Does Anybody Here Know Anything About Setting Up And Running A Non Proffit Organisation?

[RATTER15]

We are possibly looking at setting up our business as a Non Profit making organisation, we are researching this on the net but would like to know if any of you have personal experience in this area?

[RATTER15]

*Profit

[Maydup]

Not for profit sometimes means that you charge people no more than you need to to cover the costs or even apply for funding to deliver a service.

A charitable organisation goes one step further and raises money to deliver its aims for no charge.

Ether way you'd need to register the business as such and then benefit from the tax allowances. More info here.

https://www.gov.uk/set-up-a-social-enterprise

[Maydup]

Sorry, i meant to say that i have no personal experience in not for profit, but i do work in a paid role for a charity and am a trustee of another.

[RATTER15]

Maydup, thanks for that, It looks like it would just be too much paper work and hassle. We have little intention of making much in the way of profit anyway, after our small salaries any other monies will be put straight back into the business. The business really isnt about profit, its more about making a living in the work we are both passionate about.

[boxtops]

There's a lot of paperwork in becoming a registered charity (even though there are ultimate benefits in terms of grants you can apply for etc). I belong to a voluntary youth organisation and we have just decided NOT to go for charitable status for that reason.

[RATTER15]

Grants are another road I dont want to go down, I really dont like paper work or jumping though hoops!!

[boxtops]

money comes in handy, though, ratter, particularly as some grants will be animal-focused.

[humbersloop]

Yes I do Ratter, and from what I've read about here of your intentions, imo it probably isn't worth you doing it at this stage, if at all.

It's something you might want to keep under review as the business develops though. If you do ever make that move, I'd suggest you get some specialist advice then. As you'll know, there's more than one legal form of charitable incorporation available, each with its own regulatory regime (as well as your Companies House obligations), and making the wrong call can be very difficult to unpick.

[humbersloop]

^and you can obviously run as not-for-profit exactly in the way you describe, simply as a limited company putting any surplus straight back into the enterprise

[jno]

if it wasn't for the fact that you're "non-prophet" you could register as a church!

[RATTER15]

Thanks Humbersloop, setting up a limited company is a nightmare as well, I think we will be doing very little paper work apart from accounts and advertising.

Lol jno, well we will have a donkey, but as it will be a miniature donkey I don't think a virgin of any age will be riding on its back.