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Help setting up a charity?- Private Benefit & Expenses

Ambience

Warren Veteran
On the application form when setting up a charity i wanted to know if i need to put anything in private benefit- i am expecting eventually to be paid as an employee of the charity, but not until it is established.

I also want to be able to employ other people, does this fall under private benefit?

Should i put that i intend to employ people or can i change this if the need arises later down the line.

I'm getting 5k investment, so I'd hate to take that money, then have to shut the company down and start all over again because i filled out the application wrong.

I hope the charities commission would be flexible amending things.
Are they happy to talk though this kind of thing?

Also can i put down stables i'm renting as expenses of the charity? By that i mean if the property is rented as well as stables- i.e i have a £2000-£2500 a month property with stables and rent out stables from it to the charity for £200 a month per stable.

Thanks for all your help xxxxxxxx
 
On the application form when setting up a charity i wanted to know if i need to put anything in private benefit- i am expecting eventually to be paid as an employee of the charity, but not until it is established.

I also want to be able to employ other people, does this fall under private benefit?

Should i put that i intend to employ people or can i change this if the need arises later down the line.

I'm getting 5k investment, so I'd hate to take that money, then have to shut the company down and start all over again because i filled out the application wrong.

I hope the charities commission would be flexible amending things.
Are they happy to talk though this kind of thing?

Also can i put down stables i'm renting as expenses of the charity? By that i mean if the property is rented as well as stables- i.e i have a £2000-£2500 a month property with stables and rent out stables from it to the charity for £200 a month per stable.

Thanks for all your help xxxxxxxx

You keep saying company in your posts about setting up a charity - am I the only one or is anyone else confused. Are you wanting to run a company for profit or run a charity?

To set up a charity you have to have run a non profit and be able to show that you have brought in at least 5k in the past year running the charity. How are you able to do that if you haven't actually run a non-profit at all yet?

I'd suggest you speak to the Charities Commission directly to find out what you need to do as they will be able to give you the definative answer to your question. At this point in time, as I understand it, you won't be able to register because you have no track record - or am I totally wrong?
 
You're best off asking the Charities Commission - they know a lot more about it than any of us in here, I'm sure.

If you really want to set up a rabbit rescue/sanctuary and you have funds available, why not just get on and start running it? I'm sure that's what other people have done.

Don't take this the wrong way, but from all your posts it sounds more like you want to run a business than a charity :?
 
My main concerns with your posts is your keenness to earn from this:?
On setting up a charity your main concern should be helping a particular cause..not earning a wage or finding ways making money for yourself

I too say talk the the CC direct..why ask people on a forum when the CC are easily contactable
 
My main concerns with your posts is your keenness to earn from this:?
On setting up a charity your main concern should be helping a particular cause..not earning a wage or finding ways making money for yourself

I too say talk the the CC direct..why ask people on a forum when the CC are easily contactable

Agree 100% with this!
 
I've been rescuing for a very short time but have ended up doing so because of a need locally. My only concern is the animals in my care and not whether I am a charity or not - that doesn't bother me one bit. If, one day I end up being one then so beit, but for now, I don't have time to even consider it - caring for the rabbits on site takes up all and I do mean all of my time (and all of my money to the point where I never ever go out or buy anything except from a charity shop).

IMO you are going at this from completely the wrong angle.
 
I just setup my own companies run them and create my own job title depending on how i feel.

For now i'm just owner/director, but my industry is usually law and business consultancy.

I am hopefully going to be doing more on the animal side of things, as rescue manager of my own charity and livery yard manager/owner shortly .

I've other things on the go like website design and advertising with my other half and a financial solutions company.

Other than that i'm just working building my little rabbit rescue
sanctuary here at home and being a housewife

Oh and yes i enjoy working for myself!


This quote from a thread in general chat may also make some people question your commitment to a rabbit rescue - it is a long term responsibility that you can't just get rid of when you are bored and want to try a new business.

Have you really thought about the commitment?:?
 
You keep saying company in your posts about setting up a charity - am I the only one or is anyone else confused. Are you wanting to run a company for profit or run a charity?

To set up a charity you have to have run a non profit and be able to show that you have brought in at least 5k in the past year running the charity. How are you able to do that if you haven't actually run a non-profit at all yet?

I'd suggest you speak to the Charities Commission directly to find out what you need to do as they will be able to give you the definative answer to your question. At this point in time, as I understand it, you won't be able to register because you have no track record - or am I totally wrong?

I am also totally confused about this all. Having been involved with rescue for the past 13 years I cannot work out how charity which is running as a rescue is going to be able to afford to be able to pay one or more salaries. Living in a fairly affluent area, none of the two rescues I have fostered for have ever been able to afford to have one paid member of staff let alone more and they are established rescues.

If this is going to be a 'company' which is raising money through one means or another which then employs people this then leads me to wonder if this is a profit making organisation and not actually charity. Raising money under the name of a registered charity which is opperating as the type of rescue I am used to and then using it for a salary rather than for the animals to my mind could be seen as obtaining money fraudulently unless it is made clear when fund raising that the money will go towards salaried staff and not just to the animals concerned.

If Ambience wants advise from people already invovled with rescues or charities she needs to be more specific with what exactly she is planning to do as some of the information which has been posted either is confusing or contradicting other information which is given.
 
I agree with others that you need to speak to the Charities Commission. You really need to make sure that you get everything right from the onset because you could end up with a criminal record if anything goes wrong (even unintentionally)...obtaining money for a charitable purpose and mis-using it is taken very seriously :wave:
 
I think you really need to be aware that running a charity doesn't make a profit, even less I would think if you are a sanctuary.

We pay, out of our own pockets, about £2500 a month to look after our sanctuary animals, this doesn't include our mortgage, heating or cars- just vet bills, food, bedding and housing ( cages)

We take in about £40 a month on donations, hopefully as our sponsorship scheme picks up it will be a bit more, but it will never cover much of the costs.
We don't get donations for taking in animals usually- if people dump them, abuse them or want them PTS they don't pay out on donations. We don't rehome so we get no donations that way.

It is only very large rescues who take in enough money to pay for staff.
 
Most fosterers also support rescues financially by supplying equipment, food etc. If the animals are all on one site, fosterers will not be required and therefore wont supply this support.

You will also find that if the 'owner' of the rescue is paid, many people who are likely to volunteer to assist will be put off helping if they know that the owner is being paid and they are not.
 
Most fosterers also support rescues financially by supplying equipment, food etc. If the animals are all on one site, fosterers will not be required and therefore wont supply this support.

You will also find that if the 'owner' of the rescue is paid, many people who are likely to volunteer to assist will be put off helping if they know that the owner is being paid and they are not.

This is what had crossed my mind, if I knew that my donation was going towards someones wages rather than directly to the care of the animals I would choose to support another rescue where the money was helping the animals directly :?
 
Most fosterers also support rescues financially by supplying equipment, food etc. If the animals are all on one site, fosterers will not be required and therefore wont supply this support.

You will also find that if the 'owner' of the rescue is paid, many people who are likely to volunteer to assist will be put off helping if they know that the owner is being paid and they are not.

I agree with this.
 
This is what had crossed my mind, if I knew that my donation was going towards someones wages rather than directly to the care of the animals I would choose to support another rescue where the money was helping the animals directly :?

I agree with this - I would far rather support a charity where the money goes directly towards the animal care than towards someone's wages.
 
This is what had crossed my mind, if I knew that my donation was going towards someones wages rather than directly to the care of the animals I would choose to support another rescue where the money was helping the animals directly :?

Ditto to this ^^^^

I'm hopefully planning on trying to get charitable status via HMRC eventually (when I've got my book-keeping, bank account, website, etc, sorted) , but I will still be working full-time to support the sanctuary financially.

I even debated getting a second job to earn a bit more money for the bunnies, but I'm not sure I can manage without sleep! :lol:
 
I agree with this - I would far rather support a charity where the money goes directly towards the animal care than towards someone's wages.

This is why so many people dislike the RSPCA because they are always fundraising but we don't see (or feel) that the money gets to the animals who we feel need it. A lot of the money in bigger organisations goes on admin and marketing. I don't want that.

If I support a charity it is one where I know that the money is being used for the core purpose.
 
This is why so many people dislike the RSPCA because they are always fundraising but we don't see (or feel) that the money gets to the animals who we feel need it. A lot of the money in bigger organisations goes on admin and marketing. I don't want that.

If I support a charity it is one where I know that the money is being used for the core purpose.

And I would imagine anyway that all of these charities started off small and self funding without employing staff.....
 
You keep saying company in your posts about setting up a charity - am I the only one or is anyone else confused. Are you wanting to run a company for profit or run a charity?

To set up a charity you have to have run a non profit and be able to show that you have brought in at least 5k in the past year running the charity. How are you able to do that if you haven't actually run a non-profit at all yet?

I'd suggest you speak to the Charities Commission directly to find out what you need to do as they will be able to give you the definative answer to your question. At this point in time, as I understand it, you won't be able to register because you have no track record - or am I totally wrong?

Well yes, that's where i got stuck and had to get the 5k loan to put into the charity for the first year.

As far as i'm aware this is fine as in effect, The 5k is on the books now and i just have to show evidence of it, which i can do.

This is classed as the first year of the charity and i have had 5k go through it, although no accounts declared yet, i can provide evidence of this money that has been loaned to me and put into the charity.
 
You're best off asking the Charities Commission - they know a lot more about it than any of us in here, I'm sure.

If you really want to set up a rabbit rescue/sanctuary and you have funds available, why not just get on and start running it? I'm sure that's what other people have done.

Don't take this the wrong way, but from all your posts it sounds more like you want to run a business than a charity :?

Thanks, yes i just don't want to run it here that's all. Will do as soon as i move. I'm working on website etc and doing the admin side of things now though. Hopefully all this will be up and running soon.

I've also got my brother who is a designer to help me with a logo etc, still in the process of things, but as soon as i move, i'll be able to actually start doing the hard labour side of things. Dealing with the buns hands on. I can't take any rescues in where i am at present.

I am very business oriantated, and i do want to make money, of course, but i appreciate this will not be from the charity angle. I think also as i'll be a charity, it means i can't setup a fundraising business, as it would be a conflict of interest, although i can raise money for other rescues with similar objects, which is something i will be doing.
 
My main concerns with your posts is your keenness to earn from this:?
On setting up a charity your main concern should be helping a particular cause..not earning a wage or finding ways making money for yourself

I too say talk the the CC direct..why ask people on a forum when the CC are easily contactable

I am not a charity personally and i don't work for free normally. Even though the charity may not make any profit and all the funds will be poured back into the charities for the buns and other animals, i personally don't think it's unreasonable to earn a wage in any industry, charity or otherwise.

There are plenty of people who do work for charities and get paid. My main aim is to help animals, and build up an organisation that has land for more animals to be homed , protected and cared for. There is a shortage of rescues and i want to remedy this by building up a charity which is big enough to support my vision of helping animals.

I think you are right about talking to the Charities commision, i just know there are quite a few people on here with charities, so i thought it would be worth mentioning as you have all been through the process that i'm going through now.

I do appreciate everybodys help on this. I know working with animals is never something that is going to make me wealthy. I just don't think it's unreasonable to be paid for your efforts in any endevour.

Of course i have donated my time to rescues before and worked for free, but long term, this is not viable for most people, unless you are being funded through some other job or work. This means that if you are having to earn that money to prop the charity up, the charity is suffering- because it isn't able to expand as it should and less money is raised, less spaces are available for animals, etc...so the knock on effect of not being involved in the charity 24/7 is perhaps why so many charities are struggling. I don't know i'm just speculating.
 
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