Articles

Common Accounting Terms for Not-for-profit Organisations

Having a good level of financial understanding can enable an organisation’s board members to make better decisions about the financial future of the organisation they serve. Understanding common accounting terms can help boards to better understand and systematically record financial transactions, track spending and revenue, and interpret financial statements. While they may not have the expertise to conduct reviews or audits, boards are in a unique position to provide oversight of accounting activities.

Why Succession Planning Should Be Your Board's Superpower

Leadership transitions–whether of the CEO or chair–can have a profound impact on an organisation. Poorly managed transitions may lead to strategic drift, cultural misalignment, and loss of confidence. Effective transitions, however, support strategic momentum, strengthen leadership teams, and reinforce values. Succession planning, therefore is not just an operational task — it is a critical strategic responsibility of the board. Elements to consider: 1. Aligning leadership transitions with organisational values Organisational values are the foundation of culture and decision-making.

Preparing Your NFP Organisation to be 'Merger Fit' in Challenging Times

Co-authored with Felicity Iredale and Portia Pascuzzi. Mergers between not-for-profit (NFP) organisations are increasingly being considered due to current economic and regulatory challenges. This is occurring across the whole sector, from aged care to disability, health to community services and everything in between. Mergers can present a unique opportunity to bolster service offerings to the community. However, for some, mergers are seen as a way to survive. Either way, it is critical to be “Merger Fit”.

From the Boardroom to the Break Room - Embedding Governance in Daily Practice

At Freshcare, we’ve come to understand that governance shouldn’t be confined to the boardroom. If we’re serious about transparency, accountability, and integrity, then governance must live in the daily decisions, actions, and culture of the whole organisation—not just in formal reports or annual reviews. We’re not there yet—but we’re on the journey. Over the past three years, we’ve made a deliberate effort to embed governance principles across our team. We’ve seen real progress, but we’re still learning, refining, and adapting.

Beyond the Board Skills Matrix - Leadership Capacity Planning

The value of a board skills matrix goes beyond checking off a few boxes. Diverse boards are vital to an organisation’s long-term success and ability to self-assess. Yet, many non-profit leaders feel unequipped to manage certain aspects of their oversight responsibilities. A report from Stanford University found that 70% of nonprofit board directors don’t have a succession plan in place and that a third are dissatisfied with their ability to evaluate the performance of their organisation.

Using AI: Has Your Board Done Its Homework

Artificial intelligence (AI) is in its infancy. Yet, its impacts are profound and evolving. Not-for-profits and charities (NFPs) have demonstrated a slow uptake of AI, reflecting a neutral or cautious approach to its use. The reluctance can be attributed to a hyperawareness of the costs and risks associated with AI as an emerging tool and perhaps, a gap in understanding that informed and strategic AI use can strengthen operations and bolster outcomes for organisations.

Writing Effective Resolutions - Tips on How to Write a Clear and Actionable Board Resolution

Using best practices to write a board resolution is an important step for directors who want to be accountable to their members and beneficiaries. The decisions board directors make represent the final authority of an organisation and, consequently, can have repercussions, not only on the governance of the entity but on its ability to operate. Resolutions formalize important decisions made by the board by putting them in writing. Having a clear process for writing, presenting, and voting on resolutions is essential to helping a board meet its legal obligations to ASIC and other regulators.

The 'S' Opportunity for Not-for-Profit Leaders

What is ESG? ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) principles and practices are significant factors for investors and members to consider when determining a company’s ethical value. Adherence to ESG frameworks is increasingly important for a company’s sustainability and for retaining its social license to operate. It is worth noting that companies that don’t define and measure their ESG authentically and ethically will face increasing scrutiny and potential backlash from a better-informed community.

Institutional Memory as Strategy: A Board’s Guide to Preserving Organisational Knowledge

In the words of researcher and librarian Alex Byrne, preserving memories gives you awareness and written evidence of events important decisions and changes. Preserving institutional memory enables future board members and staff to access and utilise organisational knowledge such as artifacts, data, images, and texts. Corporate memory provides a better understanding of buildings, monuments, and sites, and transmits traditions and professional practices. For information to be useful, it needs to be organised and prioritised, retained and stored, and made available to those who need it.

How an IT Strategy Can Boost Your Not-for-profit's Impact

Why you need to align your technology investments with your strategic plan… I asked my new client for a copy of their strategic plan. It was beautiful! Full-colour, professionally formatted: a one-pager and a more detailed plan that broke down the key objectives into major activities. A single bullet point buried in those pages of activities caught my eye: “Technology to support our business needs.” “Can I see the plan behind this tech activity?