Website of the UK government

Social enterprises

Social enterprises can be anything from informal groups to registered companies. Most social enterprises use their profits to benefit others instead of benefiting the organisation or their shareholders.

• Business Link guide to legal structures for social enterprises Opens new window
• Social Enterprise Coalition Opens new window

If you want to improve your community

If you are establishing a group to improve your community, you may be able to share resources such as offices or staff with another organisation. There are also many existing organisations that would appreciate help if you can spare the time.

You can find out about the volunteering opportunities available in your area and overseas by reading ‘Find a volunteering opportunity’. It includes a link to the do-it.org database which you can use to type in your postcode and find out about volunteering opportunities with groups in your area.

• Finding a volunteering opportunity

To read case studies of how volunteering in the community has benefited volunteers and those they are helping read ‘Volunteer for a community project’.

• Volunteer for a community project

The National Council of Voluntary Organisations has a comprehensive directory of umbrella organisations that provide information, support and advice to voluntary organisations

• NCVO directory of umbrella bodies and resources for voluntary organisations Opens new window

If your organisation has similar aims to a larger charity you could look at becoming a local branch of it. For example Mind, the mental health charity, works through a network of local groups.

• Case studies - national organisations working through local groups Opens new window

Raising money for a memorial fund

If you want to raise money for a particular cause or in memory of someone, you don’t have to set up a charity from scratch. There may be an existing organisation fundraising in the same area or for the same cause. There are around 190,000 charities which are registered with the Charity Commission. You can search the register online.

If you have over £10,000 to donate, the Charity Aid Foundation (CAF) allows you to set up a CAF Trust, a simple system which is a bit like having your own charitable trust, but without having to appoint trustees or register as a charity.

• Search the Register of Charities Opens new window
• Charities Aid Foundation trusts Opens new window

Fundraising for a natural disaster

If there has been a natural disaster and you want to donate money you could consider giving to an aid agency or an umbrella organisation such as the Disaster Emergency Committee, which works with a number of organisations in the UK to make the most of the donations from individuals and groups.

• The Disasters Emergency Committee Opens new window

More useful links

• Giving money to charity (money, tax and benefits section)
• Things to think about before setting up a charity: Charity Commission advice Opens new window
• Association of Charitable Foundations Opens new window