New ACNC toolkit to help connect MPs and charities

The national charity regulator has today launched a new online toolkit to help charities and their local Members of Parliament (MPs) connect and discuss important sector issues.

The MP Charity Toolkit comprises new Charity Register functionality, which allows searches by federal electorate, and a series of 20 factsheets that cover topical charity sector issues, including fundraising, tax concessions, and safe giving.

The toolkit, which is available on the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission’s (ACNC) website at acnc.gov.au/mp, was developed in partnership with the Assistant Minister to the Treasurer, the Hon Michael Sukkar.

Assistant Minister Sukkar welcomed the launch of the MP Charity Toolkit and described it as a valuable resource for MPs and their staff.

“There are 55,000 registered charities operating across the country, delivering a range of vital services,” Assistant Minister Sukkar said.

“Registered charities provide our communities with education, health and aged care, places of worship, life-saving medical research, culture, social services, and housing.

“The new MP Charity Toolkit will help my colleagues in the federal Parliament continue to engage with their local charities and support them in their charitable endeavours.”

Assistant Minister Sukkar explained that the sector and the public will also benefit from the new MP Charity Toolkit, enabling them to quickly and easily locate nearby charities.

“Registered charities looking to collaborate with another similar charity, or reach out to discuss local issues, will also be able to use the new search function,” Assistant Minister Sukkar said.

“Similarly, members of the public looking to donate their time, or goods and services locally will now be able to find charities of all sizes in their federal electorate.”

The new search function in the MP Charity Toolkit is simple to use, and links directly to the ACNC’s Charity Register – Australia’s first online database of charities.

Since the ACNC Charity Register was launched in December 2012, it has been searched over 2 million times. The Charity Register includes a charity’s contact details, information on who runs the charity, who or what it aims to protect or support, and also includes a charity’s financial reports.

The new search function currently only allows searches by federal electorate; the ACNC will add state electorates at a later date.