Getting started
So, you are thinking about setting up a new community group, organisation, charity, club, association, social enterprise, co-operative, or some other kind of not-for-profit group in Victoria? Congratulations!
The not-for-profit sector is a great field to get working in. The sector makes a significant contribution to the economy, but even more importantly, to our democratic political process and to the communities in which they work.
In Victoria we have over 120,000 not-for-profit community organisations (we will use the term 'community organisation' throughout the site to describe all not-for-profit groups). You may wish to do some investigations to find out about the organisations operating in your local area - there may already be one working in your area of interest, which you can join.
The legal issues the not-for-profit sector faces are unique
If you (and your group) have decided to start up a new not-for-profit community organisation in Victoria, one of the key factors that will determine the success and longevity of your organisation is getting the legal issues right from the start. And the legal issues faced by the not-for-profit sector are quite unique!
For example, when a community organisation is being formed there is the opportunity to choose a legal structure and a set of rules or constitution to govern the operations of your organisation. These will have a crucial impact on many future legal issues your organisation may deal with (for example, whether your organisation can operate outside of Victoria or whether it will be eligible for tax concessions). Getting these issues right at the start can save your organisation considerable time, money, administrative headaches (and perhaps even legal difficulties) further down the track.
In this 'Getting started' section of the website we look at
The information on this website is intended as a guide only, and is not legal advice. If you or your organisation has a specific legal issue, you should seek advice before making a decision about what to do.
A note about this website!
The PilchConnect website is continually developing. We will be updating and adding to the information as we continue to help Victorian not-for-profits with their legal issues.
If you want to provide feedback about the contents on the site, or suggest future legal topics, please provide Feedback to PilchConnect. If you want to know more about our work see About PilchConnect.
Note: The information on this website is intended as a guide only, and is not legal advice. If you or your organisation has a legal problem you should talk to a lawyer before making a decision about what to do. The information is written for people and organisations resident in, or affected by, the laws that apply in Victoria, Australia and is current at 1 October 2008.