Charities Commission registers its first group application
10 September 2007
Te Kotahitanga o Te Arawa Waka Fisheries Group is the first group of charities to become a registered ‘single entity’ under the new Charities Act, the Charities Commission announced today.
“Having registered more than 1000 individual charities, it is a significant ‘first’ for the Commission to now register a group,” said Commission chief executive Trevor Garrett.
Rotorua-based Te Kotahitanga o Te Arawa Waka Fisheries Trust Board is the ‘parent’ organisation which has led the application process and will act on the group’s behalf. Other group members are Te Arawa Fisheries Limited, and Te Arawa Fisheries Holding Company Limited.
The Group encourages and provides training and education in fisheries management and conservation for Te Arawa.
Parent entity Chairperson Don Bennett said that the Group was happy with the registration process, and said ‘convenience’ was their reason for applying as a group, particularly in terms of managing administration and compliance obligations.
To be eligible for registration, an organisation must be established and maintained for charitable purposes – meaning they must have a purpose that advances religion, or education, relieves poverty, or is otherwise beneficial to the community. Other criteria, such as having officers who are qualified to be officers under the Charities Act, also apply.
“It is more common for individual organisations to apply to register with the Charities Commission, but group applications are an option for two or more organisations that are closely related and have similar charitable purposes,” said Mr Garrett. “This can include applications from groups with blood ties. Each member of the group must qualify to be registered as a charity under the Charities Act in its own right. “
Applying to register a group of charities under the Charities Act is a two-stage process, which involves making an initial submission to the Charities Commission to treat the organisations as a group, then filling out a group application form.
“The Charities Commission looks forward to receiving more applications from groups of Charities,” said Mr Garrett.
Charitable organisations must apply to register with the Charities Commission before 1 July 2008 to continue to be eligible for charitable-purpose tax exemptions.
Application forms and plenty of guidance material are available on www.charities.govt.nz, or call the Commission’s free information line – 0508 242 748.
Further information - Tania Guenter, Communications Advisor,
Charities Commission, 04 978
7792