Red tape cuts to fundraising regulations

Welcome changes to the Charitable Fundraising Regulation 2015 that commenced on 1 September will help cut red tape for charitable organisations.

Changes to the Charitable Fundraising Regulation 2015, which came into force on 1 September, will help cut red tape for charitable organisations. These changes will repeal the existing 2008 regulation.

Among the new amendments to the regulations is a change to increase the audit threshold for licenced fundraisers from $100,000 to $250,000 per year.

Minor amendments were also made to the Charitable Fundraising Authority Conditions, which were approved by the Minister for Innovation and Better Regulation on 31 July 2015. These conditions will now apply to new fundraising authorities issued by NSW Fair Trading from 1 September 2015.

Some of the proposed changes under the charitable fundraising aim to meet the following broad objectives:

• To provide protection against the risk of fraudulent activity in charitable fundraising.
• To promote integrity safeguards and accountability standards.
• To ensure the interests of intended beneficiaries are protected.

A complete report is available to help not-for-profit organisations prepare for the changes on issues such as: maintenance of proper books of account and records, record systems for items used in fundraising appeals, receipting requirements, rations of expenses to receipts and fundraising through direct marketing.