Start a community service organisation

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This section functions as a guide to starting a community service organisation, and covers the main topics you will need to consider in this process.

You will also find current news, resources and other information relevant to those in the early stages of stating a community service organisation.

The Not-for-profit Law Information Hub is a free, online one-stop shop answering charities’ legal questions from how to start-up to how to wind-up.

Below are some of the most relevant resources for Queensland organisations.

Resources about Queensland laws for Queensland organisations

Amalgamating incorporated associations

Changes to an incorporated association's rules

Changing structure

Incorporated association or company limited by gurantee

Incorporating as an association

Legal issues to consider when holding events

Members' rights

Which incorporated legal structure should we choose

Resources about federal laws and systems relevant to Queensland organisations

ACNC governance standards guidance

Applying for TCC endorsement

Auspicing guide

Checklist: Questions about your group

Checklist: Incidents and accidents

Checklist: Working with other organisations

Compulsory winding up

DSS streamlined grant agreement

Recorded webinar: Employees, contractors and volunteers

Video: Ending your organisation

Facebook and your organisation

Fair Work general protections and National Employment Standards

Financial reporting for charities

Financial reporting for CLGs

Flowchart: How to find your modern award

Webinar: Funding not for profits: traditional and new approaches

Fundraising foundations and charitable trusts

Video: getting started

Guide to advertising

Guide to Deductible Gift Recipient Status

Guide to intellectual property law

Indigenous corporations

Introduction to charities law

Webinar: Introduction to social enterprise

Joint ventures

Video: Managing volunteers

Member rights and obligations for CLGs

Memoranda of understanding

Merging with other organisations

Modern awards and enterprise agreements

Positions in a company limited by guarantee

Protecting your assets under the new Personal Property Securities Register

Record keeping for charities

Video: Risk and duties

Setting up your organisation

Social enterprise guide

Social media and the workplace

Video: Tax

Twitter and your organisation

Understanding contracts

Unions

Voluntary deregistration or winding up of CLGs

What does not-for-profit mean

Working with other organisations

Legal Aid Queensland's webinars and resources

Mon, 06/11/2017 - 7:00am

Legal Aid Queensland has published a series of captioned recordings about their services on their YouTube channel . Videos for community, health and education workers can be found here and include their published community legal education webinars. The next webinar is Child Protection - the law and...

Information for charities on crowdfunding

Wed, 19/07/2017 - 7:00am

Crowdfunding is an increasingly popular method of online fundraising for individuals, businesses, not-for-profits and charities. Generally it involves an individual or an organisation setting a fundraising target online and then asking the crowd of the internet for donations to reach that target...

Changes to blue card system forms and fees

Thu, 06/07/2017 - 7:00am

From 1 July 2017 onwards, new forms will be available on the Blue Card Services website. Check that you have the most current version of the application forms by looking at the ‘valid for lodgement’ date on the top right corner of the form. The new forms will state that they are valid for lodgement...

New eTraining course for managers and organisations new to the social service sector

Thu, 23/02/2017 - 2:00pm

We have launched a brand new course on the Community Door eTraining website which provides an introduction to the social service sector in Queensland for managers and organisations new to the sector. It is free for anyone to access. It features a profile of the sector in Queensland, insights into...

The Queensland Law Handbook now available free online

Thu, 22/12/2016 - 6:58am

The Queensland Law Handbook is a comprehensive, plain-English legal reource designed to help deal with legal problems. Caxton Legal Centre has recently published the handbook as a website. The handbook has been printed as a hard-copy since the early eighties, but thanks to funding from the...

Free online legal chat service

Wed, 07/12/2016 - 9:04am

Not-for-profit Law has launched Australia's first free, live chat legal service for community groups and charities. The service is available on the Information Hub (click on the blue chat button at the bottom of every page). The real-time chat service allows users to chat to a team member who will...

Guide to the laws of advertising and your community organisation

Thu, 01/12/2016 - 10:01am

Not-for-profit Law has updated its guide to 'The laws of advertising and your community organisation'. The resource provides practical tips to help organisations comply with the laws of advertising and marketing in Australia. Importantly, these laws apply to many fundraising activities of charities...

Legal resources for Queensland organisations

Wed, 30/03/2016 - 10:49am

Australia’s 600,000 charities and not-for-profits, from international aid groups right down to the local tennis club, have recently received a major boost, as Justice Connect’s Not-for-profit Law service launched the acclaimed Information Hub for a national audience. The Not-for-profit Law...

Social Traders Social Enterprise Masters banner

Social Enterprise Masters conference - 3 June

Wed, 06/05/2015 - 10:14am

Presented by Social Traders, the SE Masters Conference 2015 provides a unique opportunity for people interested in, operating or supporting social enterprises to benefit from sessions with Australian social enterprise award winners and local and international guest speakers. Program features:...

Governance scholarships available to not-for-profits

Fri, 26/09/2014 - 8:35am

The Governance Institute of Australia is inviting individuals who are interested in pursuing postgraduate studies in governance to apply for the Chant Legacy scholarship program which is open until October 2014. The scholarships are available to applicants keen to pursue postgraduate governance...

oneplace community services directory

Are you looking for support in Queensland, or trying to find a service that meets your needs? Now you can search oneplace , the service directory hosted by the Queensland Family and Child Commission. oneplace is an easily accessible directory of community services to help Queensland families to get...

Useful resources

Fair Trading Queensland Incorporated Associations website (Queensland Office of Fair Trading) provides information to support organisations incorporated under the Associations Incorporations Act 1981. This website also includes a simplified guide to Queensland's Associations Incorporation Act 1981...

Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission

https://www.acnc.gov.au/

Queensland Office of Fair Trading

In Queensland the Office of Fair Trading regulates Associations and non-profits. https://www.qld.gov.au/law/laws-regulated-industries-and-accountability/queensland-laws-and-regulations/associations-charities-and-non-for-profits

Managing employees webinar

The Managing employees - How do we do that? webinar was specifically designed to help new and existing Management Committee Members to understand their responsibilities as an employer and also the responsibilities to their employees. The webinar covers: Communication between your committee and...

Legal advice

Legal Aid have a series of captioned recordings about Legal Aid Queensland services on their YouTube channel . Videos for community, health and education workers can be found here and include their published community legal education webinars. Upcoming webinars can be found on the Information for...

Community Resource Handbooks

The Community Resource Handbooks were launched by Volunteering Queensland on 12 May 2015. They consolidate the knowledge gained through Volunteering Queensland's community leadership work with more than 2,000 community groups over the past fifteen years. The handbooks are aimed at small to medium...

ImproveIT

Information technology and online solutions can help your community organisation work better. ACOSS, Infoxchange and the Department of Communications have teamed up to bring you Digital Business Kits which give you the tools and information to do more online. Digital Business Kits are hosted on...

Queensland Government Resources for Business

Many not-for-profit organisations are now developing income-generating activities to reduce the reliance on government and philanthropic funding, and others are establishing social enterprises to respond to client needs in a sustainable way. The development of business skills and systems is very...

Conflict of Interest sample policy from VOICE resources

DOWNLOAD: Conflict of Interest sample policy from VOICE resources

Resources Arabic, Dinka, Pashto and Persian

The following resources have been translated to assist these communities in establishing a community organisation. Resources available in English العربية - Resources available in Arabic Thuɔŋjäŋ - Resources available in Dinka پښتو - Resources available in Pashto فارسی...

Changing your legal structure

Changing your Legal Structure from an Incorporated Association in Queensland to a Company Limited by Guarentee

Legislation for not-for-profit organisations

Queensland Associations Incorporation Act Queensland Associations Incorporation Regulations Queensland Co-operatives legislation Commonwealth Corporations Act Corporations (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander) Act 2006 (CATSI Act).

Industrial Relations Legislation

Industrial relations legislation in Queensland can be found on the Fair Work Commission's website . The main pieces of legislation are: Fair Work Act 2009 Fair Work Regulations 2009 Fair Work Commission Rules 2013

Not-for-profit Legislation

There are a range of legal structures which may be suitable for Queensland not-for-profit community groups. The four main options are: an incorporated association: Associations Incorporation Act 1981 (QLD) and Associations Incorporation Regulation 1999 (QLD) a company limited by guarantee:...

The Organisational Development Toolkit

Wed, 29/04/2015 - 12:25pm

Author:

Kylie Hogan, National Disability Services

The Community Services Industry is facing a myriad of reforms and challenges now and into the future.

Challenges such as an ageing population, workforce shortages, sector-wide reforms, technological advances and economic uncertainty are making it more important than ever for...

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Resources about Queensland laws for Queensland organisations

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