It is a fundamental principle of charity law that charities must be independent. In the final part of a three-part series Anne-Marie Piper and James Maloney examine some of the issues that arise when charities have a close relationship with third parties including founders, funders and other third parties and with other charities in a group or federal structure.

Introduction

In our first article, we explored issues arising where a third party seeks to influence a charity through its constitution (in the case of founders) and its funding. In the second part, we looked at conflicts of interest and loyalty. In this final instalment, we will look at mutual obligations and the provision of services with a case study relating to grouping of charities.