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To register as a charity with the ACNC, organisations need to meet specific criteria.

An unincorporated association is one type of organisational structure for a charity. Unlike an incorporated structure, an unincorporated association is not a separate legal entity from its members.

There are a number of benefits to registering as a charity with the ACNC.

‘Charity’ has a technical legal meaning. When we decide whether to register an organisation as a charity, we apply the law taking relevant legislation into account.

To be registered as a charity, a not-for-profit must have charitable purposes that are ‘for the public benefit’. A charity’s purpose is for the public benefit if achieving it would be of benefit to the public generally, or to a 'sufficient section of the public'.

The ACNC holds a large amount of data on Australia’s registered charities. We are committed to sharing our data and insights as widely as possible to help inform stakeholders about the charity sector.

Looking to make a donation to charity? Some donations to charity can be claimed as tax deductions on your individual tax return each year. For a donation to be tax deductible, it must be made to an organisation endorsed as a Deductible Gift Recipient (DGR), and must be a genuine gift – you cannot receive any benefit from the donation.

This guidance provides information for members of the public who want to donate to or volunteer with a charity.

Australians have long been extraordinarily generous when it comes to donating to worthy causes. But with so many worthy causes to choose from, how do donors know their money is going to the right place? This factsheet provides guidance on donating safely to legitimate charities.

Information about a range of aspects of the charity sector and how charities are run.