Charity details
This section of the 2019 AIS gathers basic information about your charity.
Charity's Australian Business Number (ABN)
The ABN is an 11 digit number issued by the Australian Business Register.
Charity's name
Here you should enter your charity's formal name as it appears on legal or other official documents.
1. Other names your charity is known by
At this point you can add any other alternative names for your charity, for example, any name more commonly used than its formal name.
2. Provide your charity's public contact details
In this question, you are asked to provide your charity's
- contact email address
- this question is mandatory. Once you have entered the email address, click on the search button to validate your response.
- website address
- if your charity doesn't have a website, provide a web address for its main social media page.
- if your charity has neither a website or social media page, leave the field blank.
- address
- type the address slowly and select it from the list that appears.
3. Provide your charity's Address For Service details
Your charity's Address For Service will appear on the Charity Register and can be an email, postal or street address. In this question you will be asked to provide your charity's:
- Address For Service email
- this question is mandatory. Once you have entered the email address, click on the search button to validate your response.
- Street address
- type the address slowly and select it from the list that appears.
If your charity is registered with ASIC, you will need to provide a street address for your charity.
4. Select your charity's size
Your charity size is based on your annual revenue, not your annual income.
Annual revenue is what your charity earns in a year as a result of carrying out its ordinary activities, and is usually shown as one of the top line items in an income (profit and loss) statement.
- Small charities have an annual revenue of less than $250,000
- Medium charities have an annual revenue of $250,000 up to $999,999
- Large charities have an annual revenue of $1 million or more
This question is mandatory. Please ensure you use the right figure when calculating your charity size so that your charity does not over-report or under-report.
Reporting details
Responding to the questions on incorporated associations and fundraising will help us improve reporting to government agencies for charities.
If you do not provide these details, you may not be able to take up improved reporting arrangements in your state or territory. For more information, see our guidance on reducing red tape.
5. Incorporated association details
When asked if your charity is an incorporated association, you should answer 'Yes' to this question if your charity is incorporated or registered under any of the following:
- the Associations Incorporation Act 2009 of New South Wales
- the Associations Incorporation Reform Act 2012 of Victoria
- the Associations Incorporation Act 1981 of Queensland
- the Associations Incorporation Act 2015 of Western Australia
- the Associations Incorporation Act 1985 of South Australia
- the Associations Incorporation Act 1964 of Tasmania
- the Associations Incorporation Act 1991 of the Australian Capital Territory
- the Associations Act 2010 of the Northern Territory
If you are not registered under one of the above acts, answer 'No'.
When asked about your incorporated association numbers, select the states and territories in which your charity is incorporated and provide its incorporated association number.
If you do not know the relevant incorporated association number, contact your state or territory regulator. Refer to the ACNC Website for more information.
6. Fundraising
If your charity intends to fundraise in the next reporting period, answer 'Yes' to the first part of question 6. From there, you will be asked to provide details of any relevant fundraising licence numbers your charity may hold. Not all fundraising activities require a fundraising licence. If you don’t have a licence, or you are unsure if you need one, check with your fundraising regulator.
7. Basic Religious Charities
Questions 7a–7e are only for charities whose only registered subtype is ‘advancing religion’. These questions are to determine whether or not your charity is a Basic Religious Charity.
Basic Religious Charities are charities which have the purpose of ‘advancing religion’, and which meet the five other criteria.
Questions 7a-7e will not appear for charities that have a subtype that is not 'advancing religion'.
By answering these questions, we will determine whether your charity is a Basic Religious Charity. If, after this, you are still not sure if you are a Basic Religious Charity, contact the ACNC on 13 ACNC (13 22 62).
Key personnel
8. Primary contact
The contact person's details will not appear on the Charity Register. We will use these details to prove the contact person's identity if they call to discuss charity information.
When answering this question, some of these details are mandatory. They are marked with a red asterisk: | ![]() |
When providing your primary contact's email address and phone number, ensure you validate the information by clicking on the search button: | ![]() |
9. Charity Responsible Persons
A Responsible Person is someone with responsibility for governing your organisation (for example, a board member, a committee member or a trustee). More information on Responsible Persons.
When completing your charity's AIS, check to see if the names and information displayed are accurate. You may need to add, remove or change the position of one or more Responsible Persons.
It is important you check the box at the bottom of the page to confirm the details for all Responsible Persons are correct.
Note that any changes you make at this point will not display until you submit your charity’s Annual Information Statement.