Latest revision as of 19:55, 25 November 2010

The charitable objects of a charity are extraordinarily important as they define what the charity is allowed to do. All activity that involves exchange of money that doesn't work towards one of the charitable objects counts as 'Trading' and there are legal limitations on how much trading a charity can do.

The Charity Commission provides a lot of guidance about charitable objects, and more usefully some examples

Examples

Confirmed with companies house: changing the Charitable Objects after initial registration (for example to comply with the charity comissions's comments during applying for charitable status) is as simple as sending a written resolution and a complete copy of the modified articles. Charities commission must approve any change to articles or charitable objects separately.

(might want to find out whether the charities commission usually do approve changes or whether that's difficult?)

changes are possible but need to undergo the same scrutiny that an original application does, so much harder with charities comission than with Companies House. The deal is generally that if charitis house okay something, then companies house will also be fine with it, but not necessarily the other way around. - see Charities commission website on ammending objects Jonny 16:00, 23 November 2010 (UTC)

Objects for Makespace based on the examples

Jonny - based on Community Centre (draft)

To further or benefit the public including but not limited to residents of the East of England and neighbourhood, without distinction of sex, sexual orientation, race or of political, religious or other opinions by associating together the said residents and the local authorities, businesses, voluntary and other organisations in a common effort to advance education and to provide facilities in the interests of social welfare, engineering understanding, and other interests to be determined by the Trustees.

In furtherance of these objects but not otherwise, the trustees shall have power:

To establish or secure the establishment of a community centre and to maintain or manage or co-operate with any statutory authority in the maintenance and management of such a centre for activities promoted by the charity in furtherance of the above objects. To rent the space at an appropriate price to commercial organisations

Laura's attempts (note in draft!)

there’s several bits: (1)our aims (2) how we’ll deliver them and also we need to define the field (engineering; engineering and technology; engineering and manufacturing; maintenance/manufacturing/hands-on engineering ???? RAEng uses “the whole field of engineering to useful purpose” which I like)

I've got several draft aims which I feel fairly good about:

• to promote the general advancement of the science, art and practice of engineering and manufacturing for the benefit of the public
• to facilitate the exchange of information and ideas on these subjects amongst the members of the Makespace society and the public and otherwise
• to promote learning about engineering and technical workshop and related skills for the benefit of the public

I'm finding the methods harder. I'd like to include something about enabling engineers and those with practical workshop skills to share those with others, for the public benefit. here's a bit of method:

by administering and running educational projects and training programmes and in particular but without limitation by providing education and training in connection with any matter or discipline concerned with engineering and manufacturing, including without limitation running educational projects and training programmes in collaboration with persons connected with engineering and manufacturing and in connection therewith to provide educational and training facilities and techniques

Another key point will be to test our draft objects against examples of activity we expect to have...

these are based on bits of the below excerpts

For the public benefit to promote engineering and related skills in such ways as the charity trustees think fit, including by:

   * 1. assisting in such ways as the charity trustees think fit any charity whose aims include ....
   * 2. For the public benefit, promoting learning about engineering and technical workshop and related skills 
   * 3. Advancing the education of the public in general (and particularly young people) on the subject of engineering and to promote hands-on workshop skills and other engineering skills, for the public benefit in all aspects of that subject.
   * 4. something about enabling engineers and those with practical workshop skills to share those with others, for the public benefit

(cribbed from IET) TO PROMOTE THE GENERAL ADVANCEMENT OF ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY and TO FACILITATE THE EXCHANGE OF INFORMATION AND IDEAS ON THESE SUBJECTS AMONGST THE MEMBERS OF THE Makespace society AND the public and otherwise

(cribbed from teh RAEng)

THE PURSUIT ENCOURAGEMENT AND MAINTENANCE OF EXCELLENCE IN THE WHOLE FIELD OF ENGINEERING TO USEFUL PURPOSE IN ORDER TO PROMOTE THE ADVANCEMENT OF THE SCIENCE, ART AND PRACTICE OF ENGINEERING FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE PUBLIC.

(cribbed from stemnet)

TO ADVANCE EDUCATION IN engineering and technology, AND IN PARTICULAR BUT WITHOUT LIMITING THE FOREGOING, BY PROMOTING, ENCOURAGING AND FACILITATING COLLABORATION AND NETWORKING BETWEEN THE SCHEMES AND SERVICES BY WHICH PROMOTERS OF RESOURCES, SCHEMES AND PROGRAMMES SUPPORT AND ENHANCE UK EDUCATION AND OPTIMISE STUDENTS' CAREER POTENTIAL.

(cribbed from manuf manchester below)

TO ADVANCE EDUCATION FOR THE PUBLIC BENEFIT BY ADMINISTERING AND RUNNING EDUCATIONAL PROJECTS AND TRAINING PROGRAMMES AND IN PARTICULAR BUT WITHOUT LIMITATION BY PROVIDING TRAINING AND EDUCATION IN CONNECTION WITH ANY MATTER OR DISCIPLINE CONCERNED WITH Engineering, technology and MANUFACTURING INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION RUNNING EDUCATIONAL PROJECTS AND TRAINING PROGRAMMES IN COLLABORATION WITH PERSONS CONNECTED WITH Engineering, technology and MANUFACTURING AND IN CONNECTION THEREWITH TO PROVIDE EDUCATIONAL AND TRAINING FACILITIES AND TECHNIQUES

Do you intend these to be combined, or for us to use just one of them? 82.6.108.254 22:33, 24 November 2010 (UTC) I intend to combine them in some way (and see what others think!). it may be that the combination is quite short though, resembling one of them. - Laura

The Manufacturing Institute, Manchester

This is the organisation that FabLab manchester is run within

http://www.charitycommission.gov.uk/Showcharity/RegisterOfCharities/CharityFramework.aspx?RegisteredCharityNumber=1043019&SubsidiaryNumber=0

TO ADVANCE EDUCATION FOR THE PUBLIC BENEFIT BY ADMINISTERING AND RUNNING EDUCATIONAL PROJECTS AND TRAINING PROGRAMMES AND IN PARTICULAR BUT WITHOUT LIMITATION BY PROVIDING TRAINING AND EDUCATION IN CONNECTION WITH ANY MATTER OR DISCIPLINE CONCERNED WITH MANUFACTURING INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION RUNNING EDUCATIONAL PROJECTS AND TRAINING PROGRAMMES IN COLLABORATION WITH PERSONS CONNECTED WITH MANUFACTURING AND IN CONNECTION THEREWITH TO PROVIDE EDUCATIONAL AND TRAINING FACILITIES AND TECHNIQUES

Makes perfect sense... :S

Examples

I've pulled out a few of the most relevant examples here.

Community Centre:

http://www.charitycommission.gov.uk/Start_up_a_charity/Guidance_on_registering/Example_objects/exobj23.aspx

To further or benefit the residents of [area of benefit] and the neighbourhood, without distinction of sex, sexual orientation, race or of political, religious or other opinions by associating together the said residents and the local authorities, voluntary and other organisations in a common effort to advance education and to provide facilities in the interests of social welfare for recreation leisure time occupation with the objective of improving the conditions of life for the residents.

In furtherance of these objects but not otherwise, the trustees shall have power:

To establish or secure the establishment of a community centre and to maintain or manage or co-operate with any statutory authority in the maintenance and management of such a centre for activities promoted by the charity in furtherance of the above objects.

Village Hall

http://www.charitycommission.gov.uk/Start_up_a_charity/Guidance_on_registering/Example_objects/exobj22.aspx

The provision and maintenance of a village hall for the use of the inhabitants of [area of benefit] without distinction of political, religious or other opinions, including use for:

• meetings, lectures and classes, and

• other forms of recreation and leisure-time occupation, with the object of improving the conditions of life for the inhabitants.

Recreational Activities

http://www.charitycommission.gov.uk/Start_up_a_charity/Guidance_on_registering/Example_objects/exobj15.aspx

To promote for the benefit of the inhabitants of [ insert place ] and the surrounding area the provision of facilities for recreation or other leisure time occupation of individuals who have need of such facilities by reason of their youth, age, infirmity or disablement, financial hardship or social and economic circumstances or for the public at large in the interests of social welfare and with the object of improving the condition of life of the said inhabitants.

To provide or assist in the provision of facilities in the interests of social welfare for recreation or other leisure time occupation of individuals who have need of such facilities by reason of their youth, age infirmity or disability, financial hardship or social circumstances with the object of improving their conditions of life."

Amateur Sports Club

http://www.charitycommission.gov.uk/Start_up_a_charity/Guidance_on_registering/Example_objects/exobj5.aspx

Example objects:

"the promotion of community participation in healthy recreation in particular by the provision of facilities for the playing of [particular sports]"

"the promotion of community participation in healthy recreation [for the benefit of the inhabitants of x] by the provision of facilities for playing [insert sport(s)]."

Advancement of Education

http://www.charitycommission.gov.uk/Start_up_a_charity/Guidance_on_registering/Example_objects/exobj1.aspx To advance the education of the public in the subject of [insert subject to be studied]

"To advance the education of the pupils at [the name of the school] by providing and assisting in the provision of facilities [not required to be provided by the local education authority] for education at the school."

"For the public benefit to promote the education (including social and physical training) of people [under the age of 25 years] in [place] in such ways as the charity trustees think fit, including by:

• 1. awarding to such persons scholarships, maintenance allowances or grants tenable at any university, college or institution of higher or further education;

• 2. providing their education (including the study of music or other arts), to undertake travel in furtherance of that education or to prepare for entry to any occupation, trade or profession on leaving any educational establishment."

"To assist in such ways as the charity trustees think fit any charity in [place] whose aims include advancing education of persons under the age of 25 years by developing their mental, physical and moral capabilities through leisure time activities."

"For the public benefit to promote learning for pleasure by people no longer in full time employment through the continued development of their individual capabilities, competencies, skills and understanding in subjects of educational value."

"To advance the education of the public in general (and particularly amongst scientists) on the subject of particle physics and to promote research for the public benefit in all aspects of that subject and to publish the useful results."

The Establishment and Maintenance of a Museum and/or Art Gallery

Example objects:

"to establish and maintain a museum and/or art gallery for the benefit of the public".

"to promote art for the benefit of the public by the establishment and maintenance of a [museum] [art gallery]".

"to advance education by the establishment and maintenance of a museum".

"to advance education in the arts by the establishment and maintenance of an art museum or art gallery".