Referral Goods & Referral Statement – Non-profit Organization, Comments & Excel | Word/PDF

Consultation responses and consultation statements for non-profit organizations – a document package for association boards, secretariats, working groups, and community organizations that need to draft, decide on, submit, and follow up on substantive comments on proposals from government agencies and the Government Offices. The package contains editable Word templates, searchable PDF files, and an administrative Excel tool with nine tabs.

Who is the consultation package for?

Non-profit organizations and interest groups that have been designated as a consultation body or voluntarily wish to submit comments. The production follows a substantive consultation workflow and can also be used as an internal basis before a statement is sent to a municipality or other organization – in which case check the recipient's specific instructions. The package is not an appeal, administrative appeal, or government-approved form.

File by file

Excel – nine tabs and nine working key metrics

Tabs: Overview, Consultations, Sections, Comments, Decisions, Submission, Materials, Follow-up, and Read Me. The key metrics count registered consultations, ongoing consultations, sections, compiled comments, decision items, verified decisions, sent responses, attachments, and verified follow-up. The register and status selections are prepared for up to 200 rows per worksheet. The formulas have been tested with fictitious cases and are delivered with empty registers. No macros or external connections are included. Excel does not check the actual final day of the consultation and does not calculate binding legal deadlines.

How to use the consultation templates

1. Obtain the exact consultation letter, proposal, and diary number from the sender. Check the actual final response day, format, and submission channel.
2. Check the organization's bylaws and who is authorized to speak for the organization. Document the preparation mandate.
3. Collect substantive comments per proposal section with clear sources and consequence assessments.
4. Compile a clear and easy-to-read consultation statement with a summary, positions, and any attachments.
5. Perform an actual decision review and approve only the version the organization has actually decided on.
6. Check the recipient's requirements for Word/PDF, electronic channel, and digital accessibility. A searchable PDF is not automatically PDF/UA-compliant.
7. Document the response actually sent and any receipt confirmation, and then follow up on substantive outcomes.

Legal guidance – consultation, authority, and data protection

The Government Offices' compiled consultations describe that government agencies, organizations, and other stakeholders can receive consultations and that the general public can also submit comments. For style and layout, see The Government Offices' Answer a Consultation, updated March 2026. There is no general statutory obligation for all non-profit organizations to respond. Each consultation letter governs the practical submission instructions.

The organization's bylaws, actual decisions, and delegation order determine who is authorized to represent it. The Swedish Tax Agency's guidance on the management of non-profit organizations describes normal responsibility and decision-making functions. The fact that someone has compiled a draft does not mean the organization has adopted it.

For information about members and other individuals, GDPR applies. See IMY's guidance for organizations. Remove unnecessary personal data and conduct a special legal assessment before sensitive information becomes part of an external official document.

Frequently asked questions about consultation responses

Can a non-profit organization respond to a consultation without a special invitation?

Yes, the Government Offices state that the general public can also submit comments. Always check the address, formalities, and the scope of the consultation for the case in question.

Must the consultation response follow exactly the same heading structure as the proposal?

The Government Offices recommend a clear layout and that the positions are easy to find, preferably according to the proposal's sections. But the consultation letter's specific instructions must be followed.

Is a consultation response an appeal of a government decision?

No. Consultation responses are comments on proposals and part of the preparation process, not a procedural appeal. Other documents and deadlines apply to appeals.

Does a draft become the organization's official statement when it is signed?

Not automatically. Check the bylaws, any board or annual meeting decisions, and actual representative authority.

Can Excel send consultation responses and track government deadlines?

No. The workbook is an offline administrative log. All dates and statuses must be checked and documented manually.

Are the PDF versions accessible?

No. They are searchable printable versions, not PDF/UA-certified. If the consultation recipient has formal accessibility requirements, a special check is required before submission.

Related organization templates

See Delegation Order & Decision Mandate – Non-profit Organization for internal authority distribution and Motion to the Annual Meeting for internal organizational democracy. These documents have different purposes than consultation responses.

Version and source control

Version 1.0 – 2026-11-01. AI-assisted check against the Government Offices, the Swedish Tax Agency, and IMY. No independent external legal review of this version is documented. The final customer ZIP file is uploaded to Google Drive and must be manually linked to Shopify Digital Products before publication.