ACNC Reporting and Updating for Congregations

Overview:

Most Congregations are Basic Religious Charities (BRC).

Congregations that meet the definition of Basic Religious Charity, do NOT have to:

• answer financial information questions in its Annual Information Statement
• submit annual financial reports to ACNC (regardless of its size), 

All Congregations must:

• submit an Annual Information Statement which includes information about your activities
• Notify ACNC of any changes to information submitted

Frequency:

Annual – due 31 December each year for most Congregations[1]

Responsible Person:

Treasurer / Public Officer / Secretary

Congregation Obligations:

To Submit an Annual Information Statement to ACNC:

• Log in to the ACNC portal https://charity.acnc.gov.au/
• Enter your email address and your password
• Click Sign in
  • If you have forgotten your password, click
    • Forgot your password?
    • Enter your email address
    • Click SEND VERIFICATION CODE and an email will be sent to you
  • You should see your Congregation name listed
  • Click on your Congregation name
    • Click MANAGE PEOPLE
    • Edit the list of responsible and authorised people
      • Click on the down arrow on the Right Hand Side >> Edit
      • To remove someone, simply enter an end date
        • Click SUBMIT
      • Add any new people by clicking
        • Add Responsible Person

or

• • • • • Add Authorised Person
      • Fill in the details
    • Click SUBMIT

• To Edit Report
• Click Start 20xx AIS (or the appropriate year)
• You will see the following – click START and wait
• Read and Click NEXT

Charity Details

• Enter details as requested NB
  • an asterisk - means the data is mandatory
  • a search icon – means you need to click on this after entering the details
• If you are a Basic Religious Charity, you will answer NO to the following:
  • Is your charity an incorporated Association?
  • Does your charity intend to fundraise in the next reporting period?
  • Could your charity be registered with any other subtype of charity?
  • is your charity incorporated or registered under certain legislation?
  • Has the ACNC allowed your charity to report as part of a group?
  • is your charity endorsed as a DGR or does it operate DGR funds or authorities or institutions that had total revenue of $250,000 or more in the reporting period?
  • Has your charity received more than $100,000 in government grants in the current reporting period, or in either of the previous two reporting periods?
• Tick
  • Annual Revenue less than $250,000 (small charity)
  • Click SAVE and NEXT

Charity Programs

• Respond YES to the question
  • Did your charity operate in the 20xx reporting?
• Click NEXT
• Write a brief description of your purpose and click NEXT eg
  “By providing worship services and pastoral care”
• You need to add a program if you do not already have one eg “Advancing Religion”

People finance and reporting

• Complete the details about Number of Employees
  • NB FTE (Full-time equivalent) means the equivalent of the number of people working 100% - eg if 2 people worked 50% each, you would have 1 FTE
• Enter the approximate number of volunteers
• If you are a Basic Religious Charity, you can tick NO to the question “Do you want to complete the finance section?”
• Click NEXT

Review and submit

• You can Review the AIS before submitting it
• Add the relevant details for the Declaration
• Click SUBMIT
• Click DOWNLOAD your submitted AIS if you want a copy for your records.

 

[1] ie if your Financial Year is July to June