2026 LegislationRunning a non-profit well starts with the right legal form and the right founding documents. In Singapore a community group can register as a society, a charity or a company limited by guarantee, and each route has its own regulator, constitution and governance duties. Getting the constitution and the governance documents right protects the committee, reassures donors and keeps the organisation in good standing. These templates help you set up and govern a non-profit on a solid footing.
Choose your legal document:
When to use these templates
When you form a society. A society of ten or more members is registered with the Registrar of Societies under the Societies Act 1966, and its constitution -- setting out the objects, membership, committee and meetings -- is the document the Registrar reviews.
When you seek charity status. A charity registers with the Commissioner of Charities under the Charities Act 1994 and must adopt a governing instrument and follow the Code of Governance; an Institution of a Public Character (IPC) can issue tax-deductible receipts for donations.
When you want a corporate non-profit. A company limited by guarantee is incorporated under the Companies Act 1967 with ACRA, giving the organisation separate legal personality and limited liability without share capital, which many larger non-profits prefer.
When you operate day to day. Donation agreements, volunteer agreements, committee and members' resolutions, and conflict-of-interest and data-protection policies keep the organisation accountable and compliant.
What you will find in this category
- Society constitutions: objects, membership, committee, meetings and dissolution under the Societies Act.
- Charity governance documents: governing instruments, board policies and Code of Governance templates.
- Company-limited-by-guarantee documents: constitution and founder resolutions for incorporation with ACRA.
- Donation and sponsorship agreements: terms of the gift, restrictions and acknowledgement.
- Volunteer agreements and committee resolutions: roles, confidentiality, appointments and approvals.
Legal framework and key points to watch
The starting point is the choice of form. A society is registered under the Societies Act 1966 with the Registrar of Societies (ROS); it is quick to set up but the committee members can carry personal exposure, since a society is not a separate legal entity in the way a company is. A company limited by guarantee is incorporated under the Companies Act 1967 with ACRA and is a separate legal person with limited liability, which is why larger or higher-risk non-profits often prefer it. A co-operative may instead register under the Co-operative Societies Act.
Charity and tax status sit on top of the legal form. Registering as a charity under the Charities Act 1994 with the Commissioner of Charities brings governance duties, including compliance with the Code of Governance, annual submissions and proper accounting. Charity status alone does not make donations tax-deductible -- that requires approval as an Institution of a Public Character (IPC), which carries stricter governance and reporting obligations.
Good governance is the recurring theme. The constitution should define the objects clearly, regulate membership and the committee, require proper meetings and minutes, and address conflicts of interest and the handling of funds on dissolution. A non-profit that collects members' or donors' personal data must also comply with the Personal Data Protection Act 2012 (PDPA) when consent, use and storage of that data are concerned.
Why our templates
- Drafted for the Societies Act 1966, the Charities Act 1994 and the Companies Act 1967.
- Built with the Commissioner of Charities' Code of Governance and IPC requirements in mind.
- Reviewed by legal professionals, with clear objects, membership and governance terms.
- Ready to use as PDF and Word, so you can register or adapt them immediately.
- Practical structure: guided fields for objects, membership, committee and meetings.