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The Charitable Purpose

ACNC monthly e-newsletter

September 2025

Commissioner's Column

Strong governance is the backbone of a well-run charity. It builds trust, supports transparency, and helps ensure that your charity can deliver on its mission with confidence.

One of the most powerful tools for good governance is effective record-keeping [[link removed]].

Accurate records help charities demonstrate accountability — not just to the ACNC, but to donors, beneficiaries, and the broader community.

Read more [[link removed]] Charity news and updates Guidance and resources for charities

Template to record your charity's meeting minutes

Did you know it's important to keep minutes for a meeting of your charity's governing body (such as a board meeting)? This is so there's a record of who made decisions, when they were made, and why they were made.

Download the ACNC's free meeting minutes template to help your charity accurately document its meetings.

Get the template [[link removed]]

Strategic planning for Indigenous organisations

The Australian Indigenous Governance Institute is offering a webinar this month on how to develop a strategic plan.

Providing practical examples of effective strategic plans, this webinar will focus on the importance of strategic planning.

The session is tailored for Indigenous organisations.

Book your spot [[link removed]] 2024 Annual Information Statement

Is your charity's Annual Information Statement overdue?

The 2024 Annual Information Statement due date for charities that operate on a calendar year (1 Jan to 31 Dec) was 30 June 2025.

If you haven't submitted yours yet, submit now via the Charity Portal to avoid penalties.

Submit via the Charity Portal now [[link removed]] Answering your questions

Q: I’m leaving the charity I’m currently involved with. What do I need to do before I go?

Having a good process in place for handovers is incredibly important. It can prevent the loss of charity knowledge, maintain continuity and help newcomers hit the ground running.

Before you leave you should:

start the handover process early add the new person as an Authorised or Responsible Person in the Charity Portal, then ask them to create their own account – you can follow our step-by-step Portal instructions [[link removed]]. inform the new person about your charity’s ongoing obligations [[link removed]], including reporting annually, updating charity details with the ACNC and complying with the Governance and External Conduct Standards.

Read our factsheet [[link removed]] on handovers, or our Governance for Good [[link removed]] guide, which provides an overview of good governance, responsibilities and duties for new Responsible People, and the obligations your charity has to the ACNC.

Q: What records does my charity need to keep?

Charities have different obligations for record-keeping [[link removed]] depending on their size, complexity, activities, how they spend or receive money and whether there are extra obligations to other regulators.

The ACNC requires charities to keep written financial and operational records [[link removed]], in any format, that are easy to find.

They are not required to provide the records to the ACNC unless asked.

Records need to be kept in English, or in a format that can be easily translated to English, for seven years.

If your charity operates overseas, it is required to obtain and keep records relating to its overseas activities.

View our record-keeping checklist [[link removed]] as a guide for good record-keeping practices.

Resources for newly-registered charities

Charities must meet ongoing obligations to retain registration. You must notify us each time a Responsible Person (a committee or board member or trustee) commences or resigns from a position. Learn more [[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]].

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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.

Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission

GPO Box 5108

Melbourne VIC 3001

© Commonwealth of Australia

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