Societies vs trusts legal differences and which ngo model is best for you

Understanding the difference in laws between a society and a trust is necessary before you choose one for your ngo. A trust is regulated by the Indian Trusts Act for the purpose of property management for defined people but a society is formed under the Societies Registration Act to aim at shared targets and involve its members. A trust is set up through a trust deed, but societies need only a memorandum of association and rules. If your organization intends to invest money for particular causes, creating a trust may work best. Alternatively, if you want more people in the community to get involved and shape the organization, a society could work best.