charity, you will need consent from OSCR before you change your purposes, as this could affect your charitable,Options for structure This is a summary of some of the most common types of organisation used in the,voluntary sector in Scotland, there is more information about this and other structures in the SCVO guide,interest, without a formal structure.,power within your Trust Deed to make any changes not having a copy of the Trust Deed having to ask the Scottish

The type of structure that's right for your organisation will depend on what you're planning to do and,, not what you will do some public bodies may require you to be incorporated e.g. a SCIO or a company,Incorporated or unincorporated organisations Choosing whether your organisation is incorporated or unincorporated,Being incorporated means your organisation is a recognised legal entity which is separate from the people,If you choose to set up as a SCIO than you can’t be anything other than a SCIO.

Members You will need to decide if a membership organisation is the right structure for your charity.,Elect board members Within a Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation (SCIO), the members also,faith, to ensure the SCIO acts in a manner which is consistent with its charitable purposes.,anyone thinking about becoming a trustee, should read the OSCR guidance for trustees for more detailed information,Our governance pages have more information about the roles and responsibilities of trustees, how to hold

Find out why the SCIO is such a popular model for charities in Scotland

Legal structures and property ownership The majority of village halls are charities established by a,The solution is to become an incorporated organisation, usually a Company Limited by Guarantee or a Scottish,Incorporated Charitable Organisation (SCIO).,Company or SCIO? The main choices for incorporation are Company Limited by Guarantee or SCIO.,process Your local Third Sector Interface can provide support through the process or contact SCVO’s Information

In the SCVO Information Service we see a lot of constitutions.,Single tier SCIOs There’s sometimes confusion about single and two tier SCIOs, and some organisations,If you’re a charity, this is a big problem, because you have to ensure you’re sticking to your charitable,To incorporate or not to incorporate – that is the question Some organisations that have grown over the,If this applies to you, then you need to weigh up your exposure to risk, and have a legal structure that

Well its proper title is a Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation, and it’s the most popular legal,structure for new charities setting up in Scotland, perhaps because a SCIO is a corporate body.,, and SCIO trustees have a single set of duties, unlike charitable company directors.,I often get asked about this option on the Information Service, and whilst charity law and SCIO regulations,Similar to the structure of a traditional trust, a single-tier SCIO leaves complete control of the organisation

’s status from a charity and company limited by guarantee to a Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation,Carole explained that the motivation to become a SCIO was driven partly by the structure’s “fitness for,Charitable Incorporated Organisation (“SCIO”) and that the appropriate application for conversion to,a SCIO be made to the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator (“OSCR”).,Charitable Incorporated Organisations Regulations 2011).”