Message from the Director

As many of you are already aware, this year's Annual Meeting will be on 12 November. This is a great opportunity for us to share important information, update you on our work for the year and answer some of your questions. Thank you to those of you who have submitted questions in advance. These help us prepare and provide valuable insight into some of your priorities and challenges. Of particular note to me are the comments calling for increased oversight and monitoring of non-compliant charities. We understand that public trust and confidence are vital for a thriving charitable sector, and our role is to provide effective regulation to provide this assurance. As such, improved compliance and increased regulatory action are key priorities for our group for the next 3 years. I will provide more detail in the coming months. Please continue to send through your questions and we will endeavour to cover as many of the topics raised as we can.  

Lastly, an important reminder for charities that are incorporated societies. If you have not already done so, please take action to prepare for the Companies Office changes to take place in April 2026. This will require either a Special General Meeting or an Annual General Meeting to approve the decision, so this must be planned in advance. Reregistration is completed with the Companies Office. Failure to complete this process may result in the loss of your charitable status and could impact your ability to operate. More information about this is included below. 

Ngā mihi nui  

Nā Charlotte Stanley 

Director, Pou Whakahaere 
Charities Services 

Annual Meeting - registrations are open 

You’re warmly invited to Charities Services’ online Annual Meeting on Wednesday 12 November 2025, from 12:30 PM to 2:00 PM.   

This is an opportunity to hear from government leaders, Charities Services, and to engage in Q&A sessions.  

Don’t miss out—click here to register. 

Registration closes on Thursday 6 November, so be sure to sign up soon to secure your spot. If you can’t make it, we will release a recording of the meeting on the Charities Services website.   

If you have any questions, please email us at events@charities.govt.nz.   

We look forward to seeing you there!  

Changes to the Registration Board 

Charities Registration Board is going through change as the Chair, Gwendoline Keel is ending her time on the Board. We want to acknowledge and thank Gwen for the work and leadership she has provided during her time on the Charities Registration Board.   

Throughout my career I have been proud to stand alongside the charitable sector, where so many are doing incredible work for the benefit of communities across Aotearoa. I am grateful for the opportunity to serve, for the relationships built with sector participants, Board members, and Charities Services, and for the trust placed in me as Chair. 

While I am leaving the Board, I remain committed to the sector through my ongoing professional and personal work with charities. I have every confidence that the Board, supported by Charities Services and DIA leadership, will continue to provide strong stewardship of the register and champion the integrity of the sector into the future.

Charities Services' processing times 

Charities Services is currently experiencing processing delays due to an increase in Update Details applications and charity registration applications.  

To support faster processing of Update Details applications: 

• Avoid submitting duplicate applications. 
• If your Update Details is an Entity Structure Change, please email info@charities.govt.nz so we can prioritise these. 

Charity registration applications are currently taking up to 20 weeks to process. We appreciate your patience. 

Affected incorporated societies that haven't taken action by 5 April 2026, will cease to exist and cannot operate. 

Make sure you know about important law changes for incorporated societies. 

Do you know: 

• Is your charity an incorporated society?  
• Are you affected by the changes?  
• What actions do you need to take to be ready by 5 April 2026? 

For more information, please visit the New Zealand Companies Office.  

Remember: After you've made changes, update your details with Charities Services. 

Combined Tier 4 Annual Return form 

Tier 4 charities can now complete a Combined Tier 4 Annual Return form, which makes annual reporting easier. This form merges the Annual Return form and the Performance Report into a single document.

This option is available for charities reporting under Tier 4 that:

• do not need to provide detailed information about individual transactions
• do not wish to prepare a separate Performance Report.

The form is available online through your charity’s account when you complete an annual return.  

Webinar recordings

Have you missed any or our recent webinars? Don’t worry, you can watch the recordings on our website any time. 

Some topics we recently covered are: 

• How to complete a Combined Tier 4 Annual Return form 
• How to complete your Tier 3 Annual Return online 
• How to complete your Tier 4 Annual Return online 
• Knowing your legal structure 

We often have new webinars coming up, so keep an eye on our website. 

Granted.govt.nz has been refreshed to make it easier for communities and not-for-profits to find and apply for funding. 

The updates include:  

• An interactive map, making it easier to see pokies venues and the societies they are aligned with.   
• Enhanced filtering for faster and easier access to the data you need.  
• Authorised purpose statements of 33 Class 4 societies, which helps grant applicants find the right fit.  

Visit the Granted.govt.nz website to learn more.  

The External Reporting Board (XRB) has recently issued exposure drafts (EDs) for two new PBE Standards – ED PBE IPSAS 47 Revenue and ED PBE IPSAS 48 Transfer Expenses. The proposed standards may impact or change Tier 1 and Tier 2 charities’ revenue and expense accounting.  

The XRB is holding the following consultation events to hear your thoughts on these proposals: 

• Virtual roundtable for Tier 1 and Tier 2 not-for-profit preparers – 29 October. 
• Virtual drop-in sessions – 6 November and 12 November. 

You can find more information on the XRB website. 

Submissions close Monday 1 December 2025.  

Resources