Strong governing documents and effective partnerships share something important; both help charities build sturdy foundations. When done well, both help charities stay focused on their purpose, manage challenges and maximise impact.
At a time when charities are navigating a range of challenges − including higher operating costs, growing community needs, and pressure to respond to emerging social issues and international crises – these foundations need to be resilient and fit for purpose.
This is why governing documents and working with partners are the ACNC’s 2026-27 regulatory focus areas.
Our regulatory focus areas are informed by what we see through our work with charities, including emerging trends, recurring issues, and opportunities to help charities strengthen their governance and manage risk. This year's focus areas reflect two fundamental elements of a successful charity: the arrangements that guide its decision-making, and the relationships that support its work in the community.
Every charity has a governing document. Whether it is called a constitution, rules or a trust deed, it sets out a charity's purpose, how decisions are made, and how members are consulted.
A governing document is much more than a legal requirement. It is a charity's 'north star' – providing direction and helping boards, committees and members stay focused on what the charity has been established to achieve. Having a modern document that is written in a way that members and those governing the charity can understand is important. It can be a big help if frictions arise – people will understand what rights they have to call meetings and how the charity’s governing body is appointed or changed, for example.
Charities evolve over time as they grow, respond to new challenges and opportunities. It may be that the purpose of your charity as set in your governing document needs to be updated – perhaps education is now the primary focus rather than material aid. This doesn’t mean your status (your eligibility) to be a registered ACNC charity is going to be lost, just that your charitable purpose(s) or the charity sub-type your charity is registered for needs to be updated.
A charity’s governing document also plays an important role in transparency. As part of a charity's registration with the ACNC, its governing document is provided to us and published on the ACNC Charity Register. This helps supporters, donors, volunteers and members of the public understand your charity's purpose and governance arrangements, and, in turn, supports trust and confidence in the sector. Check what shows on the register for your charity and make sure it shows your current constitution!
While governing documents provide the foundation for a charity's work, partnerships often help bring that work to life.
Many charities work with third parties to deliver programs, provide services, or undertake fundraising activities. These partnerships can create valuable opportunities, but they also bring with them responsibilities and risks that charities need to understand and manage.
Before entering a partnership (whether formal/ informal, legally binding or not), charities should undertake appropriate due diligence. This includes assessing risks, considering potential conflicts of interest and ensuring your prospective partner's values and activities align with your charity's purpose and objectives.
Our governance toolkit on working with partners can help your charity better understand its obligations and responsibilities in this area.
I encourage all charities to take some time in the months ahead to review their governing documents and to consider how they assess and manage their key partnerships. Small steps taken now can help strengthen your organisation well into the future.
Reflecting the value of partnerships, I’d also like to acknowledge one of the ACNC’s key partners, our Advisory Board. At the beginning of August, we welcomed four new members following the completion of the terms of four existing members.
The Hon Dr Andrew Leigh MP, Assistant Minister for Productivity, Competition, Charities and Treasury, announced that Ms Alice Macdougall, Professor Ian Murray, Krystian Seibert and Dr Rosy Walia would begin three-year terms starting on 2 August 2026.
Collectively, our new Advisory Board members bring with them expertise spanning charity law, philanthropy, governance, multicultural communities and service delivery. I look forward to working with them and drawing on their insights in the years ahead.
Thank you to our outgoing Advisory Board members – Emeritus Professor Myles McGregor-Lowndes OAM, Ms Anna Bacik, David Crosbie and Rosa Loria – for their dedicated contribution. They have been invaluable, consistently bringing the experiences and challenges of charities to the table and helping ensure the sector's voice is heard.
And finally, a reminder that our annual Governing for Good Forum is fast approaching. It will be held on Friday 14 August and is free to attend online. Registrations are still open, and if you can’t join us live, we will have recordings available to watch later.
Warm regards,
Sue Woodward AM
ACNC Commissioner