GuideStar International has taken back ownership of the GuideStar UK website following the Directory of Social Change’s decision to place GuideStar Data Services into administration.

DSC acquired the free public website and database of GuideStar UK from GuideStar International in March this year, along with the trading arm GuideStar Data Services (GDS), a community interest company.

But difficult trading conditions hindered the progress of GDS and earlier this month DSC, as its sole shareholder, chose to place it in administration.

Now GuideStar International, the UK-registered charity whose mission is the “illuminate the work of the world’s civil society organisations”, has exercised its option to reacquire the GuideStar UK programme.

Tinsley Goad, chief executive of GuideStar International, said: “We’re saddened that operations of the community interest company have been discontinued, but we look forward to continuing to deliver the GuideStar UK website and its database of registered charities as an important public service.”