Following Sunday’s tragic terror attack on Bondi Beach in Sydney, the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC) is urging donors to be cautious before donating to fundraising appeals.
Commissioner Sue Woodward AM said our hearts go out to the families of those lost, to those injured and to people whose lives have been devastated. ‘This horrific attack was directed at Jewish people celebrating a religious event, and is abhorrent to all of us,’ Ms Woodward said.
‘We all feel heartbroken. It is natural that we want to help in some way, and one way to help is to make a donation to a fundraising appeal.’
However, Ms Woodward urged donors to exercise caution and give to a registered charity.
‘We encourage people to always check the Charity Register if they want to ensure they are supporting a registered charity’s fundraising campaign. Checking the Register should be the first step in researching a charity that is conducting a crowdfunding campaign before you donate.
‘We know many crowdfunding platforms make every effort to ensure donations go where fundraisers say they will go. Despite the best efforts of responsible crowdfunding platforms, they are not completely immune from dubious fundraisers. For the most part, the onus is still on donors to check that a campaign is legitimate.
‘To ensure your donation is going to a well-governed, regulated charity, we recommend supporting campaigns which directly benefit charities that are registered, transparent and accountable.
‘If donors are uncertain, they can always donate directly to charities via their official websites, the details of which can be found on the charities’ record on the Charity Register,’ Ms Woodward said.
The ACNC has guidance about crowdfunding for charities and donors.
Check the Charity Register before you donate.