Published: 15 June 2018

ADRA Australia has been granted full accreditation from the Australian government for another five years.

The accreditation, through the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), means ADRA is eligible to receive annual government funding for development projects.

The accreditation process is lengthy and rigorous, designed to ensure NGOs are compliant and adhere to best-practice standards.

The paperwork was submitted last year with a three-day assessment occurring in December.

On May 7 ADRA received final confirmation that the accreditation had been extended, with the accreditation period valid until May 2023.

ADRA Australia chief executive Paul Rubessa, who joined the agency part-way through the process, paid tribute to his predecessor Mark Webster and the staff who led the process.

“This is a significant achievement,” Mr Rubessa said. “We are very proud to be one of a select number of agencies with full DFAT accreditation.

“I would like to thank Mark Webster and everyone at ADRA who made this possible.

“We are honoured to partner with the Australian government and implement life-changing development projects. This decision will enable amazing things to happen for vulnerable communities around the world.”

There are just 41 organisations that have the prestigious full DFAT accreditation.

NGOs must be accredited by DFAT to receive funding under the Australian NGO Cooperation Program (ANCP).

According to DFAT: “To gain accreditation, NGOs are required to undergo a thorough and independent assessment of their organisational structure, systems, policies and philosophies against an agreed set of criteria.”