📰 Not-for-profit News: November 2024

What’s in the November 2024 Update?

Law and policy updates: OAIC releases updated privacy guidelines for charities, and senate inquiry into not-for-profit entities tax assessments
Resources:
- Updated resources: Getting started, advertising, record keeping, calling and holding meetings, fixed term contracts, and resources on contracts and employment for NSW Local Aboriginal Land Councils
- Update on Not-for-profit Law's funding in NSW
Upcoming webinars:
- Privacy: What Not-for-profits Need to Know about Protecting Personal Information, TOMORROW, 12:45 - 2pm (AEDT)
- How to Draft an MOU, 23 December, 12:45 - 2pm (AEDT)
Training for Victorian men’s sheds
Supporting the National Strategy for Volunteering
Justice Connect’s Annual Impact Report
News in our sector: 2024 Annual Information Statement, Webinar: reporting to ACNC for the first time, ACNC report and toolkit on managing safeguarding risk, Social Traders certification now free and Report on Identified Social Enterprises, National Learning and Development Survey, Not-for-Profit Financial Reporting Framework, and webinar on terrorism financing risks

Law and policy updates

OAIC releases updated privacy guidelines for charities

The Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) has released updated privacy guidance for not-for-profits on managing people’s information and data. The updated guidance outlines key obligations for not-for-profits when collecting and handling personal information, highlighting the benefits of strong compliance and retention practices. Read the guidelines here.

To learn more, register for our upcoming webinar where a lawyer from our team will update you on key messages from the regulator and help you understand what your current legal obligations are for the personal information of clients, members, volunteers and others.

Read more

Senate inquiry into not-for-profit entities tax assessments

The inquiry into the Australian Taxation Office’s requirement for certain not-for-profits to lodge a self-review return has concluded and a report with the findings and recommendations has been released. The inquiry follows a motion raised by Opposition Charities spokesperson Dean Smith which called for a public hearing.

Read more

Resources

Updated resources

Getting started

Getting started tool

Communications and advertising

Guide to the laws of advertising and your organisation

How to run your organisation

Record keeping for charities
Record keeping for incorporated associations (all the states and territories)
Calling and holding meetings (all the states and territories)

Managing people

Fixed term contracts

NSW Local Aboriginal Land Council resources

Update on Not-for-profit Law's funding in NSW

Since the NSW Government stopped funding our work, we had no choice but to cut off our NSW advice services and remove our tailored legal resources for NSW-based community organisations from our website. Since then, tens of thousands of organisations that rely on us have had to go without critical legal and governance support.

We’re grateful to have secured short-term support from another funder which means we can get our NSW-specific resources back on our website for the time being. However, this support is time limited, and it’s not enough to reopen our advice service in NSW. Email a letter now to the NSW Minister for Families and Communities in support of reinstating our funding.

Each month in this email, we’ll let you know which resources we’ve put back on our website. The following resources are now live:

Upcoming webinars

Privacy: What NFP's Need to Know about Protecting Personal Information

📅 Tuesday, 26 November
🕒 12:45 - 2pm (AEDT)
💻 Online via Zoom
➡️ Register now

With the next round of privacy reforms now before parliament, we want to give you an update.

In this webinar, our lawyers will let you know what to expect from these reforms, and clarify what your current legal obligations are for the personal information of clients, members, volunteers and others.

This session can help you:

Understand latest on the privacy reforms
Know what privacy laws might apply to your organisation
Put systems to put in place to manage personal information
Follow the key requirements for collection, use/disclosure and storage of personal information
Understand the rights of individuals to access and correct data you hold about them
Know how to respond to a data breach

Register now

How to Draft a MOU

📅 Tuesday, 3 December
🕒 12:45 - 2pm (AEDT)
💻 Online via Zoom
➡️ Register now

Not-for-profits often work together – it’s a strength of our sector.

Having a memorandum of understanding (MOU) is a great way of establishing the framework for your collaboration and expressing common goals or a shared vision.

A well-drafted MOU can reduce the risk of misunderstandings and mistakes, help get everyone on the same page and give you confidence in your collaboration.

This session can help you:

Understand what an MOU is
Consider when to use an MOU, and when not to
Know if an MOU is legally binding
Prepare a MOU - confident in what it should cover and key common clauses

Register now

Webinars on demand

Take a look at our webinars that are now available to download and watch at a time that is convenient for you:

Training for Victorian men’s sheds

The Department of Families, Fairness and Housing partnered with Not-for-profit Law to run free customised training sessions to help men’s sheds better understand their key responsibilities and legal obligations. Our team of experienced lawyers run interactive sessions, in plain language. We’ll send you all the information you need to easily join the session online. These are the final sessions and places are limited so get in quick.

Register here for the upcoming online sessions, or share the links with other Victorian sheds:

Governing a Not-for-profit Organisation
28 November

Safety, Risk and Insurance
4 December

Member Disputes and Conflict on the Committee
12 December

Supporting the National Strategy for Volunteering

Coalition of Support

Justice Connect is thrilled to announce our official commitment as a supporter of the National Strategy for Volunteering. By aligning ourselves with this important initiative, we are dedicated to advancing the National Strategy's vision and strategic objectives. Visit the Coalition of Support webpage to pledge your support and become part of this movement.

Justice Connect’s Annual Impact Report

We are pleased to share our 2023-24 Annual Impact Report, where we reflect on our wins and achievements from the past year.

Explore the report for a snapshot of what our passionate team achieved in FY24, and learn how we use legal service delivery, digital innovation, and advocacy to help people avoid homelessness, keep community organisations on their feet, and make it easier for our community to access justice.

Read the report.

News in our sector

2024 Annual Information Statement

Charities that operate on a standard financial year must submit their 2024 Annual Information Statement (AIS) to the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC) before 31 January 2025. You can learn more about what you need to know on the ACNC’s AIS Hub.

Webinar: reporting to ACNC for the first time

The ACNC recently ran a webinar that focused on first-time reporting to the ACNC. They discussed charity reporting obligations, various reporting periods, and how to submit the Annual Information Statement in the ACNC Charity Portal. Watch the recording today.

ACNC report and toolkit on managing safeguarding risk

The ACNC has released key findings of a review into how charities protect vulnerable people from harm. Read the Managing safeguarding risk review report summary.
To help charities meet their obligations, the ACNC has resources including a safeguarding checklist, a policy template and guidance. See the Governance Toolkit: Safeguarding vulnerable people.

Social Traders certification is now free and Report on Identified Social Enterprises released

Social Traders is now enabling social enterprises to get certified at no cost. Renewal for all members that have undertaken Recognition will also be free. Find out more.

Social Traders released the Report on Identified Social Enterprises, which is an analysis of Australia's estimated 12,000 social enterprises. Explore the key insights.

National Learning and Development Survey

If you currently work or volunteer in any human service-related area supporting or assisting children, young people or adults, the National Centre for Action on Child Sexual Abuse is conducting its second National Learning and Development Survey. Find out more and complete the survey by 8 December.

Not-for-Profit Financial Reporting Framework

The Australian Accounting Standards Board are developing simplified accounting requirements for smaller not-for-profit private sector entities. They are inviting feedback from the public on two drafts. The consultation period ends on 28 February 2025.

Webinar on terrorism financing risks

AUSTRAC are holding a webinar on 29 November to provide contextual information on the scale and impact of terrorism financing risks associated with charities and not-for-profit organisations.