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TensorCalculus
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This one is pretty random, but I honestly have no better place to post this request than on PF so... here I am.
Basically, a nonprofit that me and a couple of friends made submitted an application to become a UK-based charity. We offer Hackathons to teenagers for free in essence.
When filling in that application we, obviously, had no idea what we were doing: we just filled in the information boxes how we thought fit.
3 months and a lot of anticipation later, the application gets rejected. Apparently, the UK charity registration process is a tough nut to crack. But we need that application: the universities, for some reason, won't collaborate otherwise.
I asked a while ago about how I should get hackathon sponsors, and @jack action gave me a lot of really useful feedback which I took into account when emailing sponsors. Long story short: it worked for companies but not for Universities: ghosted by Cambridge Uni even after multiple follow-ups, and the rest of the Universities? A couple were actually willing to help... on the basis that we are a UK registered charity. They told us that if we come back with a charity registration, they'd support us. Alongside this, multiple perks like free google workspace, charity discounts on various assets... etc... require us to be a UK registered charity. And it gives us more credibility with sponsors, of course.
The applications take at least 3 months to process and we want to be a charity ASAP so we really need to not mess this application up, we can't afford to be rejected again: is there anyone here who's done this before and could provide support? Or who knows somewhere where I could get some help?If anyone can help then I'll post the details (probably on DMs, though mentors tell me if this isn't allowed since I remember some sort of rule about not asking for help in DMs, don't know if this violates that) - I'm a bit reluctant to post too much detail and even more reluctant to post it on a thread which is publicly visible so I'll only do it if someone knows they can help, if that's fine (no personal information in it, but just cautious).
Just realised that the decision doesn't contain as much sensitive information as I thought so here it is:
The application form tells us the following only in relation to how the proposed CIO will
carry out its objects:
- “We will organise in-person and online hackathon events at venues in the UK, for
teenagers, where they make technology projects to promote coding and creativity.
For in-person events, we will secure venues at established technology companies.
We will work with schools to invite students to these events. Supervising volunteers,
for safeguarding purposes, will be DBS checked, and will complete online
safeguarding training. Venues will be risk-assessed, and parents will be sent
consent forms for teenagers to attend the event”.
The application form does not identify a clear charitable purpose which is being advanced
by the organisation. At ‘how the organisation carries out its purposes’ you provide a broad
overview of the activities, but there is a lack of explanation of how the activities are
delivered at a practical level, what the activities consist of, and importantly the application
does not clearly link back the activities to a clear charitable purpose.
We would expect to see a detailed and carefully considered framework and/or planning
that the proposed CIO has in place to ensure that the services/activities that the proposed
CIO will provide would meet the public benefit requirement (in that it is delivered in a
manner that will be beneficial, appropriate and safe). No such framework/planning has
been submitted as part of the application for registration.
The application and the proposed CIO’s official website do not demonstrate a charitable
purpose for public benefit.
Basically, a nonprofit that me and a couple of friends made submitted an application to become a UK-based charity. We offer Hackathons to teenagers for free in essence.
When filling in that application we, obviously, had no idea what we were doing: we just filled in the information boxes how we thought fit.
3 months and a lot of anticipation later, the application gets rejected. Apparently, the UK charity registration process is a tough nut to crack. But we need that application: the universities, for some reason, won't collaborate otherwise.
I asked a while ago about how I should get hackathon sponsors, and @jack action gave me a lot of really useful feedback which I took into account when emailing sponsors. Long story short: it worked for companies but not for Universities: ghosted by Cambridge Uni even after multiple follow-ups, and the rest of the Universities? A couple were actually willing to help... on the basis that we are a UK registered charity. They told us that if we come back with a charity registration, they'd support us. Alongside this, multiple perks like free google workspace, charity discounts on various assets... etc... require us to be a UK registered charity. And it gives us more credibility with sponsors, of course.
The applications take at least 3 months to process and we want to be a charity ASAP so we really need to not mess this application up, we can't afford to be rejected again: is there anyone here who's done this before and could provide support? Or who knows somewhere where I could get some help?
Just realised that the decision doesn't contain as much sensitive information as I thought so here it is:
The application form tells us the following only in relation to how the proposed CIO will
carry out its objects:
- “We will organise in-person and online hackathon events at venues in the UK, for
teenagers, where they make technology projects to promote coding and creativity.
For in-person events, we will secure venues at established technology companies.
We will work with schools to invite students to these events. Supervising volunteers,
for safeguarding purposes, will be DBS checked, and will complete online
safeguarding training. Venues will be risk-assessed, and parents will be sent
consent forms for teenagers to attend the event”.
The application form does not identify a clear charitable purpose which is being advanced
by the organisation. At ‘how the organisation carries out its purposes’ you provide a broad
overview of the activities, but there is a lack of explanation of how the activities are
delivered at a practical level, what the activities consist of, and importantly the application
does not clearly link back the activities to a clear charitable purpose.
We would expect to see a detailed and carefully considered framework and/or planning
that the proposed CIO has in place to ensure that the services/activities that the proposed
CIO will provide would meet the public benefit requirement (in that it is delivered in a
manner that will be beneficial, appropriate and safe). No such framework/planning has
been submitted as part of the application for registration.
The application and the proposed CIO’s official website do not demonstrate a charitable
purpose for public benefit.
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, my friend filled it in on his laptop because his dad was the trustee, and I think you have to log into something to get a blank application form... but the questions to which there is not one defined answer are along the lines of: