The Hon. Dr Andrew Leigh MP, Assistant Minister for Productivity, Competition and Treasury today announced the Charity Resilience and Productivity Project at the ACNC’s Governing for Good Forum in Melbourne.
The project aims to help realise the ACNC’s second object to support and sustain a robust and innovative sector, by boosting charity education on key governance issues, how to avoid common compliance problems, and to understand new laws and the safe use of new technologies.
ACNC Commissioner Sue Woodward AM said, ‘Our data tells us that most charities are small and over half have no paid staff, while a substantial number serve culturally and linguistically diverse communities. We can help time-poor, low-resource charities by providing tailored tools and training.
‘The project will assist us to build on our already successful education-first approach to regulation. We know if we equip people at the start with the right knowledge and skills, they will run better governed charities and be able to thrive while staying within the rules.’
It will involve support for face-to-face events where charities can meet key regulators and get their questions answered all in one place.
‘We are acutely aware that we are not the only regulator charities deal with,’ Ms Woodward said.
‘We have started bringing key not-for-profit regulators together to assist charities to understand their different obligations. We plan to expand that program to reach more charities around Australia.’
The project will commence in October 2026 and run to June 2028.