Hackspace Foundation Meetup #2

Discussion Events
2

Notes from meeting:

Agenda

  1. Introductions
  2. Theme: Becoming a Charity/CIO, and more about charitable status
  3. What do we want from HSF/what can we do for HSF
  4. Next meeting

Attendees

James - Swindon
Jess - Swindon
Tim - EE (CIO)
Khurram - Teeside
Russ - HSF, LHS, LHL, EMF
Samuel - Brighton
Sandrina - EE
George and Jay - Chelts
James - Chelts
Phil - Chelts

Theme: Becoming a Charity/CIO and more about charitable status

Disclaimer: This is not legal advice.

  • Khurram (Law background, not qualified)
    • Creating a legal entity: You are creating a legal person, with rights, privileges, etc…
    • If you become a charity, starting point is charitable purposes, there are 13, of which the following are most relevant.
      1. The advancement of education
      2. The advancement of citizenship or community development.
      3. The advancement of the arts, culture, heritage or science
      4. Any other charitable purposes.
        • The charity commission can create new charitable purposes within regulations.
        • i.e. they can say, actually what you’ve said is acceptable.
    • There is a further test, public benefit test to become a charity.
    • A charity’s service don’t have to be free, they can charge reasonable costs for their services.
    • Application process asks:
      • What are your charitable purposes
      • What the public benefit is
      • How you intend to achieve this.
    • Charity structures:
      • CIO - Charitable Incorporated Organisation
      • CCLG - Charitable Company Limited by Guarantee
    • With a CCLG you are reportable under Charity and Company law, so 2 sets of accounts.
    • You also have to file a trustees report of what we’ve done.
    • CIO: Existing Hackspace, would have to transfer all assets into the CIO, you can’t just become it. etc…
    • CCLG: You can turn a CLG into a CCLG to add the status of Charity to their existing structure, the.
    • You can Go CCLG > CIO after.
    • Benefit of CIO is one set of accounts to file.
    • Charities for director/trusties:
      • Ensure your charity is carrying out its purposes for the public benefit
      • Comply with your charity’s governing document and the law
      • Act in the best interest
      • Manage your charity’s resource responsibly.
      • Act with reasonable care and skill
      • Ensure your charity is accountable.
    • Personal liability:
      • Director/trustees, you can be held personally liable if you make enough of a mistake, really deliberately malicious.
    • Benefits for being a charity:
      • GiftAid, initial membership fee isn’t applicable, has to be the donation.
        • There are ways to split it by itemising it.
      • 80% mandatory business rate relief on larger properties.
      • 20% discretionary relief available too for business rates available.
      • Google is free for Charities.
      • AWS/MS Cloud is free for an amount.
      • 5% back on VAT for energy.
      • https://charitydigital.org.uk
      • Trustee statement that is published to organisations who might want to give you money.
      • Donations of kit from public sector/education.
    • Asset lock, we will not dispose of things or other charities with an asset lock.
    • Charities can get more funding opportunities.
    • Links:
  • Q: Can you keep your democracy
    • Model articles are similar for companies
    • CIO + CCLG can have members
  • CIC not discussed because it’s fallen out of favour with funders.
    • Conversion CIC > CIO
    • “Fun” part of the transition is banking.
    • You get a template.
    • Goes via charities commission.
    • Mixed experiences with Charities.
  • Tim:
    • Concern about properties, space.
    • Engage with local community, hope to be given something like Tim has.
    • Have to be an in with people.
  • Khurram:
    • You’ve got to engage with your community.
    • Ask at town council: what are you doing to support your Hackspace/Makerspace?
  • Russ:
    • Limehouse Town hall got some solar installed eventually.
    • VAT Threshold benefit.
  • Tim:
  • Q: What advice can you give for an organisation on £20-30PM.
    • Generally worked well
    • Lots of spaces have student rates.
    • Always £5 min

What do we want from HSF/what can we do for HSF

Money
If you want to make a proposal to use it we can use it. Should be a group decision.

~£250k donation from Handshake, Crown Prince of Korea.

Ideas:

  • Loans to member spaces
  • Low friction HS grants - few hundred
  • Kit bundling?
  • Being more of a Trade Body
    • Standards
    • Charter
    • Train the trainer courses
    • Ex:
      • Mens shed
      • Andy’s mens club
  • Campaigning
    • Protecting our Hackspaces, protected status.
      • Asset of community value
      • Political will

Ideas for next time:

  • What is the benefit of being involved in HSF.
    • How do we tell people about.
    • People don’t even know about it.
  • Governance meeting?
    • Risk assessments
    • Inductions

Next meeting

8th October at 20:00-21:30, on Zoom, hosted by Khurram

Theme: What is the benefit of being involved in HSF, how do we tell people about it.

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