up to you. But it really is important that you put some official structure into place as it will prevent any disputes from occuring at a later date. Plus, it will make it much easier to delegate jobs and tasks to everyone who is involved with the charity. So, do you still think you are interested in setting up a charity? It will certainly make you feel like you have done something good in your life!
