If you’ve ever sat in a committee meeting arguing over whether your group should be a trust or a society, you’re in good company. In our conversations with people setting up not-for-profit organisations, it’s clear there’s still a good deal of confusion around terms like ‘non-profit’ and ‘not for profit’ Read more
Incorporated Societies The Registrar of Incorporated Societies does not require that the financial statements of Incorporated Societies or Charitable Trusts are audited or reviewed. However, the organisation’s rules may require an auditor or reviewer to be appointed. Many societies and trusts find the cost of auditing (or even of reviewing Read more
I’ve just become a Treasurer for a small group. Can you advise on what I should include in a Board report? Westpac (Australia) have produced a helpsheet which provides a number of hints. <details> It is often helpful to circulate the report with Board papers before the meeting as this Read more
When “Good Practice” Becomes Too Much: Managing Compliance Overload in Small NZ Charities Running a small non-profit (“charity”) in New Zealand has never been simple—but in recent years, many organisations have found the burden quietly slipping from “doing good” to “keeping up.” What used to be a manageable set of Read more
Understanding the Role A charitable trust exists to advance one or more charitable purposes, not private benefit, and its trustees are those legally responsible for making that happen. If the trust is incorporated as a charitable trust board, the board becomes a legal entity, but the individuals on it still Read more
Website GOOD NUMBERS recently posted a guide entitled “How to open a Bank Account for your Charity”. The guide starts: “As many in the sector know, opening a bank account for a charity can be anything but straightforward. Bank staff are often unfamiliar with the process, and it’s not uncommon Read more
Q. I am a member of an incorporated society. I have asked both the secretary and the president, at various times, for the opportunity to speak at a general meeting of the society. Each time, this has been denied. what are (in general) my rights? A. Under the Incorporated Societies Read more
Did you know that all registered charities must review their governance procedures (Rules, Constitution etc) every 3 years? Steven Moe of Parry Field Lawyers has published a blog on the subject. Entitled “Not ‘Just another Governance Burden for Charities”, the blog starts: “All registered charities must now review their governance Read more
Barry Baker and Jadene Windley of Grant Thornton have recently published a blog with the above title on this very topical subject. The article starts: “New regulations are changing how some incorporated societies report their finances. The Incorporated Societies Act 2022 replaces the 1908 Act, marking the first major overhaul Read more
We have learned of a new initiative from the South Canterbury Chamber of Commerce that may be of interest to Not-for-Profit organisations in South Canterbury. Supported by The Pub Charity Limited, the NFP Hub @ The Chamber – a dedicated workspace and meeting room, are offered completely free for local Not-for-Profit organisations to use. Whether they need a quiet desk for admin, a private Read more
The NZ Book of Governance NFP Resource has learned of a NZ-focused book on not-for-profit governance. “Getting to Grips with Not-for-Profit Governance”. It’s about effective governance, offering practical guidance for NZ board and committee members. Endorsed by the Institute of Directors, and tailored to the NZ Incorporated Societies Act 2022, Read more
A British podcast tells the story of the legendary fundraising efforts of Captain Sir Tom Moore and what follows. The podcast (42 minutes including promotions) contains lessons for those starting and running non-profit organisations and, indeed, lessons for donors: “When Britain entered its first Covid-19 lockdown in March 2020, many Read more