Working document notice
This is a working governance document and may be updated as AidWorkers develops, appoints trustees, registers or formalises its legal structure. It should be reviewed before being used as a final legal constitution.
1. Name and structure
The name of the organisation is AidWorkers. For public communication, the organisation may also operate using AidWorkers.com and approved project or campaign names that further its purposes.
AidWorkers is to be established as a charitable organisation governed by this document. Subject to registration and legal advice, the preferred structure is a charitable organisation with trustees acting as the governing body responsible for control, administration and strategic direction.
2. Charitable purposes
The purposes of AidWorkers are to relieve poverty, hardship, distress and suffering among people affected by conflict, famine, displacement, disaster, disease, public health emergencies, economic collapse, social exclusion or other humanitarian crises.
AidWorkers also exists to support humanitarian aid workers, local responders, volunteers, community organisers and trusted individuals working directly with affected people, especially where rapid, practical or locally informed action is needed.
3. Direct humanitarian assistance
AidWorkers may facilitate direct humanitarian action by providing, arranging or supporting access to funds, supplies, logistics, information, equipment, food, water, shelter, medical support, basic needs and other practical assistance.
The organisation may prioritise people and communities who are underrepresented, overlooked, difficult to reach, excluded from larger systems of aid or not receiving timely support through conventional institutional channels.
4. Core principles
Decisions should be led by the needs, dignity and safety of people affected by crisis or hardship.
The organisation should seek practical routes to help people quickly, responsibly and lawfully.
The organisation should avoid unnecessary bureaucracy, inflated structures and activities that do not support its purposes.
AidWorkers should remain independent in decision-making and avoid dependence on any single external body.
5. Powers
To carry out its purposes, AidWorkers may raise funds, receive donations, apply for grants, accept gifts, provide financial support, purchase and distribute supplies, support cash-based humanitarian action, work with trusted partners, publish information, recruit people, operate bank accounts, hold funds, enter contracts and take lawful action necessary to further its purposes.
6. Trustees and emergency decisions
AidWorkers shall be managed by a board of trustees. Trustees are responsible for ensuring the organisation acts only to further its purposes, protects its assets and reputation, uses funds responsibly, manages risk, maintains records and avoids unnecessary overhead.
Humanitarian need may be urgent. Trustees may create procedures for emergency decisions where delay would prevent effective support, increase suffering or cause a practical opportunity to be lost. Emergency decisions should still be lawful, proportionate, recorded and reviewed.
7. Financial controls, safeguarding and sensitive records
Trustees must ensure proper financial controls are in place, including suitable bank accounts, payment controls, records of income and expenditure, approval limits, urgent expenditure procedures, fraud checks, conflict checks and regular financial review.
AidWorkers must take safeguarding seriously. Sensitive records, personal data, operational information and partner details should be handled with discretion. Where retention creates unnecessary risk and it is lawful to do so, records may be securely deleted, anonymised or destroyed.
8. Amendments and dissolution
Trustees may amend this governing document where permitted by law. If the organisation is dissolved, remaining assets must be applied only for charitable purposes that are the same as or similar to the purposes of AidWorkers.
This working document is to be reviewed, adopted and signed by trustees when the governance structure is formalised.