I was just wondering if anyone here has ever set up thier own charity?
I am at uni and recently helped found the Friends Of The Animals society, the guy who is the president is VERY enthusiastic about turning it in to some kind of charity...

If there is anyone with experience from the uk who knows the procedures that we need to go thorugh i would be very grateful... is their any advice i could give him in setting this up?


Thanx

Charlotte.

In order to become a charity in the UK, you need to become registered and get your registered charity number. I am fairly sure that this has changed (at least slightly) since I studied the law, but from memory, to start the ball rolling you need a couple (possibly more now) of people willing to act as trustees of the charity (essentially handle the money), and to file an application with the charity commission. For more information visit their website (search them on google). I reccomend that before you volunteer to be a trustee for your group you look carefully at the duties and liabilities of all trustees and ensure that you can trust your directors and fellow trustees not to put you in compromising positions. Also I think it helps to sort out precise aims of your charity and what the money will be spent on doing before you send in your application.
Please keep us up to date on what happens with this, I am very interested in the charity registration process.

i've never considered a charity. sometimes i will ask fellow veg friends for a dollar or two for things like making copies of flyers & postage for activism letters. i am not organized enough, but interested.

I don't know the particulars in the UK, but I have been involved with starting a few charities in the US and Mexico. One option we've used for small or startup organizations is to latch on to an already-existing organization that essentially acts as a "clearing-house" for funds that you collect for your cause. It saves you the hassle of establishing a board, getting insurance, an address, etc. - things that are a major pain, initially when you're simply trying to get some good done. By going this route you and your members can get the satisfaction of actually accomplishing something while you develop as an organization. Interacting with these clearing-houses can also introduce you to a lot of valuable insight on how to run a non-profit. It can literally give you a couple years jump-start on your effort. The downside, though still usually practical in the long run, is that these oversight organizations tend to charge a percentage (and sometimes a hefty one) of your operating funds as an "administration fee."

A grants administration department of any major university should be able to help you with the basic details on going this route in your country/province, and might even be able to provide the service for you.

I've not created a charity, but I've been part of organizing a group of people that does charitable things. Some of these groups grew into chartiable organizations. I think its important to really get grounded in your mission before trying to get tax status, etc.
Since you already seem to have done that, I'd contact your local tax office about getting a tax I.D. number. They'll basically tell you everything else you need to do first in order to become an established charity - 501(c) for the U.S.