Articles

What's Before SWOT

Preparing for Strategic Planning There is a story about the tourist who stopped a local resident to ask directions. “Well, I wouldn’t start from here if I was going there” was the less than useful advice. Just like the tourist, you have to recognise where you are and get to a good starting point before setting out on your strategic journey. Most readers will be familiar with SWOT analysis. As a reminder, SWOT is about identifying the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats around your business.

What is a Public Ancillary Fund (PubAF)?

A Public ancillary fund (PubAF) is an entity that receives and distributes money or property to charitable organisations. PubAFs are run by a company that agrees to assume the role of a trustee. They are typically led by a group of individuals who are recognised in their community as having important responsibilities or positions such as school principal, member of parliament, or doctor. In 2020, Australia had 3,192 ancillary funds on record valued at a total of $10.

Engaging Remote Teams: Key Skills for Leaders

The benefits and risks of teams working remotely Over the past few years, beliefs about how, where, and when work is performed have shifted, and employee expectations and needs have changed. Technology now often allows us the ability to get the same job done, no matter where we are. This means remote work options are not only viable, but sometimes preferred. As a result, many employees now conduct a lot of their work remotely (physically apart) and this has led to more work being conducted virtually (communicating, collaborating, and interacting in a virtual space).

What are Related Party Transactions?

Related party transactions are a normal part of the business if your organisation works closely with other entities or individuals and enters into agreements. The Australian government’s regulations for related party transactions likely apply to you. Related party relationships are a normal part of doing business. However, when a person in a leadership position has ties to two entities the organisation conducts business or collaborates with, these relationships can affect the way each entity will manage money, make decisions, or create policies.

How Do Australians View the Leadership and Governance of the Charity Sector

Charities are at the heart of social ecosystems and play a vital role in building and sustaining flourishing communities. Yet, charities face several interlocking challenges that have only become more complex in a post-pandemic environment. In this context, charities are grappling with increased demand for services, financial sustainability, increasing job complexity, a declining volunteer workforce and the need to re-establish relationships with donors, all in the context of sustained impacts on the mental health, well-being and resilience of charity employees and leaders.

What Is Auspicing?

Auspicing is a fairly common practice for unregistered or unincorporated non-profits in Australian such as informal groups or new organisations that may not have legal standing on their own. This type of agreement may be a good fit if a group of individuals or a local club want to run a project or host an event such as a festival or exhibition, a community pilot, a local study group or youth club, or a national sporting competition.

Top-10 Business Continuity Tips that Won't Break the Bank

Don’t be ’too busy’ to make a Business Continuity Plan Regardless of the industry you operate in, you will be expected by customers, staff, suppliers, general public and other stakeholders, to be prepared for a potential disruption - whether it be caused by a power outage, staff shortage, cyber-attack, flood, earthquake, fire, network outage, supply chain issue, flu outbreak or other cause. For the sake of your business and stakeholders, it is paramount that you implement a Business Continuity Plan (BCP).

What is a Proprietary Limited Company (Pty Ltd)?

Jump to Section What is a Proprietary Limited Company? Pty Ltd Characteristics Difference between Ltd and Pty Ltd Benefits of Forming a Pty Ltd in Australia How to Set Up a Pty Ltd Company Pty Ltd and the Corporations Act 2001 Additional Resources References One of the most frequent legal structures Australian businesses choose is the proprietary limited company or Pty Ltd. Similar to other company forms such as a company limited by shares or an unlimited company, Pty Ltd entities operating in Australia are regulated by the Corporations Act 2001 and have legal obligations associated with the Australian Securities and Investments Commission and the Australian Taxation Office.

Illiquidity Vs Insolvency

A non-profit organisation’s financial health is vital to achieving its mission. As stewards of the organisation, board members must understand two key financial concepts - illiquidity and insolvency. On the surface, they may seem similar. But illiquidity and insolvency stem from different causes and have different implications. This article will explain what illiquidity and insolvency mean, their key differences, and provide real-world examples to illustrate how non-profit boards should interpret and respond to signs of financial distress.

Strategic Planning Principles and Practices

Accepting a position as a director requires a willingness to personally grow and develop one’s governance and leadership skills, experience and knowledge, and a commitment to allocating the necessary time to fulfil directors’ corporate governance roles and responsibilities. Strategic leadership is one of the four overarching governance responsibilities of a board; the most well-known manifestation of a board’s strategic leadership is the development and driving of a strategic plan, in partnership with the chief executive officer (CEO) and executives/senior managers.