The Governance Standards are a set of core, minimum standards that deal with how charities are run (including their processes, activities and relationships) – their governance.

The Standards require charities to remain charitable, operate lawfully, and be run in an accountable and responsible way. They help charities remain trusted by the public and continue to do their charitable work. Because the Governance Standards are a set of high-level principles, not precise rules, your charity must decide how it will comply with them.

Charities must meet the ACNC's Governance Standards to be registered and remain registered with the ACNC.

The ACNC's five Governance Standards cover charities':

1. Purposes and not-for-profit nature
2. Accountability to members
3. Compliance with Australian laws
4. Suitability of Responsible Persons
5. Duties of Responsible Persons.