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The Charitable Purpose

ACNC monthly e-newsletter

September 2023

Commissioner's Column

After extensive consultation and analysis, we have published our updated Commissioner’s Interpretation Statement: Public Benevolent Institutions.

Commissioner’s Interpretation Statements provide important guidance for charities and their advisers as they explain how the ACNC understands the law on key issues, as well as helping to guide ACNC decision-making.

Read the full Commissioner's Column [[link removed]]

Charity news and updates Guidance and resources for charities

Advocacy and the Voice to Parliament

Charities may want to contribute to conversations taking place about the Australian Government’s referendum on an Indigenous Voice to Parliament. They can make a valuable contribution. The ACNC has a host of advice available to charities, including a webinar and podcast.

Read our guidance [[link removed]]

Free Financial Reporting Course

All charities are required to complete the Annual Information Statement and many also complete financial reports. But how do you know what financial information is required? And do you have the financial understanding and skills to understand what is being asked? This short course from the ACNC provides answers.

Free Online Course [[link removed]-]

2023 Annual Information Statement

Charities that operate on a standard financial year (1 July to 30 June) must submit their 2023 Annual Information Statement prior to the 31 January.

Remember that there will be new questions requiring you to report your charity's dealings with related parties. You can learn more about the new questions, and what you need to know before completing your charity's AIS on the AIS Hub Page [[link removed]].

Get in early, beat the rush and submit via the Portal now.

Submit via the Charity Portal now [[link removed]]

Should other members of your charity receive our monthly newsletter?

Subscribe by clicking the link below or by visiting www.acnc.gov.au/#subscribe

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[[link removed]] Answering your questions

A few of the most common questions we have been hearing from charities recently...

Q. There’s been a few stories in the news recently about organisations falling victim to cyberattacks. What can my charity do to ensure this doesn’t happen to us?

A. For charities, cyber security means protecting your electronic information from unauthorised access.

Often, when we think of cyber security, we think of protecting ourselves against people gaining information by hacking into networks.

But for many charities, a more common cyber security risk might be someone gaining unauthorised access to a laptop containing personal or sensitive information, or falling victim to scams through emails or fake websites.

Responsible People must look at the cyber security risks relevant to their charity and then take steps to manage them.

The ACNC’s Governance Toolkit contains a guide on cyber security [[link removed]] for charities, which outlines exactly what steps charities and their Responsible People should take. The guide also features a helpful checklist for charities to work through.

Q: I sit on the board of a charity and want to improve our governance. Does the ACNC have any resources available to help me learn?

A. The Governing Charities online learning program of short courses [[link removed]] has been designed to help charity leaders and support good governance and accountability in the sector.

If you are in a leadership role at a charity, the program will boost the skills and expertise you need to perform your role successfully and effectively.

The courses have been designed independently of each other, so you can do one course or all of them, in any order.

And best of all, the courses are all completely free!

We register hundreds of new charities every month. You can view the list of newly registered charities by clicking on the button below.

View the list [[link removed]]

Welcome to the charities registered with the ACNC in August 2023.

To remain eligible for registration, charities must meet ongoing obligations [[link removed]].

Each time a Responsible Person (a committee or board member or trustee) commences or resigns from their position, you must notify us. Learn more about notifying the ACNC [[link removed]].

Holding an annual general meeting is a good way to be accountable to your members. Read more about AGMs and view our free resources [[link removed]].

The ACNC acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respects to them and their cultures and elders past and present.

[[link removed]]

Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission

GPO Box 5108

Melbourne VIC 3001

© Commonwealth of Australia

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