What are the different legal structures of non-profit organisations in Australia?
There are many different non-profit structures that organisations use in Australia. Among them are unincorporated associations, incorporated associations, companies limited by guarantee, cooperatives, charitable trusts, organisations formed by Royal Charter or by Special Act of Parliament, and Indigenous corporations. The Australian government uses not-for-profit and non-profit interchangeably to describe organisations and the sector, along with other terms such as voluntary organisations (VOs) and non-government organisations (NGOs). Third Sector non-profit organisations share similar characteristics: they are non-governmental, they are value-driven rather than profit-driven, and they reinvest financial surpluses to further their objectives.