Rules for an Unincorporated Charitable Association (Not For Profit)
The Rules for a Charitable Association document sets out practical rules for an unincorporated charitable organisation with respect to key management and operational areas such as committee structure, decision-making processes, member registration, contracting and indemnification.
(0 reviews)
Last updated December 20, 2024
Under 10 minutes
Suitable for Australia
Written by
Edwin Montoya Zorrilla
Reviewed by
Damin Murdock
Document Overview
This document sets out practical rules for an unincorporated charitable organisation with respect to key management and operational areas such as committee structure, decision-making processes, member registration, contracting and indemnification. Having a clearly-defined set of rules will help your charitable organisation establish transparency, clearly define decision-making processes and prevent future disputes.
This document allows you to clearly define the purposes of your unincorporated charitable organisation and the implications of deviating from these purposes.
These template rules may be useful for a small, member-based organisation which is governed by a committee, mostly does it work through volunteers, has minimal assets and does work which has minimal risk. The rules are not suitable for organisations with corporate members (for example, members that are companies).
This document has been adapted from an ACNC template, with changes made to the formatting of the document. For extensive guidance notes on NFP requirements and on using this constitution, see the ACNC guide.
The Legal Risk Score of a Rules for an Unincorporated Charitable Association (Not For Profit) Template
Our legal team have marked this document as medium risk considering:
- The document does not specify a limit on the number of terms a Committee member can serve, potentially resulting in a lack of fresh perspectives and governance challenges if the same individuals remain in control for extended periods.
- It is based on a template provided by the ACNC.
- The rules contained herein will bind the organisation and its members.
Rules for an Unincorporated Charitable Association (Not For Profit) Checklist
Complete your free Rules for an Unincorporated Charitable Association (Not For Profit) with our checklist
All the founding members should agree to these rules
Unincorporated organisations are founded on the consensus of their members.
Keep the document readily available
All members should have easy access to these rules.
Maintain accurate records
Keep detailed and accurate records of all financial transactions and member operations to meet the requirements set out in the document and ensure transparency and accountability.
Engage with members
Communicate regularly with members about their rights and responsibilities, upcoming meetings, and general updates to foster a transparent and inclusive community environment.
Use Rules for a Charitable Association if:
- You run an unincorporated charitable organisation
- You are a small, member-based organisation governed by a committee
- You primarily conduct your activities through volunteers
- You have minimal assets and the work you undertake has minimal risk
What do Rules for a Charitable Association cover?
- Adherence to organisational purposes
- The management of funds and assets
- Financial record-keeping
- Committee structure, decision-making processes and duties
- Contracting and indemnification
- Membership, registration, member rights and disciplinary action
- The alteration of rules
Further information
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