Dubai: How to set up a non-profit organisation; documents, process explained

Civil society organisations in the emirate must be licensed by the Community Development Authority

Poojaraj Maniyeri

Published: Wed 4 Sep 2024, 1:50 PM

Last updated: Mon 18 Nov 2024, 6:46 PM

Do you wish to start a charitable organisation? Or are you an artist looking to start your own association? Non-profit civil society organisations in Dubai must be licensed by the Community Development Authority (CDA).

A civil society organisation includes those that conduct activities in the social, healthcare, instructional, cultural, scientific, educational, occupational, creative, artistic, and humanitarian fields, and in any other fields that aim to achieve public benefit as determined pursuant to a resolution issued by the Director General, according to Law No. (12) of 2017.

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The application can be sent to the authority's email: civil.facilities@cda.gov.ae

To set up a civil society organisation, here are the documents required, eligibility, fees and points to note.

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Required documents

For initial stage of the application, the following documents must be submitted:

Completed civil society organisation licence application form (found on CDA website)
Electronic copy of valid passport for all members. For citizens, file number must be presented and non-citizens must show residence visa
Electronic copy of valid national identity card for all members (both sides).
Electronic copy of declaration and undertaking form
Electronic copy of financial plan for next two years
Electronic copy of list of official sponsors (if applicable)

After the initial approval, additional documents must be submitted, including:

Electronic copy of attested constitution and board resolution (in both Arabic and English). This must be issued by Dubai courts.
No-objection letter attested by notary public.
Electronic copy of documents of the premises for the civil organisation. These include land grant, lease agreement by the name of the civil organisation, no-objection for the use of a real estate, and others that may be required. The documents must be issued by Dubai Land Department.

After initial approval, an inspection will be conducted of the organisation's premises. If CDA approves the application, the electronic copy of an account with a domestic national bank must be submitted. The final licence will be issued through email.

Fees

Dh2020 annual fees for the final licence

Points to note

The founding members must meet the following criteria to be eligible:

The number of founders must not be less than ten, two of whom must be UAE nationals. The Director General can decrease or increase the minimum m=number of UAE-national founders
Founding members must be 21 or above at the time of submitting the licence application
If the founding member is a GCC national, they must be a UAE resident
Other non-UAE nationals must have resided in the country for atleast 3 years, and hold a valid residence visa
The founders must have full legal capacity, be of good character and repute and not have been convicted of any felony or other crime affecting honour or trustworthiness, unless he has been rehabilitated.
The licence is valid for one year, and can be renewed

The civil society association must submit a charter which includes:

The name of the association, which must be different from names of other associations with similar activities, must indicate the objectives of the association, and be approved by CDA
Proposed premises, geographic scope of the association's work
The objectives, association's activities and its categories
Founder members' names, nationalities, occupations, places of residence
Types of membership and requirements, procedures for acceptance and revocation of membership, members' rights and duties
Rules and regulations governing the convention and functions of ordinary and extraordinary General Assemblies
Procedures for convoking General Assembly meetings, conditions for the validity of these meetings, and the methods of passing General Assembly decisions
Method of forming Board of Directors and their functions
Conditions for forfeit or cessation of membership
Rules of amending the charter
Procedures for establishing and closing down its branches and centres, or merging with other associations
The financial resources, its utilisation and allocation for the association
Methods of controlling the expenditure, and beginning and end dates of association's financial year
Imprest system (if any) and the imprest amount maintained to meet contingent expenditure
Conditions for voluntary dissolution, and rules for liquidation
Any other information the CDA deems necessary.

For a civil society association to be licensed, it must not be a branch of an association already licensed outside of the UAE.

Additionally, receiving an application does not imply approval by CDA. The authority may reject an application in public interest, or because it does not fulfill conditions in Law No. (12) of 2017.

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