• Latest Updates
• Toolkit A to Z
• Simple Step Guides
  • Setting up a Community Group
  • Simple Steps to Fundraising
• The Third Sector
  • Support for the Third Sector
  • News and Updates
• Setting up a Community Group
  • News and Updates
  • Identifying the Need
    • Setting up a Steering Group
    • Listening to your Community
      • Community Consultation
      • Community Needs Assessment
      • Surveys and Questionnaires
      • Focus Groups
    • Learning about your Community
    • Feasibility Studies
  • Choosing a Structure
    • Unincorporated Associations
    • Unincorporated Charitable Trust
    • Company Limited by Guarantee
    • Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisations
    • Community Interest Company
    • Industrial and Provident Societies
    • Development Trusts
    • Social Enterprise
    • Community Right to Buy
  • Your Constitution
    • Writing a Constitution
    • Adopting your Constitution
    • Making changes to your Constitution
  • Charitable Status
    • Charity Legislation
    • Becoming a Charity
    • Retaining Charitable Status
    • References to Charity Status
    • Making Changes
  • Establishing your Committee
    • General Committee Responsibilities
    • Legal Responsibilities
      • Company Ltd by Guarantee
      • Community Interest Company
      • Charity Trustee Duties
    • Role of Chairperson
    • Role of Treasurer
    • Role of Secretary
    • Forming Sub Committees
• Managing and Developing your Group
  • News and Updates
  • Planning and Development
    • Business and Project Plans
    • SWOT Analysis
    • Quality Assurance Systems
  • Monitoring and Evaluating Progress
  • Seeking External Assistance
    • Writing a Tender Brief
    • Choosing a consultant
    • Agreeing a Contract
  • Holding Meetings
    • Committee Meetings
    • Annual General Meetings
    • Minutes of Meetings
  • Data Protection
    • Data Protection Principles
    • Keeping and Using Personal Data
    • Obtaining Consent
    • Allowing Access to Personal Data
    • Data Protection Policy
  • Finance
    • Opening a Bank Account
    • Budgeting
    • Financial Record Keeping
    • Annual Accounts
      • Income and Expenditure Accounts
      • Charity Receipts and Payment Accounts
      • Accrued Accounts
      • Charity Accrued Accounts
    • Statutory Filing
      • Statutory Filing for Charities
      • Statutory Filing for Incorporated Organisations
    • External Scrutiny of Accounts
      • Independent Examination
      • Audit
    • Expenses and Remuneration
    • Trustee indemnity insurance
    • Tax Reliefs
      • Charity Tax Relief on Trading Profits
      • VAT Relief for Charities
      • Tax Exemptions for Sports Clubs
      • Gift Aid
  • Marketing and Promotion
    • Creating a Group Identity
    • Planning your Marketing
    • Working with the Press and Media
      • Writing a Press Release
    • Printed Marketing Materials
    • Creating Newsletters
      • Designing a Newsletter
    • Creating an Annual Report
      • Planning an Annual Report
      • Designing and Producing an Annual Report
      • Charity Trustees Annual Report
    • Building a Website
      • Website Structure
      • Website Design and Layout
      • Website Content
    • Social Media
  • Winding up an Organisation
    • Dissolving an Incorporated Organisation
    • Ceasing to be a Charity
      • Ceasing to be a Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation
• Generating Income
  • News and Updates
  • Planning your Fundraising
  • Fundraising Events
    • Holding Raffles and Prize Draws
    • Raffle Tickets
    • Drawing Your Raffle
  • Grant Income
    • Identifying Suitable Funders
    • Grant Application Tips
    • Completing a Grant Application Form
    • Letters of application
    • Grant Assessor Visits
  • Using Online and Digital Media
  • Public Donations
  • Trading
    • Trading as a Social Enterprise
    • Charity Trading
    • Procurement and Tendering
    • Contracts and Service Level Agreements
• People Management
  • News and Updates
  • Customers, users and Clients
  • Membership
    • Membership Services and Benefits
  • Being an Employer
    • Recruitment
      • Job Descriptions
      • Person Specifications
      • Salary and Wages
      • Contracts
      • Staff Handbooks
    • Managing Staff
      • Maternity and Paternity Leave
      • Flexible Working
      • Time off in Lieu
      • Disciplinary and Grievance Procedures
      • Sick Leave and Absence from Work
      • Retirement
    • Development and Training
  • Equalities and Human Rights
    • Equality Legislation
    • Protected Characteristics
    • Discrimination and Harassment
    • Public Duty
    • People with Disabilities
    • Human Rights
  • Health and Safety
    • Risk Assessments
    • No Smoking Regulations
    • Health and Safety Policy
    • Employers Liability Insurance
    • Public Liability Insurance
    • Fire Safety
      • Fire Risk Assessments
      • Fire Safety Procedures
    • First Aid
    • Food Hygiene
  • Working with Children and Vulnerable Adults
    • Protection of Vulnerable Groups Scheme
      • Regulated Work
      • Legal Responsibilities
      • Central Registered Body in Scotland
      • Disclosures
    • Child Protection
      • Child Protection Policy
    • Adult Protection
      • Vulnerable Adult Protection Policy
• Volunteering
  • News and Updates
  • Involving Volunteers
    • Volunteer Policy
    • Volunteer Task Descriptions
  • Recruiting and Selecting Volunteers
    • Recruitment Methods
    • Selecting and Screening
      • Meeting Your Applicants
      • Screening
  • Supporting and Motivating Volunteers
    • Supporting Your Volunteers
    • Motivating Your Volunteers
  • Volunteer Management Challenges
    • Grievance Procedures
    • When Volunteers Leave
    • Volunteer Crises
• Resource Management
  • News and Updates
  • Buildings
    • Maintenance and Security
      • Energy Efficiency
      • Security
    • Licensing
      • Public Entertainment
      • Public Performing
  • Volunteer Drivers
  • Community Car Schemes
• Community Planning
  • News and Updates
  • Community Planning Partners
  • Third Sector Involvement
  • Single Outcome Agreements
• Jargon Buster
• About the Community Toolkit
  • News and Updates
  • Thanks To
  • Your Comments
  • Becoming a Toolkit Partner
• Resource Library
• Subscribe to News and Funding Feeds
• Monthly Bulletin Subscription
• Toolkit Sitemap

Your Constitution

« Back to Resources

A constitution is a written framework of rules for your organisation.  It is in effect your group’s governing document, stating your aims, clarifying decision-making procedures and establishing a basis for good practice.  It will be a basic requirement for your group to operate. You will need it to open a bank account, apply to funders, register for charitable status, become a company, hire staff or acquire premises.

Your group’s governing document will reflect the type of structure you have chosen for your group and will be referred to as a:-

• Constitution (for Unincorporated Associations)
• Trust Deed (for Charitable Trusts)
• Articles (for incorporated groups such as Company Ltd by Guarantee or Community Interest Companies)
• Rules or Model Rules (for Industrial and Provident Societies)

When you are setting up a community group for the first time, it is essential that the steering group takes time to discuss, clarify and agree the basic aims and purpose of the group.  Why are you setting up in the first place?  What are you aiming to do?

Think carefully not just about where you are now but where you want to be.  Try not to limit your group and its activities in the future.  Be sure you understand and agree on the essential questions about your purposes, membership, management, decision-making processes and finance. 

Contact the Community Toolkit Editor

Conditions of Use
Last Updated 14/10/2011 15:11

_uacct = “UA-829849-2″;urchinTracker();

« Back to Resources