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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

Safeguarding day-to-day

Understand how to make safeguarding part of your everyday activities and review what you are doing

  • Safeguarding

Getting people involved

Safeguarding works best when everyone is involved. Find out how to make that happen

  • Safeguarding

Choosing staff, volunteers and trustees

When to take checks and other recruitment steps that help keep people safe

  • Safeguarding

Policies and procedures

Find out about the most important documents needed for good safeguarding

  • Safeguarding

Roles and responsibilities

Making sure people take on the right roles and responsibilities to keep people safe

  • Safeguarding

Recognise, respond and report

Preparing staff and volunteers so they’re ready to deal with problems when they happen

  • Safeguarding

Understanding the risks

Identifying the types of harm that people you work with might experience

  • Safeguarding

Safeguarding training

Find training designed for charities, voluntary organisations and community groups

  • Safeguarding

Local and national support

Find organisations that can help you plan and review your safeguarding work

  • Safeguarding

About this guide

Find out who this guide is for and how to use it

  • Safeguarding

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

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

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

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.

NCVO/Zurich webinar: navigating financial risk with confidence

Learn how to navigate today’s toughest financial challenges facing small voluntary organisations. Discover the tools, insights, and real-world examples you need to build resilience, manage risk and lead with financial confidence.