Charities warned: submit your 2016 AIS now

Tens of thousands of Australian charities have less than one week remaining to submit their 2016 Annual Information Statements to the Australian Charities and Not-for-Profits Commission (ACNC).

Commissioner Susan Pascoe has reminded charities that use a calendar reporting period, 1 January to 31 December, that their 2016 Annual Information Statements will be overdue after 30 June 2017.

“It’s important to note that meeting your reporting obligations has many benefits both for individual charities, and the sector overall,” Pascoe said.

“Your Annual Information Statement is a crucial part of your charity’s listing on the ACNC Charity Register, which is a publicly accessible record of your charity’s activities.

“The Charity Register is an important resource for donors and volunteers looking for accurate and up-to-date information about your charity.”

The data that charities submit to the ACNC through the Annual Information Statement also contributes to the Charity Passport, which allows other authorised Australian Government agencies to access the information already provided.

“The Charity Passport can reduce the reporting burden on registered charities,” Pascoe said.

“However, it requires charities to report their Annual Information Statements and annual financial reports accurately, and on time.”

Data from the Annual Information Statements of all registered charities is also used as the foundation for the ACNC’s annual Australian Charities Report.

The report, which examines the income, assets, expenses and activities of the charity sector, helps the community better understand Australia’s charities, and their financial status and sustainability.

The ACNC also recently announced that it was a winner of a Silver Award for distinguished achievements in reporting at the 2017 Australasian Reporting Awards.