On this page
- Introduction
- Guide to running a company limited by guarantee (CLG)
- Guide to running a registered charity company limited by guarantee (CLG)
- Guide to running an incorporated association in Victoria
- Guide to running an incorporated association in New South Wales
Introduction
We have published comprehensive guides to running a company limited by guarantee, a charitable company limited by guarantee, an incorporated association in Victoria and an incorporated association in New South Wales.
Don’t know your legal structure?
To find out your organisation’s legal structure:
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If your organisation is a charity, search the ACNC register. Once you have found your organisation’s entry, you can check your rules or constitution which should state the type of legal structure. You can search by name and by ABN or ACN.
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If your organisation is not a charity, you should start with an Australian Business Register (ABR) search. You will need the name and ideally the ABN or ACN of your organisation. If your organisation is a company limited by guarantee (a federal not-for-profit structure) this will be indicated in the entry as ‘Australian public company’. If your organisation is a state-based not-for-profit structure such as an incorporated association or a co-operative, it's likely that the ABR will list it as 'other incorporated entity'. You will then need to search your state or territory regulator of not-for-profits to confirm your structure.
Running a company limited by guarantee (CLG)
Our guide is a comprehensive guide to running a CLG. It’s designed to help directors and others in a company by making them aware of their legal obligations and offering 'good governance' tips and tools for running a CLG in Australia.
The guide also offers those running a CLG practical tools including sample documents, checklists, registers and flowcharts.
Running a registered charity company limited by guarantee (CLG)
Our guide focuses on running a CLG registered with the ACNC. It's designed to help directors and others in a company, by making them aware of their legal obligations and offering 'good governance' tips and tools for running a registered charity CLG in Australia.
The guide also offers those running a registered charity CLG practical tools including sample documents, checklists, registers and flowcharts. It includes case studies and references to ACNC documents, including the ACNC-developed model constitution for a registered charity CLG.
Running an incorporated association in Victoria
Our guide is a comprehensive guide to the secretary's role in running an incorporated association. It includes tool kits, samples and precedents, and examples.
The position of secretary is an important one in any incorporated association in Victoria, and secretaries have special legal responsibilities.
The guide is designed to help the secretary (who used to be known as the 'public officer') and others in your association by explaining legal obligations and offering practical tips and tools for running an incorporated association in Victoria.
Any secretary of an incorporated association in Victoria can benefit from this guide, whether the association is a large association with paid employees, or a small, volunteer-run association.
The new Associations Incorporation Reform Regulations 2023 are now in place
To find out more, see the Consumer Affairs Victoria webpage 'New regulations governing incorporated associations in Victoria'.
Running an incorporated association in New South Wales
Our guide provides comprehensive information on running an incorporated association in New South Wales. It includes tool kits, samples and precedents, and examples.
The guide is designed to help the public officer and office bearers in your association by explaining legal obligations and offering practical tips and tools for running an incorporated association in New South Wales.
Any office bearer of an incorporated association in New South Wales can benefit from this guide, whether the association is a large association with paid employees, or a small, volunteer-run association.
We have been forced to start removing our resources for NSW-based community organisations
A year ago, the NSW Government stopped funding our work. A year on, we now have no choice but to start removing our tailored legal information resources for NSW-based community organisations. We no longer have the funding to keep them up-to-date and legally accurate. We also now have no choice but to cut off our NSW advice services completely.
We know our services are valued and used by tens of thousands of NSW community organisations each year. Without access to our support, many organisations will struggle to navigate legal and governance issues, which in turn impacts their ability to deliver services to their communities efficiently, effectively, and sustainably.
We need your help to ensure a sustainable NSW community sector where frontline organisations can access our free legal support to help them deliver services to the growing number of people in need across the state every day. Find out more.
The content on this webpage was last updated in April 2024 and is not legal advice. See full disclaimer and copyright notice.
