Australian NGO Cooperation Program (ANCP)
DFAT accreditation assesses the organisational structure, philosophies, policies and practices of Australian NGOs. Accreditation is a front-end and rigorous risk-management process. It is also a robust due diligence process for DFAT.
Accreditation ensures the Australian Government is funding professional, well-managed organisations that can deliver quality development outcomes and are accountable to their stakeholders. It assures the Australian public that the Australian Government is working with the most effective partners.
Australian NGOs must gain DFAT accreditation to receive funding under the Australian NGO Cooperation Program (ANCP). To gain accreditation, they must demonstrate capacity and performance against a range of indicators and may seek accreditation at either Base or Full level.
Accreditation is also a capacity-building tool, enabling Australian NGOs to reflect on and improve their own performance.
Eligibility
Australian NGOs wanting to apply for accreditation must meet the following eligibility requirements:
- Be registered with the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC)
- Not be included on the World Bank Listing of ineligible firms and individuals; the Attorney General's Department List of Terrorist organisations; or DFAT consolidated list of all persons and entities who are subject to targeted financial sanctions or travel bans
- Be a signatory to the Australian Council for International Development (ACFID) Code of Conduct
- Demonstrate a minimum two-year track record of managing development activities
- Have a Recognised Development Expenditure (RDE) of $50,000 minimum, averaged over three years, if applying for base accreditation; or a RDE of $100,000 minimum, averaged over three years, if applying for full accreditation. Recognised Development Expenditure worksheet explanatory notes
DFAT Accreditation and the ACFID Code of Conduct
Both the ACFID Code and DFAT Accreditation outline high standards for Australian NGOs’ structure, governance, policies and practices, but they serve different purposes.
To see more details about DFAT Accreditation and the ACFID Code, including a detailed mapping of DFAT Accreditation criteria and the ACFID Code requirements please visit Two standards serving different purposes.
Assessment resources
The Australian NGO Accreditation Guidance Manual details the process and eligibility requirements – including the assessment criteria.
- Australian NGO Accreditation Guidance Manual [PDF 1.76 MB]
- Australian NGO Accreditation Guidance Manual [DOCX 685 KB]
The ANGO Agency Profile Template is an example of the application form.
The A3 Child Safeguards Accreditation Assessment Checklist is to help NGOs complete Criteria A3 – the ANGO has effective child safeguards. This needs to be uploaded as part of the Agency Profile.
- A3 Child Safeguards Accreditation Assessment Checklist [PDF 120 KB]
- A3 Child Safeguards Accreditation Assessment Checklist [DOCX 20 KB]
Applications
Australian NGOs applying for accreditation for the first time, or ANCP NGOs seeking to upgrade their accreditation status from Base to Full (outside of their re-accreditation timeframe), can submit applications online between 1 July to 30 September 2024. The new accreditation 2024 application form will be made live on Monday, 1 July 2024. DFAT will progress applications in the order they are received.
Please note for the 2025 application round for Australian NGOs applying for accreditation for the first time, or ANCP NGOs seeking to upgrade their accreditation status from Base to Full (outside of their reaccreditation timeframe) the application window will move to 1 June to 31 August 2025. This is to allow additional time for grant agreement processes and preparation of Annual Development plans (ADPlans) for successful applicants.