Fundraising Legislation

As a grass-roots, community funded and led organisation, White Ribbon Australia is honoured to have communities all over Australia engaged in the cause and holding events in name. When funds are being raised under our name it is our responsibility as a charity and our commitment to our donors that we will ensure these funds are directed to our vital work.

As a National charity registered with the ACNC, we are required to adhere to each State’s fundraising legislation. When registering your event please ensure you have read and comply with the following important fundraising requirements, as per State legislation:

1. All events held under the banner of White Ribbon Australia must be registered on our website to be issued with an Authority to Fundraise certificate, the document which legally enables you to raise funds for us.
2. It is illegal for an event to be promoted as a “White Ribbon Australia event” if funds are being directed elsewhere as State Fundraising regulations clearly stating ‘all money raised in the name of a charity must be directed to that charity for their purposes.’
3. Fundraising regulations also state that money raised for a charity must be paid directly into a dedicated account in the name of that charity.
4. White Ribbon Australia is unable to endorse/support the splitting of funds raised at events under White Ribbon Australia’s brand as this breaches our Authority to fundraise conditions placing our fundraising license at risk.
   

To breach our fundraising conditions and lose our license would mean we were unable to accept donations from the public and as an organisation that receives just 10% funding from Government, this would severely impact White Ribbon’s ability to exist. We thank you for your understanding and your adherence to these requirements.

We are proud to have a core purpose of ending men’s violence against women through a primary prevention model which addresses the root causes of violence and aims to reduce the need for services by driving societal change for future generations. We believe in a holistic approach to ending men’s violence against women, and are committed to aligning with other organisations to lead a collaborative approach across the sector.

We rely on the support of generous individuals and companies to enable us to continue our work so thank you for your support.

For more details on State fundraising legislation and legal requirements please see the links below.

• NSW
  • OLGR Fundraising authority conditions: http://www.fairtrading.nsw.gov.au/ftw/Cooperatives_and_associations/Charitable_fundraising/Fundraising_controls.page?#Authority_conditions
  • Charitable Fundraising Best Practice Guidelines: https://www.fairtrading.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0006/371283/Charitable-Fundraising-Guidelines.pdf
  • Charitable Fundraising Act 1991http://www.legislation.nsw.gov.au/#/view/act/1991/69/full
• VIC:
  • Fundraising beneficiaries and conditions on registration: https://www.consumer.vic.gov.au/clubs-and-not-for-profits/fundraisers/registration/conditions-on-registration
  • Fundraising registration guidelines: http://www.gazette.vic.gov.au/gazette/Gazettes2009/GG2009S248.pdf#page=1
  • Fundraising Act 1998:https://www.legislation.vic.gov.au/in-force/acts/fundraising-act-1998/041
• QLD:
  • https://www.qld.gov.au/law/laws-regulated-industries-and-accountability/queensland-laws-and-regulations/associations-charities-and-non-for-profits/charities-and-fundraising/
  • Collections Act 1966: https://www.legislation.qld.gov.au/view/pdf/inforce/current/act-1966-007
• WA:
  • Charitable collections act 1946: https://www.legislation.wa.gov.au/legislation/statutes.nsf/main_mrtitle_127_homepage.html
  • https://www.commerce.wa.gov.au/publications/charitable-collections-licence-application-form
• SA:
  • Collections for Charitable Purposes Act 1939: https://legislation.sa.gov.au/LZ/C/A/COLLECTIONS%20FOR%20CHARITABLE%20PURPOSES%20ACT%201939/CURRENT/1939.16.AUTH.PDF
  • https://www.legislation.sa.gov.au/LZ/C/A/COLLECTIONS%20FOR%20CHARITABLE%20PURPOSES%20ACT%201939.aspx
• ACT:
  • Charitable collections licensing: https://www.accesscanberra.act.gov.au/app/answers/detail/a_id/1549/kw/charities
  • Charitable collections Act: http://www.legislation.act.gov.au/a/2003-17/current/pdf/2003-17.pdf
  • Charitable collections regulations: http://www.legislation.act.gov.au/sl/2003-33/current/pdf/2003-33.pdf
• TAS:
  • Collections for Charities Act 2001: https://www.legislation.tas.gov.au/view/whole/html/inforce/current/act-2001-028
  • http://www.consumer.tas.gov.au/registrations/charities

For more information on Australian charity fundraising regulations:

• ACNC
  • https://www.acnc.gov.au/tools/guides/managing-charity-money-guide-board-members-managing-finances-and-meeting-acnc-duties
• DELOITTE:
  • Australian charities and the Not-for-Profits commission: Cutting red tape” Options to align State, territory and Commonwealth charity regulation: https://www2.deloitte.com/au/en/pages/economics/articles/cutting-red-tape-align-charity-regulation.html

If you have any further questions, please email: events@whiteribbon.org.au