KINGSTON, Jamaica — Civil society leaders are calling for broad and meaningful consultation as Jamaica moves toward introducing a new Non-Profit Organisations (NPO) Act expected in October 2026.

Sector representatives warn that without structured and inclusive engagement, the law risks undermining the very organisations it seeks to regulate.

“Nonprofits are closest to the communities these laws will affect. Consultation is not optional, it is essential,” said Nancy Pinchas, executive director of the Council of Voluntary Social Services (CVSS). “Effective legislation must reflect the operational realities of organisations working on the ground every day.”

The proposed legislation, intended to modernise the regulatory framework governing nonprofits, will directly affect thousands of organisations delivering services in disaster response, education, social protection, youth development and community resilience.

Joy Crawford, executive director of EVE for Life, echoed the call for inclusion, noting that community voices are critical to effective policy making.

“Meaningful participation strengthens accountability, builds trust and leads to more equitable and effective outcomes,” Crawford said.

The CVSS estimates, based on data from the Department of Co-operatives and Friendly Societies, that donations to registered charities exceeded $40 billion in 2021, highlighting the sector’s scale and economic contribution. These resources support a wide range of national priorities, including poverty reduction, healthcare delivery, education, and environmental sustainability.

Despite improvements under the Charities Act (2013) and its 2022 regulations, stakeholders say the current system remains burdensome.

Tania Chambers, legal consultant to CVSS, warned that the current regulatory framework continues to impose systemic constraints on the effective functioning of civil society organisations.

She pointed to the dual registration system, which requires organisations to register separately as legal entities and as charities as a source of duplication, delay and operational inefficiency.

“Prolonged registration and renewal timelines are not merely administrative hurdles; they directly undermine organisations’ ability to access funding, secure tax exemptions and deliver programmes in a timely manner,” she said.

Chambers also highlighted the absence of clear, published service standards, which leaves organisations navigating an uncertain and often inconsistent regulatory environment, increasing compliance costs and administrative burden, particularly for smaller, community-based groups.

She said these challenges are further intensified by the application of international anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing requirements, which, in the absence of a proportionate, risk-based approach, risk over-regulate legitimate actors while diverting limited resources away from service delivery.

“Jamaica must strike a balance between safeguarding the sector and ensuring that legitimate organisations are not constrained by excessive administrative burdens,” she said.

While early signals suggest the new Act may introduce a more unified regulatory framework, civil society leaders say this alone will not be sufficient. They are advocating for clearer and enforceable service standards, the digitisation of registration and compliance systems and a risk-based regulatory approach that reflects the size and capacity of different organisations.

There is also a call for formal mechanisms to support sustained engagement between government and civil society. Chambers cautioned against a uniform regulatory approach, noting that smaller community-based organisations often lack the resources to meet complex compliance requirements designed for larger entities.

Stakeholders describe the proposed NPO Act as a critical opportunity to modernise the sector’s governance framework and strengthen its role in national development.

“This reform must go beyond compliance. It must enable the sector to thrive, innovate and contribute fully to national development,” Chambers said.

Civil society leaders are urging the Government to prioritise early consultation, public awareness and collaborative policy design to ensure the legislation is both effective and enabling.

Without this, they warn, the new law could unintentionally restrict civic space, limit access to funding and weaken service delivery across communities.