Articles written By Better Boards

What is an Unincorporated Association?

Although an unincorporated association does not have the same economic significance as larger non-profit organisations, its great number and presence in many communities across the country attest to the robust nature of choosing it as a legal structure. In a 2021 report, Volunteering Australia found that there are nearly 6 million people who volunteer through an organisation every year. The most popular activities for volunteering are sports and physical recreation, religious organisations, and education and training.

What is Deductible Gift Recipient (DGR) Status?

Deductible gift recipient (DGR) status carries with it certain legal responsibilities and only certain types of entities qualify. As with organisations registered as a charity, a deductible gift recipient or DGR receives a special legal status that can only be assigned and endorsed by the Australian Taxation Office (ATO). These entities must conduct their activities under specific categories. What is a Deductible Gift Recipient (DGR) Status? Entities that are endorsed as a deductible gift recipient (DGR) can receive income tax deductible donations.

Board Evaluation

Board Evaluation is an important process that helps to assess the performance and effectiveness of an organisation’s boards of directors. The board evaluation process is essential in determining whether the board is discharging its roles and responsibilities effectively, and whether it is working as an effective team. A well designed evaluation will be comprehensive and will help determine if the systems, structures and processes supporting the board are also effective.

Majority

A “majority” refers to the specific number (or percentage) of votes from directors that are needed to pass a motion or make a decision. A majority is defined as more than 50% of the votes cast by the directors who are present at a meeting and entitled to vote. A majority is an important tool in all boardrooms because it is used to determine the outcome of decisions made by a board.

Quorum

The quorum is a decision making mechanism that any formal group or board can use to help ensure decisions made at their meetings are fair and democratic manner. It helps to maintain democratic process and means that a small number of members cannot make rouge decisions that are not in the best interests of the organisations. Without the quorum mechanism, some boards would not be able to effectively make decisions.

Board Calendar

A Board Calendar is an essential tool in every boardroom. The board calendar is a schedule of meetings, events and other activities intended to help a board of directors plan and manage its activities. A Board Calendar assists with providing structure to the Board’s activities in a given year thereby ensuring that each meeting is focused, everything is covered in a sensible order, and ultimately that nothing critical is missed.

What is an Indigenous Corporation?

When establishing a non-profit organisation specialising in providing programs or services to Aboriginal and Torres Strait groups, founding an Indigenous Corporation is a great option. An Indigenous Corporation is a specific type of organisational legal structure that can be used in Australia. Indigenous Corporations are overseen by the Office of the Registrar of Indigenous Corporations (ORIC), an independent statutory office appointed by the Minister for Indigenous Affairs under the Corporations (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander) Act 2006.

What is an Incorporated Association?

An incorporated association is one of several formal legal structures available to non-profit organisations in Australia. Incorporating your association can offer your members certain rights and legal benefits. The main benefit of incorporating as an association is that your members will have limited liability status and will be protected legally if you fail to meet your financial obligations or are sued for negligence. When establishing a non-profit organisation, founders can choose from a large range of legal formats.

Cooperatives in Australia: What are they?

Co-operatives in Australia come in several different forms. The co-op organisational structure may be the right one for you if your goal is to produce goods and services in an isolated community where the middleman is making it difficult for businesses to thrive or people to access affordable services. Co-ops in Australia may vary since each has its own unique purpose and membership. An organisation’s legal structure will determine the types of activities you are legally able to carry out and which government bodies it is required to seek registration from or report to.

Committee

A committee is a group of individuals appointed or elected to perform a specific task or to make decisions collectively. It can refer to a group in a not-for-profit, business, government, or other organisations. The members of a committee typically work together to discuss, debate, and make decisions on issues within their area of responsibility. Committees in not-for-profit organisations, sometimes call sub-committees, typically report to the board of directors and provide recommendations and suggestions on specific topics.