Three Different Kinds of Evidence
The terms below organize evidence; they do not determine a document's legal effect. Read the actual wording, authority and circumstances behind each one.
| Term | What It Is and Who Gives It | What It Can Show | What It Cannot Show Alone |
|---|---|---|---|
| Internal endorsement | An organization's decision about its own proposal, given by its authorized decision-maker | Approval of a specified submission within that decision's scope | Approval by a separate organization or of later changes |
| Supporter's expression of interest | A statement from a possible supporter about proposed involvement | The interest, conditions and limits actually stated | An unconditional resource commitment or authority to sign for others |
| Authority to enter an agreement | Power held by an authorized representative under applicable rules | Who may make specified commitments and within which limits | That an agreement exists or what legal effect it has |
Three Documents in a Fictional File
On October 12, 2026, Harbor Learning Network's executive director emails “approved to submit draft v2.” The supplied approval explicitly covers only attached draft v2. Its delegation record concerns the network's own submissions, and the approval excludes the later clinic letter.
On October 20, Lakeside Clinic writes that it is “interested in hosting up to two workshops if space allows.” No signed partner agreement is in this file. That absence does not, by itself, determine whether obligations have arisen through other words or conduct.
The clinic letter is eight calendar days later than the internal approval. Date order identifies the documents' sequence. The supplied approval's explicit scope, rather than those eight days alone, establishes that it does not cover the clinic letter. The clinic's conditional wording also differs from an unconditional offer of workshop space.
Read Scope, Not Just the Heading
Four questions expose what a document actually supports:
- Who: Which entity and representative made the statement?
- What scope: Which version, activity or resources does it address?
- What limit: Which conditions, exclusions or unresolved terms does it contain?
- What authority: What evidence shows the person could make that decision?
“Approved” is incomplete without an object and scope. “Nonbinding” in a heading supplies no standalone conclusion about legal effect. In this file, the two organizations' authorized representatives decide whether to enter an agreement, and qualified legal reviewers assess its effect. This page gives no signing procedure or legal verdict.
Source Scope and Related Resources
The Charity Commission's 2011 agreement checklist, November 2020 decision guidance, March 2024 CC34 and 2011 partner checklist concern England and Wales charity arrangements and controls. They do not classify this fictional file. The UK public-sector Short Form Contract buyer guidance, September 2025, lists separate signing and services-commencement dates among provisions absent from that model. It illustrates why actual terms need checking, not a general NGO rule.
Use the partnership agreement brief for the separate relationship-description task and the discussion worksheet to record proposed arrangements for review.