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The voice of Scotland’s vibrant voluntary sector

Published by Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations

TFN is published by the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations, Mansfield Traquair Centre, 15 Mansfield Place, Edinburgh, EH3 6BB. The Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO) is a Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation. Registration number SC003558.

Better endings: when is the right time to think about closure or merger?

Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations

This event is in the past

Overview

In Scotland around 800 new charities are set up every year, and 600 wind up. The signs are that this will be no different in 2024, and organisational closures may be on the increase. A combination of the cost of living crisis, high energy bills, decreased governmental and philanthropic funding, plus the long shadow of the pandemic, means that some organisations are facing very difficult decisions. And whilst financial difficulties are the more obvious reason for closure, there are also some organisations or projects that reach a more natural end when they have achieved their purpose.

Whatever the reasons for change, we would like to look at when is the right time for organisations to proactively think about closure or merger, and how to access support to make this daunting process more manageable. To help us, we will be joined by Linda Craig, Operations and Finance Lead from The Decelerator a free support service for charities and voluntary sector organisations. They offer information, tools, and hands-on support to help organisations anticipate and design closures, mergers, and project endings. 

Overall aim

In this free lunchtime webinar we’ll look at how to recognise when it’s the right time to consider and plan for a project or organisation ending. We’ll explore:

  • How trustees can recognise the warning signs which may indicate an ending is coming
  • The best ways of raising the question of a possible ending with stakeholders, including staff and beneficiaries
  • How trustees can create the best conditions throughout the life of a charity for positive endings
  • How to plan an ending well enough to secure a lasting and positive legacy
  • The support and guidance available to organisations, including legal advice and new website guidance from SCVO
Who is the event aimed at?

This webinar is aimed at trustees, senior staff and those who support charities.

Date
13:00-14:00, 23 April 2024
Contact
Tracey Bird
Cost
Free
Attendance type
Online only
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