Setting up a Charity or Non-Profit?
Do you want the experts to help with the registration process, the legal documentation, and your governance so you are ready to apply for charity registration and, if eligible, deductible gift recipient (DGR) endorsement?
Our team provides a range of services and registration packages tailored to your specific goals and needs. As charity Founders, Directors and members ourselves, we have the first hand insight and experience you need to establish your entity, help you understand your roles, responsibilities and compliance obligations, and set you up for long term success.
Why Choose us?
We live and breathe charities and non-profits
Non Profit Specialists is a professional services firm providing administrative, secretarial and governance support services to charities and not-for-profits throughout Australia. One hundred per cent of our clients are charities and not-for-profits, and we work with organisations of all shapes and sizes in every state and territory, from local community groups to organisations operating nationally and overseas.
We are not a general commercial law firm or business administration practice with a not-for-profit department. Our team has founded charities, chaired and served on boards, worked in charity law, led organisations as charity chief executive officers (CEOs), delivered their work as project and program managers and on-the-ground operations and implementation specialists, and managed their finances as accountants and chief financial offices (CFOs).
Non Profit Specialists works together with Williams Winter Solicitors and Next Dimension Accounting to deliver exceptional establishment services to our not-for-profit and charity clients across Australia. We bring decades of combined experience in the not-for-profit and charity sectors, and we have supported hundreds of charities and not-for-profits get established and be set up for long-term success.
Why we exist
Starting a charity or non profit is an act of generosity. The process of establishing one is rarely simple. Founders must navigate multiple regulators, detailed requirements and a serious administrative workload, often while volunteering their own time. Small errors can lead to delays, requests for more information, or refusal.
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Non Profit Specialists exists to change that. We take much of the administrative burden off founders and boards, guide them through every stage of establishment and registration, and make sure they understand the governance and compliance obligations that come with it. Our goal is not simply to see an organisation registered, but to see it succeed for years to come.
Our commitment to good governance
Charities play a vital role in our communities, and their effectiveness depends on strong governance. The public, donors and regulators place their trust in the people who run charities, and that trust must be earned and protected.
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That is why governance sits at the heart of everything we do. Our process includes thorough vetting to make sure organisations and their boards are capable, prepared and ready for their obligations. We hold multiple governance and compliance sessions with every client during the registration process, so boards understand their roles, their duties, and how to manage conflicts of interest and related-party matters from day one.
Backed by expert solicitors and tax agents
Our work is backed by highly qualified solicitors experienced in charity law, and registered tax agents who share our commitment to the sector. Where an organisation needs legal advice, it is provided by qualified solicitors. Where it needs accounting or taxation services, they are provided by registered tax agents.
Our governing documents, such as our constitutions, have been and are reviewed and approved by solicitors. As part of our packaged service to clients, solicitors provide legal oversight on the preparation of your governing documents. Every organisation is different, and your organisation may need to obtain specific legal advice to tailor these documents in some unique or particular circumstances.
The result of Non Profit Specialists and our services is a single, coordinated team, who are highly experienced in all facets of charity and not-for-profit establishment, governance, compliance and operations. This means our clients, the founders and boards, are not left to piece together support from different places. We coordinate everything they need to get established and set up for long-term success.
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How we support our clients
Every engagement follows a structured, step-by-step process tailored to the organisation in front of us. We take the time to understand each client’s purpose, people and plans, and we stay with them through each stage: establishment, governance, registration and beyond.
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What sets us apart
100% of our clients are charities and not-for-profits. We are dedicated to the sector, and Non Profit Specialists are backed by solicitors experienced in charity law, governance and compliance, and we work closely with registered tax agents.
We have decades of combined experience across the not-for-profit and charity legal, taxation, accounting, governance, compliance and establishment sectors.
Our team has founded, led and governed charities, and members of our team are charity CEOs and CFOs, and people with legal and tax backgrounds, so our support reflects how charities really operate, and we understand what it is like to run a charity or not-for-profit first-hand.
Governance and compliance sessions are built into packages, and our pricing is tailored to each organisation’s needs and budget.
Who do we help?
We assist Australians, organisations and boards that wish to register non-profit entities or charities within Australia. We have an extremely diverse range of clients across Australia, and our clients range from small membership non-profit and charitable organisations formed by community groups and friends, mums and dads, teachers, psychologists and doctors, veterans, police officers, first responders, surgeons, scientific researchers, corporate solicitors and lawyers, accountants, senior corporate executives, high-net-worth individuals, internationally acclaimed charity founders, Order of Australia medal recipients, and retirees seeking to give back and create a lasting legacy. We also assist international organisations that meet the Australian resident board and director requirements and wish to launch and register in Australia.
We have assisted hundreds of organisations that range from small sporting clubs, health and wellness groups, event hosting organisations, animal welfare associations, domestic violence refuges, Indigenous groups, suicide prevention organisations, charities that wish to improve wellbeing and mental health, charities that seek to reduce youth crime, cultural organisations, environmental organisations, local, state and nationally operating Public Benevolent Institutions (PBIs), Health Promotion Charities, Harm Prevention Charities, Necessitous Circumstances Funds, Medical Research Institutes, charities that advance education, social welfare and religion, scholarship and school building funds, charitable trusts and foundations, private ancillary funds, and charities and non-profits that operate overseas and seek registration within Australia.
In our clients’ words
Non Profit Specialists have truly set the benchmark for excellence in supporting non-profit organisations. From their in-depth understanding of the sector to their innovative solutions, every interaction with them reflects their unwavering commitment to helping the Captain Paul Watson Foundation thrive.
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Genevieve and her team are professional, knowledgeable, and genuinely passionate about making a difference. They take the time to understand the unique needs of each organisation, offering tailored advice and practical strategies that deliver real results. Whether it's assistance with governance, compliance, or strategy, their expertise is second to none. Their dedication is like nothing else.
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What truly sets Non Profit Specialists apart is their genuine care for their clients and the causes they support. They’re not just consultants; they’re partners in the success and sustainability of non-profits. Their guidance empowers us at the Captain Paul Watson Foundation to focus on our missions with confidence, knowing we have a reliable, capable team backing us every step of the way.
Captain Paul Watson, Founder, Captain Paul Watson Foundation Australia Limited
Co-Founder Greenpeace
Founder, Sea Shepherd Conservation Society
I must say that I can be a difficult person to impress, but Genevieve absolutely blew me away. The Non-Profit Specialists team brings strategic thinking, multidisciplinary insight, pragmatism and agility, all while being incredibly mission- and values-aligned.
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What sets Genevieve and her highly experienced team apart personally is her rare ability to cut through complexity and turn it into clear, decisive direction. She is meticulous, commercially astute and exceedingly generous with her expertise, with a gift for anticipating the issues an organisation has not yet thought to ask about. Our board includes a number of highly qualified directors, several of them with law degrees, and Genevieve and Brendan earned their confidence quickly and completely.
Taylor Hawkins, LLB (UTS), BComn (UTS), MBA (UNSW), GAICD
Director, Foundations for Tomorrow Ltd.
Genevieve and her team at Non Profit Specialists provided exceptional service in the creation of
the Bailey’s Day Foundation. Her team are highly skilled and experienced in every aspect of not
for profit registration. Their service was professional and seamless. I highly recommend.
Patrick Tessier, OAM
Director, Baileys Day Foundation Limited.
When I first started With You Kenya, I knew what I wanted to achieve, but I had no idea how to actually set up a charity in Australia or Kenya. The company structure, registration process, ACNC application, governance, policies - it all felt overwhelming. Genevieve and Jeacyl made it manageable and achievable. They explained each step clearly, guided us through every requirement, and kept us moving forward until we were compliant.
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What I valued most was that they weren't just focused on the paperwork; they genuinely cared about helping us build something that reflected our values. They asked the right questions, helped us put governance structures in place and gave us confidence as a board. Thanks to their support, what was once just a dream for the past 20 years is now a real charity with solid foundations for the future and the ability to change lives.
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We would have been lost without NPS, and I highly recommend them to anyone considering starting a charity.
Dr. Alexis Badger, GP
Director, With You Kenya Limited
How we can help
We specialise in Non-Profit and Charity set-up services for Australian organisations wishing to operate on a Not-for-Profit basis, register with the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC) and pursue Deductible Gift Recipient (DGR) endorsement with the Australian Taxation Office (ATO).
The registration processes are complicated, technical, involve critical steps and correct documentation and governance, and are time-consuming. No Charity or Not-for-Profit is the same. At Non Profit Specialists, 100% of our client base is charities and non-profit organisations. Our team is dedicated to helping clients identify the structure that best suits their needs and goals, and to help clients meet the eligibility criteria for registration and endorsement approvals.
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We are committed to ensuring your Board, Directors, Trustees and/or Members are aware of applicable governance and compliance requirements you must adhere to in order to be registered and help maintain registration. Members of the Non Profit Specialists team are charity founders and directors, and we take the time to share with our clients our insights, first-hand experiences and knowledge surrounding all aspects of operating charities and not-for-profits so that you can be successfully registered and established for long-term success.
Choose our experienced, diligent and supportive team to assist you through the registration process and take the stress away.
What services can we provide?
We provide a large range of services depending on your organisation's size and its operations, goals, projects, service area of your organisation, and the level of governance assistance and process assistance that you require.
For more details about our services, please click here:
Let’s talk
Whether you are at the idea stage or ready to register, we would be glad to hear about your organisation. If you are interested in learning about the services Non Profit Specialists can provide and see how we can assist you and your board, book in a free consultation at your preferred time and day.
