Carmichael Good Governance Awards 2023

Now in its eighth year, the Good Governance Awards recognise and encourage adherence to responsible governance and transparent reporting by nonprofits in Ireland. Each year, more than 100 nonprofit organisations enter their annual report and financial statements into the awards to be assessed under the criteria of transparency, governance, strategy, and financial information. In 2022, the 7 Good Governance Awards Winners ranged from NiteLine, an out-of-hours peer support service for third level students which has an annual income of just over €33,000, to Trócaire, an international social justice organisation with an annual income of more than €73 million. 

Commenting after the 2022 Awards, Dearbhla Fitzsimons, Director of Corporate Services at Trócaire, said “Trócaire are beyond pleased to have won in our category this year and this feedback has been a key contributor to year-on-year improvements in our report. The Good Governance Awards is a great initiative and very much appreciated. I especially love to see how smaller organisations benefit from the advice and really believe the work of the Good Governance Awards raises the bar for our whole sector.” 

Diarmaid Ó Corrbuí, CEO of Carmichael and Founder of the Good Governance Awards, said, “The Good Governance Awards raise the quality of corporate governance in our sector by encouraging higher standards of good practice. Expert feedback is provided to all entrants on how to improve the quality of their annual reports. This helps to ensure our sector is meeting best practice, constantly improving and communicating appropriately to its stakeholders. 

“This year we are especially encouraging applications from the diverse range of organisations working in the nonprofit sector. We welcome applications from all areas – from arts and sports to homeless services and youth organisations. Due to the growing profile of the Good Governance Awards, we expect to see our highest number of applications ever this year.” 

How to Enter 

Any nonprofit organisation in Ireland, whether a charity, Company Limited by Guarantee, sports club or social enterprise, can enter the Awards.  All entrants receive a free assessment and individual feedback.

There are seven categories for the awards based on the annual turnover of the organisation: 

• Category 1: For organisations with an annual turnover of less than €100,000  
• Category 2: For organisations with an annual turnover of between €100,000 and €250.000.  
• Category 3: For organisations with an annual turnover of over €250,000 and under €750,000.  
• Category 4: For organisations with an annual turnover of over €750,000 and under €2.5 million.  
• Category 5: For organisations with an annual turnover of over €2.5 million and under €10 million  
• Category 6: For organisations with an annual turnover of over €10 million and under €50 million  
• Category 7: For organisations with an annual turnover of over €50 million. 

Details on the entry criteria and categories; the judging panel; how to enter; and other resources such as annual report templates are available at: www.goodgovernanceawards.ie.