Published 4 May 2020
The winners and highly commended in the 2020 New Zealand Charity Reporting Awards have been announced.
The awards, organised by Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand (CA ANZ), recognise best practice among registered charities in meeting financial reporting standards which give greater transparency and consistency among charities.
Peter Vial, New Zealand Country Head for CA ANZ praised the calibre of award entries. In follow up conversations with the winning cha…
We are holding one-on-one clinics every Thursday.
Come and talk to our team and get answers to the questions you have about being a registered charity. We have a range of appointments available depending on what questions you need answered. Appointments are available with Charities Services staff to discuss advice on your rules, advice on changing your purposes or activities, financial reporting, and governance.
There are appointments available every Thursday. Register for one appointment, or…
Published 21 May 2020
In its decision dated 21 May 2020, the Charities Registration Board, Te Rātā Atawhai (“the Board”), has decided to decline the application of Nelson Grey Power Association Incorporated (the Society) to be a registered charity because it does not advance exclusively charitable purposes.
The role of the Board is to maintain the integrity of the Charities Register by ensuring that entities on the Charities Register qualify for registration.
The Board makes its decisions b…
A conflict of interest is any situation where a person’s personal interest or loyalties could affect their ability to make a decision in the best interest of the charity. A conflict of interest may be actual, potential or perceived and may be financial or non-financial.
It is common for conflicts of interest to occur in charities of all types and sizes, particularly where people are related by blood, marriage, or domestic partnership. Conflicts of interest do not have to be a serious problem. H…
As an officer, you are responsible for the financial sustainability of your organisation and ensuring funds and assets are used to advance your organisation’s charitable purposes. It's critical that financial accounting and reporting systems in your organisation are accurate and transparent.
Your organisation must keep written records of your accounts and prepare financial statements. Check your rules to find out if they require your accounts to be audited or reviewed.
Officers also need…
Published 2 July 2020
Every year we collect information on volunteering as part of the Annual Return process for registered charities. This information includes the number of volunteers, the hours they work, and which regions and organisations have the highest number of volunteers. The document below has been prepared using data from the most recent Annual Returns, along with historic year on year statistics.
Charities Services does not verify the accuracy of the figures reported, and the data…
Updated 2 December 2021
Fundraising is an important part of charities flourishing in Aotearoa. To ensure you have the information you need, we’ve worked with the COVID-19 National Crisis Management Centre to create this simple guidance for charities.
Please note that we will update the information on this page with the relevant changes as quickly as possible. However, as information can change rapidly, we recommend that you check for the latest COVID-19 updates by visiting the Government'…
Published 27 August 2020
The appeal to the Court of Appeal by Family First (the Society) of the High Court’s decision has been upheld.
In 2017, Te Rātā Atawhai, the Charities Registration Board decided that the Society no longer qualified to be a registered charity under the Charities Act 2005.
The Society appealed to the High Court. In 2018, the High Court confirmed the Board’s decision that Society’s purposes are not exclusively charitable. The Society appealed to the Court of Appeal.
T…
Published 17 September 2020
We recently updated our website to include a section specifically for Māori charities, Te Puna Atawhaitanga. Charities Services recognises the vital mahi (work) undertaken by charities with a Te Ao Māori focus and we want to support charities to continue carrying out this important mahi.
The information and resources on Te Puna Atawhaitanga give guidance for new and existing charities with a kaupapa Māori focus. The pages include guidance on starting a charity,…
Charities Services’ vision is that our work contributes to a well-governed, transparent and thriving charitable sector with strong public support. We are focussed on being a responsive regulator that understands the sector and how our work impacts on charities. To be able to effectively respond to issues in the sector, Charities Services engages with a range of sector representatives and stakeholders, including the Charities Sector Group.
The Charities Sector Group was started to provide an opp…