Our self-evaluation tool aims to help charities assess whether they are meeting their obligations, and to identify issues that may prevent them from doing so.
The self-evaluation poses questions and prompts you to describe the practical steps your charity is taking to meet its obligations and to list the relevant policies or procedures it has.
Before you start
Before starting work on your charity's self-evaluation, it is a good idea to consider its circumstances.
You should ask:
- What does your charity do? Consider its objects, the activities and programs it delivers, and where these services are delivered.
- Who is involved? Consider the people who come into contact with your charity, including beneficiaries, volunteers, employees and contractors.
- How is your charity run? Consider the mix of skills and experience of the Responsible People, how decisions are made, and how your charity is funded.
- What are the risks most relevant to your charity’s work? Consider your responses to the questions above to identify the risks your charity needs to manage.
Using the self-evaluation
Download the document and work through each of its sections. Type your responses directly into the spaces provided – it is a good idea to save it as you go.
If you identify any areas in which your charity can improve, you should create an action plan to address those issues. The self-evaluation includes a template action plan to help you with this.
Do not submit this document to the ACNC. It should be kept on file so you can refer to it and make edits as required.
The questions and examples in the self-evaluation are intended as a guide only, not a comprehensive list of compulsory requirements. The self-evaluation should be used with the unique circumstances of your charity in mind.
And while answering ‘no’ to a single question doesn’t necessarily indicate that your charity is not complying, it should prompt you to consider whether this affects its compliance with its obligations.