Not-for-Profit Accountability: Addressing potential barriers

Abstract

This chapter analyses barriers that not-for-profit (NFP) organisations face in meeting public demands to be accountable and considers possible responses, based on a study of NFP staff, directors and regulators in Australia. While ‘accountability’ has many possible meanings, the chapter focuses on barriers to NFPs being accountable for thequalityorimpactof their serviceseven whenthey are motivated to do so. Of course, there are many other ways that accountability can break down, including through conflicts of interest and outright fraud. However, given the complexity of accountability demands, there are numerous obstacles to being accountable even with the