Charities and not-for-profits are accountable to the Australian Charities and Not-for-profit Commission (ACNC), and must follow the guidelines in order to maintain a current registration with the ACNC.
Ensuring the proper charities legal structures in place can help you maximise profits and minimise costs.
We advise our clients in relation to a broad range of charity and not-for-profit matters, including:
structures;
charitable trusts and ancillary funds;
charity registration with the Australian Charities and Not-for-Profits Commission (‘ACNC’);
policies and governance;
compliance;
tax deductible status (‘DGR’);
income tax exemptions;
employment;
distribution of funds overseas; and
fundraising licensing.
Beyond the law, our lawyers are actively involved in the charity and not-for-profit sector by way of:
charity director/board positions;
charity advisory roles;
charity volunteering; and
previous employment in the not-for-profit sector.
We work with charities and not-for-profits of all shapes and sizes. We service start-up organisations through to some of the biggest charities and not-for-profits in Australia.
Our firm has acted to:
establish an Australian charitable fundraising arm for a major international charity;
establish a tax-deductible fund for Australia’s leading online crowd-funding company;
set up an Australian based tax-deductible fundraising structure with multiple funds for a leading international university;
advise a peak body and preeminent Australian education provider in relation to its not-for-profit status;
obtain fundraising licenses in all States and Territories;
establish a public benevolent institution with capacity to send funds overseas for an international constituent member of the Red Cross;
advise a religious group on purchasing property through charitable structures;
assist a major Australian charity in responding to a breach of compliance notice issued by the ACNC;
re-structure a well-known gym group as a not-for-profit company;
assist a well-established health retreat to structure a tax-deductible social enterprise framework; and
set up a major online crowdfunding foundation.
Working with our clients in mind
We work closely with each of our clients to provide advice that is: