Charities
A charity is an enterprise which delivers public benefits. Its activities can be wide and varied:
- It must raise resources for its activities - this can involve fundraising, trading and donations
- Its activities must deliver a public benefit - regulation of the sector guides and monitors this
- Governance of a charity ensures sustainability and delivery of purpose
- It can be innovative and enterprising, working where the state may not succeed
- It can be motivational, harnessing the skills of volunteers and professionals
- It may need to link with others to achieve its goals through partnerships, service delivery and mergers
- It should safeguard its resources: property, people and investments
- If it makes grants or loans, trustees must ensure they fulfil the charity's purposes
- A charity's reputation is paramount and requires protection in its operations and contracts
Major changes to charity law are contained in the Charities Act 2006. The link below gives a summary of the Act.