Constitutions are the rules that drive an association's structure and governance but are not always appropriate or well constructed. Our Constitution Review service highlights matters for consideration by associations including constitution content, governance structure, member definitions and Board composition.

Having reviewed over 400 association constitutions, Associations Forum can provide recommendations on what needs to be reviewed or improved based on legislative requirements and contemporary practice in the association sector. Our reviews highlight omissions or areas of ambiguity and make practical recommendations to help improve your constitution. The review is in the form of a letter with numbered points.

Some common issues we find with constitutions are:

• Often constitutions don't define membership to ensure that only appropriate supporters of the cause can join and vote.
• Some constitutions do not provide clarity regarding how directors are actually elected or appointed.
• Extraneous matters are included in the constitution, e.g. job descriptions.
• The style and language used in constitutions is often not appropriate.

A Constitution Review is an Associations Forum Gold Member Benefit.

Have you reviewed your governing documents recently? The Australian Taxation Office highlights how NFPs need to review their governing documents before completing the NFP self-review return. Learn more.