Both the Federal and Victorian governments, as well as the national charity regulator, the ACNC, have announced a number of support measures aimed at helping charities and NFPs stay afloat and ease compliance regulation throughout COVID-19, so they can get on with the job of supporting people at need in our community.
The External Conduct Standards are a set of four standards that govern a registered charity’s operations outside Australia. The External Conduct Standards came into effect in August 2019. These standards aim to increase a charity’s transparency and governance, as well as ensuring any money or other resources a charity sends overseas reach their intended destinations, and that they are only used for purposes and activities consistent with the charity’s purposes.
In a rapidly developing digital world where cyberattacks are commonplace, data protection and privacy policies are becoming increasingly important. Many organisations holding highly sensitive information, such as Charities and Not for Profits ('NFPs'), must now consider whether they require a privacy policy and, if so, what should be included in such policy.
Setting up a not for profit organisation can be a complex and rather daunting process. We have compiled a checklist of key matters that you will need to consider when setting up a not for profit organisation.
A free and multicultural society needs to protect both religious freedoms and people from unwarranted discrimination. The interplay between religious freedom and anti-discrimination laws is becoming increasingly relevant, and at points they seem to be headed for conflict. In this article, we provide some practical tips for avoiding discrimination claims.
A free and multicultural society needs to protect both religious freedoms and people from unwarranted discrimination. The interplay between religious freedom and anti-discrimination laws is becoming increasingly relevant, and at points they seem to be headed for conflict. In this article, we provide a summary of the state of play in Victoria, with specific regard to the Equal Opportunity Act 2010 (Vic).
A free and multicultural society needs to protect both religious freedoms and people from unwarranted discrimination. The interplay between religious freedom and anti-discrimination laws is becoming increasingly relevant, and at points they seem to be headed for conflict. In this article, we examine the current anti-discrimination law in Victoria, and how it applies to religious organisations and organisations with religious affiliation.
Looking for legal advice on merging two 'not for profit' enterprises? Let us guide you with our expert advice. Mergers or amalgamations of two or more 'not for profit' enterprises can be stressful and can quickly involve a complex set of transactions. It is always advised that should you be in this position, you immediately consult a legal practitioner for advice about how to proceed.
Is your Not for Profit organisation exempt from paying income tax? Many Not for Profit organisations are not required to pay income tax, but the process of applying for an exemption differs for different types of Not for Profit organisations. We outline the key factors that enable a non profit organisation to be classified as tax exempt. Read here for more information.
If you are on the committee of an Incorporated Association, you should familiarise yourself with the duties you have to your organisation and its stakeholders. For example, if you thought that only company directors have to worry about insolvent trading, you would be wrong. Many of the duties that apply to company directors also apply to the committee members of Incorporated Associations.
This organisation either had no values or its values were well and truly buried such as to create deep systemic issues, resulting in fraud and theft. It is an extreme example of what can go wrong. Of greater prevalence and concern are the subtle weakening of like organisations where values are relatively unimportant and are not 'lived out', commonly resulting in ineffectiveness, low morale, poor productivity, conflict or dysfunction and delivering less than optimal outcomes.
