ACNC Governance Standards

The governance standards aim to ensure that registered charities meet community expectations about acceptable management practices.

Most parishes fall within the definition of a Basic Religious Charity and are exempted from complying with these standards.

Parishes that are incorporated associations, and other Anglican entities that are set up as incorporated associations, are obliged to meet the ACNC Governance Standards.

ACNC GOVERNANCE STANDARDS

Each registered charity (other than Basic Religious Charities) must:

1. Be able to demonstrate, and comply with, its purpose and its character as a not-for-profit entity, and provide information about its purpose to the public.

2. Be accountable to its members/parishioners and provide them with adequate opportunity to raise concerns about the charity’s governance practices.

3. Continue to comply with relevant Australian laws.

4. Take reasonable steps to ensure their responsible persons (i.e. Members of Parish Council or members of the management committee) are:

• not disqualified from managing a corporation; or
  
• not disqualified from being a responsible person of a registered charity.

5. Take reasonable steps to make sure that its responsible persons comply with the following duties:

• To exercise their powers and discharge their duties with due care and diligence;
  
• To act in good faith in the Parish/related entity’s best interests, and to further its purposes;
  
• Not to misuse their position;
  
• Not to misuse information obtained in the performance of their duties as a responsible person of the Parish/related entity;
  
• To disclose perceived or actual material conflicts of interest of the responsible person;
  
• To ensure that the Parish/related entity’s financial affairs are responsibly managed; and
  
• Not to allow the Parish/related entity to operate while insolvent.