Charity Constitutions: Charitable Incorporated Organisation
Charitable Incorporated Organisation
- Constitution for a CIO whose only voting members are its trustees (‘Foundation’ model)
- Constitution for a CIO with voting members other than its trustees (‘Association’ model)
- Constitution for a CIO whose only voting members are its trustees (‘Foundation’ model) – marked-up adapted version
- Constitution for a CIO with voting members other than its trustees (‘Association’ model) – marked-up adapted version
- Constitution for a CIO whose only voting members are its trustees (‘Foundation’ model) – clean copy adapted version
- Constitution for a CIO with voting members other than its trustees (‘Association’ model) – clean copy adapted version
Charity Constitutions: Charitable Incorporated Organisation is part of Corporate. Just £38.50 + VAT provides unlimited downloads from Corporate for 1 year.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a CIO and how is it different from a charitable company?
A charitable incorporated organisation is an incorporated charity created under the Charities Act 2011. Like a charitable company it is a separate legal body with limited liability for trustees, but it is regulated only by the Charity Commission, not Companies House, so there is a single regulator and no separate company filing. It only comes into existence once the Commission registers it. Simply-Docs provides CIO constitution templates.
Should my CIO use the Foundation model or the Association model constitution?
Use the Foundation model if the only voting members will be the trustees themselves, which suits a charity run by a small board with no wider membership. Use the Association model if you want a wider voting membership beyond the trustees, for example members who elect the board. Simply-Docs provides both, including marked-up adapted and clean-copy versions based on the Charity Commission models.
Does a CIO have to register with the Charity Commission even if it is small?
Yes. A CIO must register whatever its income, because it does not legally exist until the Charity Commission registers it. This differs from unincorporated charities and charitable companies, which generally only need to register once income exceeds £5,000. Simply-Docs provides a CIO Formation Checklist to prepare the registration.