Annual General Meeting Templates for Charities in Australia
June 6, 2022
agm voting rules. agm voting rules
Annual general meetings allow the trustees and officers of a charitable institution to discuss the management of the charity to the members. It also provides the members the opportunity to let their voices be heard regarding various matters within the charity. Members and officers alike can raise their concerns and ask for more information before voting on the business items on the agenda.
Standard AGM agenda templates go as follows:
- Opening the meeting
- Reading the minutes of the previous meeting
- Raising unfinished business agenda from the previous meeting
- Chairperson’s report
- Financial statement and auditor’s report
- Election of the director and the management committee
- Petitions, deputations, presentations, submissions and other business items
- Special resolutions
- Meeting closure
3 Downloadable AGM templates
This guide aims to help charities with the running of their annual general meetings (AGMs), and include templates for an AGM agenda, AGM minutes and notice of AGM.
1. Notice of AGM
A notice of an AGM must be sent to all members, irrespective of voting rights, and in accordance with the association’s rules.
2. AGM Minutes
AGM minutes are compiled as a record of the meeting, and contain specific details about any major decisions made at the meeting and notes about elected officers.
3. AGM Agenda
A meeting agenda is a list of topics or activities you want to discuss during your meeting. Having this before and during the meeting should ensure that it proceeds efficiently and productively.
Since each institution has its own legal structure, their AGM agenda may vary. The final agenda also depends on how actively it has been operating, how wide its operation network is and how involved the board wants the organisation’s members to be.
As a platform for members to decide on a wide scope of organisational matters, AGMs largely depend on voting. Charities and nonprofits also abide by the AGM voting rules that cover other private institutions. Moreover, provided that they are registered with the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC), charities and nonprofits need to comply with the ACNC Governance Standard 2. With the current status with the COVID-19 pandemic, the Government Standard 2 provides guidance for the AGM voting procedures that must be observed, including provisions on holding online elections.
Before proceeding with the online elections, the charity or nonprofit must first confirm that its governing documents allow for an electronic AGM to be held. If the governing documents include a clause expressly permitting an online AGM, then the organisation can proceed. If there is no such clause, the organisation would have to depend on existing legislation to hold the online meeting. The results of the AGM, as well as the validity of the resolutions voted on and passed during the meeting, can be called into question later if the AGM is deemed invalidly held by the members.
Provided that the organisation is allowed to hold an online AGM, it can proceed with a simple online voting for the AGM. Notice for the AGM must be sent out with ample time for the members to prepare and must include the following details:
- Date, time and venue (both the online meeting link and the physical venue if it is a hybrid meeting)
- Items on the agenda
- Information on the candidates for the incoming board, if applicable
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If you are to hold an online AGM, you need to ensure that the platform you use can protect the integrity of the organisation and its members. Here at Vero Voting, we offer a clean, seamless and straightforward interface and a system that complies with the Data Protection Principles in the General Data Protection Regulation to protect your privacy and security. Vero Voting guarantees a simple, safe and secure solution to all aspects of your AGM.
For enquiries or more details, email us at info@verovoting.com.au or contact us here.
