Top 10 Key Points to Running a Charity Properly
Summary
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1. Always do what is best for your charity:
As a charity trustee you have a legal responsibility to put the interests of your charity above your own interests. All the charity trustees are collectively responsible for making sure that the charity is run properly and lawfully.
2. Act with care and diligence:
You have to protect your charity including its beneficiaries, assets and reputation.
3. Understand your charity’s legal responsibilities:
Make sure your charity is meeting its legal duties under charity law and other relevant laws.
4. Declare and manage conflicts of interest:
All charity trustees have a collective responsibility to manage conflicts of interest and to act in the charity’s interests.
5. Know and understand your charitable purpose(s):
Everything you do should be directed at achieving only the purposes set out in your governing document.
6. Have a copy of your governing document:
Know what it says, understand what it means, and what you have to do.
7. Understand your charity’s finances:
All the charity trustees are responsible for the charity’s finances and must have access to the financial records.
8. Send OSCR the correct information, on time:
Every year you must send us your:
9. Make sure your charity’s details on the Scottish Charity Register are correct and any changes are made properly:
You can update some details using OSCR online. It’s a legal requirement for you to make sure Principal Contact details are up to date. If you want to make certain changes to your charity you must ask OSCR for permission first.
10. Give people the correct information:
Make sure your charity publicises that it is a charity. Display your charity number.