Community campaigning is often a corporate act (that is, undertaken by a group) that is undertaken over a long period of time, sometimes years. It can pay to think through a range of issues about how a group is to be structured and order its affairs so as to remain sustainable and achieve its objectives.
A campaign group should consider:
- whether to seek charitable or deductible gift recipient (DGR) status;
- whether it will be liable to pay income tax or goods and services tax (GST);
- whether it should fundraise and the regulations surrounding fundraising; and
- how to structure the organisation to provide protection against the civil liability of members.
For an introduction to these issues, see: Chapter 11*3 Community Organisations.
Insurance, like questions of structure and finance, is usually one of the last things on the minds of most activists. However, failing to consider the need for insurance can be a big impediment to a campaign because not having it may limit the sorts of activities that you can undertake. For example, it may be necessary to have insurance simply to hire a hall, or to hold a function or rally at a local park.
For a useful introduction and overview of insurance and risk management issues for community organisations, visit the Community Insurance and Risk Management Centre on the Our Community website at www.ourcommunity.com.au (click on the "Insurance" tab).
Budget conscious community groups should be aware of the cost effective ways of obtaining insurance.
One way is to align yourself with a sympathetic organisation that already has insurance, and get them to auspice your activities. This may be a specially created entity that offers this service (usually along with other services including auditing your financial affairs, receiving and acquitting funding grants and the like). Religious groups are a good example of organisations that are sometimes willing to auspice the activities of community groups.
Another cost effective method is for your group to obtain insurance in its own right through a special scheme available to not-for-profit organisations. For example, the Municipal Association of Victoria (MAV) community insurance facility offers the not-for-profit sector a broader eligibility criteria to enable many more not-for-profit groups to benefit from low cost insurance cover and attractive terms and conditions. MAV, through its insurance broker, has negotiated the inclusion of Victorian not-for-profit groups within a national community insurance facility, known as Local Community Insurance Services (LCIS). This can provide cover for the day-to-day activities of the organisation as well as for festivals and events. Quotes can be obtained by submitting an online request or calling the number below.
GIO Insurance is also offering public liability insurance to non-profit groups throughout Australia. For further information and contact details, go to the Community Insurance and Risk Management Centre on the Our Community website at www.ourcommunity.com.au (click on the "Insurance" tab).
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STRUCTURE AND FINANCES :: Last updated: Thu Jul 1st 2010