2018 Annual Information Statement Checklist

General Tips

1. Ensure your charity has completed previous years’ AISs before starting work on the 2018 form.

2. Check your charity’s financial year end date and ensure you use the correct reporting period.

Charities must check their financial year end date before they start work on their 2018 AIS to ensure they use the correct reporting period. You can check your charity’s financial year end date by referring to your records on the Charity Register.

If your financial year end listed in the Charity Register is not correct, log into the Charity Portal and click on the ‘Request a different reporting period’ link. After submitting the request, wait for the ACNC to confirm your charity’s different reporting period before starting your AIS.

3. Check your charity’s Address For Service email

The ACNC sends important information to this email address. Using a personal email address rather than a generic charity one can make it hard for us to contact your charity.

4. Reporting as a Basic Religious Charity? Know the requirements

The AIS contains a series of questions to help determine if your charity is a Basic Religious Charity (BRC). BRCs are charities that have the purpose of ‘advancing religion’, and that comply with five other requirements.

Only a small number of charities that have the purpose of advancing religion meet all five requirements. Read more at acnc.gov.au/BasicReligiousCharity.

5. Ensure you select the right activities for your charity

When asked about your charity’s activities, be aware that most of them will fall within the categories provided in the 2018 AIS.

This question in the AIS also allows charities to select ‘other categories’. However, you should only make this selection in exceptional circumstances. Refer to the guidance within the form for more information.

6. Remember to provide financial information

In previous years, charities have not correctly completed the financial section of their AIS, or have not provided full financial details as required.

Remember to provide financial information and complete this section of the AIS properly, even if you did not conduct charitable activities during the year.

Extensive guidance on completing financial questions in the 2018 AIS is available in the form itself, and in the 2018 AIS Guide. Further resources are available on the ACNC website.

7.Taking up streamlined reporting opportunities

By answering questions in the 2018 AIS relating to fundraising and incorporated association details, many charities will no longer have to double-up and provide the same information to state and territory-based regulators.

Have your charity’s Incorporated Association Number, as well as information about your organisation’s annual general meeting, membership and fundraising handy so you can answer these questions. The ACNC will pass on selected information to state and territory regulators so your charity doesn’t experience duplicative reporting and needless red tape.

8. Review your form before submission … and remember to hit the submit button

Take the time to review your 2018 AIS before you submit it to us.

You can look over your responses to AIS questions at the end of the form, or you can print out and review your AIS before submission to ensure you have completed it correctly.

Instructions on how to review your 2018 AIS are contained in the form itself.

Also, remember to press the Submit button – if you do not press Submit, we will not receive your completed AIS. After you submit, you can save or print a PDF of your responses to the AIS. The ACNC will also send a rundown of your AIS responses to your Address For Service email.

Extra tips for medium and large charities

Medium charities must submit a financial report that is either reviewed or audited. Large charities must submit a financial report that is audited. Learn more here: acnc.gov.au/ReviewOrAudit.

1. Know your financial report type

Are you submitting a general purpose or special purpose financial report? The notes to the financial statements must clearly state the type of financial report your charity has prepared.

Ensure you have adequate accounting policy disclosures that highlight the type of financial report prepared. Read more on our guidance covering at general and special purpose financial statements.

2. Will you provide a consolidated financial statement?

Consolidated financial statements are financial statements of a group in which the assets, liabilities, equity, income, expenses and cash flows of the parent charity and its subsidiaries are presented as a single economic entity.

Although the ACNC accepts consolidated financial reports, don’t forget that the financial information questions in the AIS are only for the registered charity and not the entire group.

3. Attach all required documents

For a full list refer to the checklist above.

4. Preparing a special purpose financial statement? You must comply with mandatory accounting standards

For more information, refer to our guidance covering at general and special purpose financial statements.

5. Preparing a general purpose financial statement? Check the completeness and quality of the related party disclosures

Ensure you comply with all relevant accounting standards and provide sufficient detail of transactions between related parties and key management personnel.

If you have any questions, contact us on 13 22 62 (13 ACNC).