Deadline: 10-Sep-2026
The Good Governance Awards recognize and promote high standards of governance, transparency, accountability, and leadership among nonprofit organizations in Ireland. The awards encourage charities to produce high-quality annual reports and financial statements while demonstrating strong governance practices aligned with the Charities Governance Code.
Grant Overview
The Good Governance Awards support and celebrate nonprofit organizations that demonstrate excellence in governance, accountability, transparency, and effective organizational leadership.
The initiative encourages charities and nonprofit organizations to strengthen governance structures, improve reporting practices, and showcase their commitment to responsible management and public trust. Through recognition, training opportunities, and sector-wide learning, the awards help organizations improve governance standards regardless of their size.
Funding and Support Available
While the program is primarily an awards and recognition initiative rather than a direct grant scheme, participating organizations can access valuable governance support and capacity-building opportunities.
Key benefits include:
- Recognition for governance excellence.
- Increased credibility with donors, funders, and stakeholders.
- Access to governance-focused training opportunities.
- Improved organizational transparency and accountability.
- Enhanced annual reporting and financial disclosure practices.
- Sector-wide visibility and networking opportunities.
Organizations in Category 1 (annual income below €100,000) receive:
- One free place on a scheduled training course provided by Carmichael.
- Two additional training places if selected as a finalist.
Focus Areas and Governance Themes
The awards assess organizations across several core governance principles, including:
- Advancing charitable purpose.
- Acting with integrity.
- Effective leadership and governance.
- Accountability and transparency.
- Sound financial oversight.
- Legal and regulatory compliance.
- Conflict of interest management.
- Volunteer and staff engagement.
- Trustee competence and effectiveness.
- Organizational values and ethical practices.
Particular attention is given to:
- Clear articulation of charitable objectives.
- Appropriate management of private benefit.
- Transparent governance structures.
- Compliance with charity regulations.
- Public disclosure practices.
- Display of Registered Charity Numbers on websites, social media channels, email communications, and official documents.
Why Good Governance Matters
Strong governance is essential for nonprofit sustainability and public trust.
Effective governance helps organizations:
- Deliver greater impact for beneficiaries.
- Improve decision-making processes.
- Strengthen financial management.
- Increase stakeholder confidence.
- Meet legal and regulatory obligations.
- Reduce organizational risk.
- Enhance transparency and accountability.
For charities seeking grants, donations, or partnerships, robust governance practices are increasingly viewed as a critical indicator of organizational credibility and effectiveness.
Award Categories
Organizations are grouped according to annual turnover.
Category 1
- Annual turnover below €100,000.
Category 2
- Annual turnover above €100,000 and below €250,000.
Categories 3–5
- Annual turnover above €250,000 and below €10 million.
Categories 6–7
- Annual turnover above €10 million.
This category structure ensures organizations are assessed against peers of similar size and operational complexity.
Who Is Eligible?
Eligible applicants include nonprofit and charitable organizations operating in Ireland that can demonstrate strong governance practices through their annual reporting and financial disclosures.
Organizations should be able to provide:
- Annual reports.
- Financial statements.
- Evidence of governance structures.
- Compliance documentation where applicable.
- Transparency and accountability practices.
Applicants should ensure that governance information is clearly documented and accessible within submitted materials.
Assessment Criteria
Applications are evaluated using a weighted scoring system focused on governance quality and reporting standards.
Judges assess areas including:
- Clarity of charitable purpose.
- Governance effectiveness.
- Board oversight and leadership.
- Risk management practices.
- Transparency and disclosure.
- Financial accountability.
- Compliance with relevant legislation.
- Stakeholder engagement.
- Volunteer and staff management.
- Ethical conduct and organizational integrity.
The quality and completeness of annual reports and financial statements play a significant role in final scoring.
How to Apply
Step 1: Review Eligibility
Confirm that your organization falls within one of the award categories based on annual turnover.
Step 2: Prepare Documentation
Gather:
- Annual report.
- Financial statements.
- Governance documentation.
- Supporting organizational information.
Step 3: Review Governance Standards
Assess your organization’s performance against:
- Charities Governance Code requirements.
- Transparency standards.
- Accountability measures.
- Trustee responsibilities.
Step 4: Use Available Templates
Review the annual report templates developed by the awards program to understand evaluation criteria and improve submission quality.
Step 5: Submit Application
Submit all required documents before the application deadline.
Organizations that prepare separate annual reports and financial statements should submit both documents.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Applicants frequently lose marks because of avoidable errors.
Common mistakes include:
- Submitting incomplete annual reports.
- Omitting financial statements.
- Failing to explain governance structures clearly.
- Insufficient disclosure of conflicts of interest.
- Lack of evidence regarding trustee oversight.
- Missing Registered Charity Numbers on official communications.
- Weak descriptions of organizational impact.
- Poorly structured annual reports.
Carefully reviewing submission requirements can significantly improve scoring outcomes.
Tips for a Strong Application
- Clearly explain your charitable purpose.
- Demonstrate board effectiveness and oversight.
- Provide complete and accurate financial information.
- Highlight governance improvements achieved during the reporting period.
- Include examples of transparency and accountability practices.
- Ensure compliance information is easy to locate.
- Use clear and accessible language throughout the report.
- Align reporting with governance code requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What are the Good Governance Awards?
The awards recognize nonprofit organizations in Ireland that demonstrate excellence in governance, accountability, transparency, and leadership.
Who can apply?
Eligible nonprofit and charitable organizations operating in Ireland may apply, provided they can demonstrate strong governance and reporting practices.
Are there different award categories?
Yes. Organizations are grouped into categories based on annual turnover, ensuring fair comparison among similar-sized organizations.
What documents are required?
Applicants typically submit annual reports, financial statements, and supporting governance information.
Is there financial support available?
The awards primarily provide recognition and governance support. Category 1 applicants receive complimentary governance training opportunities.
How are applications evaluated?
Applications are assessed using a weighted scoring framework that examines governance quality, accountability, transparency, leadership, compliance, and reporting standards.
Why should nonprofits participate?
Participation helps organizations strengthen governance practices, improve reporting quality, gain sector recognition, and build trust with funders, donors, and stakeholders.
Conclusion
The Good Governance Awards provide an important platform for recognizing and promoting governance excellence across Ireland’s nonprofit sector. By encouraging transparency, accountability, ethical leadership, and high-quality reporting, the awards help charities strengthen organizational effectiveness, enhance public trust, and improve long-term sustainability. Organizations that invest in strong governance practices are better positioned to achieve their mission, attract support, and deliver meaningful impact for the communities they serve.
For more information, visit Carmichael.
