ACNC launches enhanced Charity Register
2 March 2022 at 4:07 pm
“Donors, philanthropists, grant-makers and volunteers can now use the register to find a cause close to their heart, while charities can use it to connect with each other.”
The national charities regulator has unveiled a new and improved Charity Register in what it says will provide a new way for charities to connect with donors, volunteers and each other.
The register, which is free to search and available to everyone, contains information about Australia’s registered charities including the names of the people involved in running the charity, as well as financial information and annual reporting.
Thanks to the new features, which were officially launched on Tuesday in Melbourne, users can now search the register by charity program as well as by charity.
Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commissioner Dr Gary Johns said the enhancements opened a world of opportunities for the sector to connect, collaborate and innovate.
“For the first time, new Charity Register search features allow you to look up the kind of charity program you would like to support, in your local area or your preferred location anywhere in Australia,” Johns said.
“Donors, philanthropists, grant-makers and volunteers can now use the register to find a cause close to their heart, while charities can use it to connect with each other.”
The move has been welcomed by many in the sector.
Philanthropy Australia CEO Jack Heath said the enhanced register was an important innovation.
“At Philanthropy Australia, we are committed to doubling philanthropic giving by 2030, and innovations such as the ACNC’s enhanced Charity Register are an important step towards building new ways for philanthropy to work with charities to increase the scale of national giving,” he said.
“The register is a valuable tool in our quest to lift philanthropic giving to better support Australians in need.”
Speaking prior to the launch, Tanarra Philanthropic Advisors CEO Lisa Kingman OAM said the innovation would drive better outcomes.
“We’ve provided pro bono advice to hundreds of charities. We ask their boards to identify who is doing complementary or similar work, as it’s important to understand where you fit in the ecosystem, your differentiation and where collaboration would deliver better outcomes for your beneficiaries,” Kingman said.
“In the main, charities have tiny marketing budgets so broadening awareness is a continual challenge. COVID has forced a rethink of traditional fundraising events. It makes good sense to seek out like-minded organisations and collaborate. For example, if there’s three small organisations all working in the same cause space, they could pool resources and share the fundraising outcomes.”
Find out more about the Charity Register here, or watch the video below to see how to use it.
