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Message from Charlotte
Charlotte Stanley
Director
Tēnā koutou katoa,
It’s a time of change for Charities Services and Te Rātā Atawhai, the independent Charities Registration Board.
In March, the Board farewelled Loretta Lovell and Dr Bev Gatenby as they concluded their terms of four and six years respectively. We sincerely thank Ms Lovell and Dr Gatenby for the extensive experience they brought to the Board and their years of dedicated service.
We are also pleased to announce two new Board members, Jane Wrightson and Carolyn Risk, who were officially appointed by Hon Minister Louise Upston on 13 March 2025. You can learn more about the new Board members below.
The Board plays a key regulatory role in determining whether entities should be registered or deregistered as charities. While Charities Services performs some routine matters under formal delegation, the Board makes the final decisions on complex or novel cases, or when organisations disagree with our analysis.
You may also be aware that the Department of Internal Affairs is undergoing changes. Earlier this year, we began working more closely with other regulators by moving into Regulatory Services within the Department. Further changes are being made to enhance efficiency and build internal capability.
Nā Charlotte Stanley
Director Charities Services, Pou Whakahaere
New appointments to the Charities Registration Board
Jane Wrightson and Carolyn Risk have been appointed as new members of Te Rātā Atawhai, the independent Charities Registration Board, for the next three years. This Board’s main function is to make decisions about registering or deregistering charities.
Jane Wrightson
Jane is an independent director and the current retirement commissioner. She is a director of Radio New Zealand, chairing its Audit and Risk Committee, and chairs a small charity that distributes funds to eight industries through the Workforce Futures Fund. Jane is also a former chair of Experience Wellington, a council-controlled arts and heritage charity, and has served as a director for other not-for-profit entities. She has previously held senior executive roles in public media organisations as a funder, regulator, programme commissioner, and sector advocate. Jane is a chartered member of the Institute of Directors.
Carolyn Risk
Carolyn is a Christchurch-based barrister with extensive governance experience. She has had a 30-year career as a senior leader in the public sector and started her career in private practice in Christchurch. Carolyn is a member of the Gambling Commission, the Audit and Risk Committee for the Parliamentary Counsel’s Office, and the Audit and Risk Committee for Environment Canterbury. She is also a lead reviewer for the Treasury Gateway Process.
More information about the Charities Registration Board can be found on our website.
It’s time to think about reporting
All registered charities must file an annual return within six months of the end of their financial year (balance date). If your charity’s balance date is 31 March, now is the time to begin preparing. Depending on your charity’s tier, you will need to prepare either a performance report (for Tier 3 and Tier 4 charities) or financial statements (for Tier 1 and Tier 2 charities).
For Tier 3 and Tier 4 charities, this is the first year you will need to follow the new Not-for-Profit (NFP) Standards when preparing your performance reports.
We offer helpful resources, including webinars and templates to guide you through the process.
If you’re working with an accountant or if your report requires a review or audit, please allow extra time for those processes.
Register for our webinar - Benefits and obligations of being a registered charity
We invite you to register for our upcoming webinar on the benefits and obligations of being a registered charity. This webinar is for newly registered charities, new officers, or if you simply need a refresher on the topic. We’ll be covering essential information including:
The benefits and obligations of charity registration
Whether registration is necessary for your charity
The steps to take if you wish to deregister
There will also be a Q&A session, giving you the opportunity to ask questions.
For dates and registration information, please visit the webinars page on our website.
Recordings available for Tier 3 & 4 Not-for-Profit (NFP) Standards webinars
Last month, Charities Services hosted four webinars to help you understand the new financial reporting standards for Tier 3 and Tier 4 charities, set by the External Reporting Board.
These new financial reporting standards are now available, and the webinars explain the changes and how to apply them when reporting to us.
Thank you to everyone who attended. If you missed the webinars or want to review the information, you can now find the recordings on our website using the links below:
Update your saved links to our website
Charities Services has recently updated the platform that hosts our website. If you have saved any pages from our website prior to this month (such as, adding them to your browser’s "favourites" or "bookmarks"), you may need to update them or clear your cache.
If you encounter any issues with our website, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.
Changes for Incorporated Societies
If your charity is an incorporated society and it was registered before 5 October 2023, you must reregister it through the New Zealand Companies Office by 5 April 2026 to keep your incorporated society status. If you decide not to reregister your society but want to keep operating, you will need to apply for a new IRD number.
For more information on incorporated societies, please visit the New Zealand Companies Office.
Inland Revenue updates
Donation Tax Credit System review
Inland Revenue has published its response to the Donation Tax Credit (DTC) Regulatory Stewardship Review. The review assessed the effectiveness of the current DTC system and identified areas for potential improvement. The review findings and Inland Revenue’s response provide valuable insights for donors, charities and tax professionals.
To read the full review and Inland Revenue’s response, visit Inland Revenue’s website.
Contacting IR
If you need to get in touch with Inland Revenue, please contact them through your myIR account through myIR Secure Online Services. They have a dedicated support line for charities inquiries. You can also email them directly at charities.queries@ird.govt.nz for assistance.