For organisations

Supporting Start Ups

Whatever your aims and objectives, we’re here to advise and support you to help get your idea off the ground.

start ups - health check for your plans

Checking your plans

We’ll take your idea through our health check, covering all the important aspects about forming a group. Then we’ll use this to provide you with the right information and templates to support you in getting started.

start ups - policies and procedures

Providing policy templates

Our bank of sample policies and templates is available to all voluntary organisations and social enterprises on request. They cover every aspect of running an organisation and meeting legal and other requirements.

start ups - your identity

Finding the right identity

As a new or evolving group you may be considering which legal structure would suit you best - a social enterprise model or charity status, for example. If you’re unsure, we can guide you through all your available options.

Start Ups FAQs

Looking for more help or have specific questions about start ups?

  • Your charity name should give an indication of who your charity is.

  • Your charity must benefit, relieve and provide assistance to a significant cause, group or community, and the long term goal should be to make changes either in society, the environment or whatever aspect of the world it concerns.

  • Do you have a specific project to deliver in a set timescale?

    Will the charity be an ongoing long-term venture?

  • Where will you operate from?

    Will you have premises?

    Will you work in a specific location or across various local authorities?

    If your application is successful a contact address will need to go on the Scottish Charity Register. This can be:

    a) the address of the principal office of the charity or,

    b) if the charity does not have a principal office the name and address of one of the charity trustees.

    If you are a SCIO this address must be in Scotland.

  • How much will you need and where will it come from?

    How will you keep the charity going?

    Will you have a sustainable funding model?

    You should note that public sector funding is becoming increasingly stretched and donations from the public are not always a sustainable source.

  • Do you have a team ready to be charity trustees?

    A charity needs people to run it. All charities must have charity trustees; some charities have members, staff and/or volunteers.

    The role of a charity trustee is similar to the director of a company – they might not do all the day to day work but they are the people who are legally responsible for the charity.

    Certain people are disqualified from acting as charity trustees. However, OSCR have the power to waive a disqualification if a person applies to us and meets the relevant criteria.

    Those who are disqualified are:

    • someone with an unspent conviction for dishonesty or an offence under the 2005 Act

    • someone who is an undischarged bankrupt or has a Protected Trust Deed to pay off debts with creditors

    • someone who has been removed under either Scottish or English Law from being a charity trustee

    • someone who is disqualified from being a company director

  • Acting in the interests of the charity.

    Acting with care and diligence.

    Preparing and submitting accounts every year.

    Providing information to the public.

  • Assets can include: Premises, like an office / Equipment / Vehicles

    Costs can include: Utilities / Taxes / Rent / Licences / Insurance / Salaries / Pensions

  • You might not want to think about it at this stage, but if you decide that you don’t want the charity to continue there are legal processes you must follow. You can’t just walk away or put the charity on hold - there’s no such thing as a ‘dormant’ charity.

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