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Deciding to close

Important things to consider before deciding to close your voluntary organisation

  • Closing down

Reasons to close

Every voluntary organisation should regularly ask whether it’s still well placed to achieve its goals

Alternatives to closure

If your organisation is still financially viable, you may want to consider alternative options to closure

Factors to consider before closing

Whatever your reasons for considering closure, you’re likely to have legal responsibilities to follow

Planning for closure

Steps you need to take before closing your organisation

  • Closing down

Create a closure plan

Depending on your route to closure and your legal structure, you may have different legal duties and wider responsibilities

Plan your closure communications

Once the decision has been made to close, you’ll need to decide who to inform and how to inform them

Organise your finances for closure

Key financial steps your need to take when closing your organisation

Leading people through closure

Guidance on how to help people through the emotional and practical process of closure

  • Closing down

Supporting your staff and volunteers through closure

Your duty of care to staff, volunteers and beneficiaries should be at the top of any closure plans

'Every day counts' as charities still wait for government support

  • Coronavirus

Government support for charities – NCVO reaction

At a time of crisis, charities want and need to be able to give their all to supporting people who need it most. They cannot do that if they have to suspend their work or close altogether.

  • Coronavirus

Voluntary sector will shrink following coronavirus

Volunteering rates have remained stable over the last few years. In 2018/19, 22% of people regularly volunteered with a group, club or organisation. While the pandemic is unlikely to influence the overall numbers of people volunteering in the UK, we will

  • Coronavirus
  • Involving volunteers

Dr Priya Singh set to be new chair of NCVO

  • Inside NCVO

NCVO consults staff on restructure proposals

  • Business planning and strategy

New research supports organisations to improve volunteer experience for minority groups

  • Involving volunteers

NCVO announces detailed plans for future offer to members, charities and volunteering

  • Involving volunteers

Statement from Priya Singh, chair, on behalf of the Board of Trustees

  • Equity, diversity and inclusion

PESTLE

A guide to help organisations consider how the world is changing

Other players

A guide for your organisation to look at the priorities and impact of other organisations in your area of work

Deciding what you will do and how

Find out about how to select the right tools to help you make good decisions

  • Business planning and strategy

Dual bottom line analysis

A guide to help your organisation explore it's activities to assess the extent to which each contributes to value and surplus

Forcefield analysis

Use this tool to help you identify the forces working for and against a particular option

Even over statements

Use this tool to help your organisation explore tradeoffs

What is business planning?

Learn about what business planning is in your organisation's context

  • Business planning and strategy

Writing your business plan

Find out about how to write your business plan for your organisation

  • Business planning and strategy

Title page

Writing the title page section of your business plan

  • Business planning and strategy

Contents page

Writing the content page section of your business plan

  • Business planning and strategy

Theory of change for strategic planning and evaluation (1 day)

Learn how to create your own theory of change and narrative. This course will challenge you to think critically about what you're doing and why

Supporting good governance (4 x 0.5 days)

This course will help you implement structures and processes to support trustees, and ensure systems are aligned with your organisation’s purpose and objectives

Charity finance skills (1 day)

This course will help people with little or no financial background to feel confident in managing day-to-day charity finance

Equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) in charity governance (2 x 0.5 days)

This course has been created by The Social Justice Collective to help you understand, address and embed equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) into your governance practice

NCVO member welcome and refresher session: July 2025

Being an NCVO member means being part of a community. Whether you've just joined us, or you're renewing your membership and need a refresher, join this session to meet and network with other members online

Charity trustee induction and refresher (2 x 0.5 days)

This course will give trustees an overview and understanding of charity governance, regulation and best practice

All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Charities and Volunteering

A chance to hear from regulators about their plans for the voluntary sector.

Outcomes and impact measurement (1 day)

Learn how to create an evaluation plan to better understand and demonstrate the difference your work makes

Managing conflict and ending volunteering well (0.5 day)

This course will help you to manage conflict and problem solve with your volunteers, and navigate the process of ending volunteering well.

Managing people in the charity sector (2 days)

This course will equip managers in the voluntary sector with the skills and techniques they need to effectively manage paid members of staff