As part of our due diligence process at ActionFunder, we ask all non-profit organisations to provide two key documents:
- Your governing document
- Your most recent accounts
These are standard checks that help us ensure your organisation is eligible to receive funding and that any grants are distributed securely and responsibly.
What is a Governing Document?
Your governing document is the rulebook for your organisation. It outlines your purpose, how decisions are made, and who is responsible for running things. Depending on your organisation’s structure, this might be called:
- A constitution (for unincorporated associations or charities)
- Articles of association (for CICs or companies limited by guarantee)
- A trust deed (for charitable trusts)
We ask for this so we can:
- Confirm your organisation’s charitable or community purpose
- Understand how your group is structured and governed
- Ensure that you’re eligible to receive grant funding
📌 If you’re a small or informal group that doesn’t have a formal constitution yet, let us know — we’re happy to guide you on what’s needed. You can also take a look at this helpful template from MyCommunity – Download a template constitution for your group.
Why we ask for your latest accounts
We also ask for your most recent set of annual accounts. This helps us:
- Understand the size and financial health of your organisation
- Confirm your income and how funds are used
- Comply with funder requirements around transparency
💡 If you’re a small or newer group and don’t yet have formal accounts, that’s okay. Instead, please provide a simple breakdown of your income and expenditure for the last financial year. This can be a basic table or spreadsheet.
Need help?
If you have any questions or aren’t sure, just get in touch – hello@actionfunder.org