ACNC Registration
Landcare groups with an ABN will need to register with ACNC as a charity to fulfill the requirements under the new ATO rules.
To register as a NFP charity you will have to establish a set of governing rules for your group and submit it to the Australian Charities and NFP Commission (ACNC) along with an Annual Financial Statement.
The following links will assist with your groups ACNC registration:
Registration application checklist | ACNC – This checklist outlines the information that you will need to have handy in order to fully complete the charity registration application, and to help avoid your application being delayed due to your organisation not providing all the information required.
Australian Business Register’s (ABR) website – check the details of an existing ABN. To register with the ACNC, your organisation must have an Australian Business Number (ABN). Checking your groups ABN on the ABR register will help you to confirm your groups legal name and legal structure.
Governing document | ACNC – You need to provide your organisation’s governing document to register with ACNC. This is the formal document that sets out the organisation’s name, its charitable purposes and the rules and processes with which it operates.
This document is more commonly known as an organisation’s constitution, rules, articles of association or trust deed. Your governing document must include:
- your organisation’s legal name
- your organisation’s charitable purposes
- that your organisation operates on a not-for-profitbasis
- the rules and processes that outline the way your organisation makes decisions, the way it is governed, and how it is to be wound up.
Please note to avoid delays, the governing document you upload as part of your application should be the final copy and not have any drafting notes or amendments.
Unincorporated associations | ACNC – This page contains guidance on applying to register an unincorporated association as a charity with the ACNC, as well as information relevant to the Responsible People of unincorporated associations. (Please note that many groups believe they are incorporated through LVI membership – this is not the case)
Rules for a charitable unincorporated association | ACNC – Includes template rules intended to be used as a starting point for unincorporated associations seeking to register as a charity with the ACNC. (Please note that you cannot adopt the LVI or MPLN rules docs – they have to be specific to your group).
- Template rules for a charitable unincorporated association You will need to update this with your group’s name and charitable purpose (highlighted in yellow) before submitting it to the ACNC.
A different governing document must be used by incorporated groups: