Governance Resources

The unique nature of NFPs, such as associations, charities, institutes, clubs and societies, means they require robust governance systems. They often have a wide scope and it is important that the correct framework is implemented to suit each organisation. Issues such as forming an association, directors’ & officers’ responsibilities, effective boards, incorporation, and single entity/federation matters are all vital to running a not-for-profit organisation.

Resources in this section, written by experts in the field, will address many of these issues to assist you in running or setting up your organisation

Top Governance Resources

Latest Governance Resources

40 Tips for Association Boards

Board Structure and Management

John Peacock is the Chief Executive Officer of Associations Forum and is one of Australia’s most experienced advisors to associations and is a thought leader for the associations sector. Kathy Nguyen, Manager - Client Services at Associations Forum, has worked on over 30 consulting projects helping association clients improve their structure, operations and governance. They have provided 40 tips…

Changes to org.au eligibility for not-for-profits

The org.au namespace serves Australia’s large and important not-for-profit and charity sectors so it is key that the community can have trust and confidence in org.au. auDA's role is to administer the rules for who can register an org.au domain name. A new set of rules for .au domain names is coming into effect on 12 April 2021. These new rules streamline and build on our existing rules and contain some key changes to help build and maintain trust in the .au domain. In…

Director Identification Numbers to be introduced in 2021

The Director Identification Number (DIN) is a unique identifier for current directors, or people who want to become directors, of a company or a registered body. The DIN is expected to commence in 2021 and will apply to some associations. Will the DIN apply to your association?The DIN will apply to associations that are companies limited by guarantee under the Corporations Act 2001. It will not apply to associations incorporated under the State and Territory Associations…

Board succession planning

Strategic Planning

Directors are temporary custodians of the association they serve. Part of their responsibility is to ensure the existence of a succession plan to enable continued good governance. Associations Forum’s Denys Correll provides some tips to help you with your succession planning.

External Reviews improve associations

Strategic Planning

By John Peacock AM, CEO, Associations ForumIndependent expert analysis of an association via an External Review allows a fresh perspective that will boost the effectiveness of an association. One of the magical aspects of associations is that many of them are very much the same - yet also completely different. Certainly, the causes pursued are distinct, ranging from avocados to banking, construction, dentistry, education…

Register of Members

Article by Jonathan Casson, Partner, Holman Webb Lawyers. Extract: Several recent events, including the current dispute at CPA Australia, have once again highlighted the importance of understanding members’ rights regarding access to the Register of Members (‘Register’). All companies, including those limited by guarantee, must maintain such a Register.…

10 steps for successful planning days

Strategic Planning

The reason associations must plan is clear: if an association doesn’t agree on what it wants to do, it will be harder to achieve desired outcomes. A documented annual plan needs to be initially developed at a face-to-face Planning Day, attended by the Board and CEO, and then actioned by the association management.

AGM Guide (Free for Associations Forum Members)

Associations Forum’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) Guide has been written to assist the smooth and appropriate running of an association General Meeting. The AGM Guide is available free of charge to members of Associations Forum. Please contact membership@associations.net.au to request a copy. This edition of Associations Forum’s AGM Guide has been written for public companies limited by guarantee under the Commonwealth of Australia’s…

Board Charter (Free for Associations Forum Members)

A sample Board Charter for associations is available to members of Associations Forum. Please contact membership@associations.net.au to request a copy. The purpose of the Board Charter is to define the rights and responsibilities of the Directors of the association to assist them in fulfilling their duties and obligations. Table of contents 1 Overview 2 Role of the Board 3 Responsibilities 4 Board…

Incorporating an Australian association

Incorporating an Association

By John Peacock, Chief Executive Officer, Associations Forum Associations in Australia have expressed interest in an opinion on the advantages and disadvantages of incorporating an association as either: An incorporated association under State or Territory associations incorporation legislation; or as a A company limited by guarantee under the Commonwealth Corporations Act 2001. The ideas expressed…

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