International Mission Ministries Inc.
This is a review[1] in the series ‘Members of Missions Interlink,’ Missions Interlink being ‘the Australian network for global mission’[2].
‘International Mission Ministries Inc.’ is one such member, an Associate[3].
The name in the membership list links to a website in the name ‘International Mission Ministries’ (that is, without the ‘Inc.’).
There is an invitation to donate on that website.
This is despite claiming that it doesn’t ‘ask for funds’[4], or use ‘broad base fundraising’[5].
Donors
Given what Missions Interlink does, ‘International Mission Ministries Inc’ is probably a charity.
The charity regulator, the ACNC, in their article, Donating to Legitimate Charities, gives “some things to consider to help you make sure your donation is going where it is intended”:
- Check the charity’s name.
- Ask for identification from anyone seeking a donation.
- Be careful of online requests for donations.
- No tax deduction doesn’t mean the charity is not a legitimate one, and
- Find out more about how the charity says it uses donations.
Here’s the results for ‘International Mission Ministries Inc’, with #5 supplemented by the essentials of the ACNC’s What should I consider when deciding which charity to support?[6]
Question 1
A search on International Mission Ministries Inc’ gives a registered charity in that name (IMM).
Other registrations
- As a WA incorporated association (WA A1005107E).
- IMM have the ‘Every Daughter Matters’ registered as a business name.
- Google reveals a website in that name.
- This website says that Every Daughter Matters is a registered charity. It isn’t[7].
- IMM’s Register record does not record Every Daughter Matters under ‘Also known as’. (If this were done then people searching the Register would be led to IMM, the owner of the name.)
- The (continued) lack of registration for the name ‘International Mission Ministries’ (that is, without the ‘Inc’ as required by their enabling legislation), means that there should be no trading under this name (as they do on the website).
- A fundraising licence in NSW (Annual Information Statement (AIS) 2021).
- But no explanation for the lack of one in the other states that have a licensing regime.
Question 2
There is nothing on either website to suggest that they use either volunteer or professional fundraisers door-to-door or in the street.
Question 3
Both web addresses begin with a closed padlock symbol, so the websites are secure [the ACNC article above]. However, there is still, four years later, nothing on the IMM page where you enter your information about the security of that information. Nor on the other site’s giving page.
Question 4
IMM’s ABN record (via their ACNC Register record) says that it is not entitled to receive tax-deductible gifts. The giving pages support this.
The giving page for Every Daughter Matters says that all donations are tax deductible. They do this by collecting for ‘Worldshare’.
Question 5
Context – IMM
‘Where Most Needed’
‘Supporting our Community Centre & Workers’
‘Sponsor a Child’
‘Fight Human Trafficking’
‘Sponsor Community Projects’
Context – Every Daughter Matters
‘Interrupt Evil’
‘Provide Hope’
‘Where Most Needed’
These donations were collected on behalf of ‘Worldshare’.
Financial Reporting
The account of how a charity uses donations is the Financial Report on the ACNC Register.
Apart from the directors’ questionable choice of special purpose financial statements (as opposed to general purpose), this Report is still, four years later, grossly deficient:
- No audit report or review
- Missing two of the required five statements
- The two statements that are included are both materially incorrect
- The Director’s Statement is seriously divergent from what the ACNC requires.
- The Compilation Report is carelessly written.
- The Notes to the Financial Statements make no sense for this organisation.
The Report was put together by a Fellow of CPA Australia, Michael J Sprague.
And is said by a director (also Founder / Executive Director), Ross Nancarrow, to show a true and fair view [Director’s Statement].
External accountability
Members of Missions Interlink must accept a set of standards:
It appears the compliance processes of Missions Interlink, a membership that IMM claims to make them accountable, have failed in this area.
One of the other two organisations that IMM has on this ‘Accountability’ page is the ACNC, but it doesn’t check the documents lodged with it.
Although IMM claims that the third organisation, Crosslink Christian Network, has ‘professional standards’, none could be found on their website, and we are not aware of any such standards.
Who was responsible?
Although it should be the entire committee, Ross Nancarrow (and see above) has taken sole responsibility for the Financial Report.
The ACNC Register says that these are the other people currently on the committee:
Craig Findlay – this one?
Geoff Masters
Linda Mapstone – this one?
Michael Cole
The committee is not shown on the website.
We cannot check the accountability of this committee because IMM still hasn’t complied with the ACNC requirement (2012) to lodge its governing document on the ACNC Register. (It has the 2013 record of its change of name instead.)
The use of your donations
If you are still willing to consider donating to IMM, here is how donations were used (items > $10,000):
‘Int. CP Sponsorship’ $106K
‘Salaries – ordinary’ 57K
‘EDM Disbursements’ 57K
‘FBT Exempt Wages’ 52K
‘Int. Community Projects’ 25K
‘Int. Child Sponsorship’ 21K
‘Advertising and promotion’ 14K
‘Superannuation’ 10K
None of the terms are explained.
The expenses do not match the giving options (above).
32% of the expenses were employee entitlements (for two full-time employees – AIS 2021).
IMM says
In this case, whose giving covers the overheads of the sponsorship program(s)?
The two expenses that include ‘Sponsorship’ are 76% of ‘CP Sponsorship income’. The expenses are not classified to allow us to give you any more information on this commitment.
We are not told the destination of the money sent overseas (or locally). And there is nothing in the Financial Report 2021 on how IMM ensures that (a) the money reaches the overseas organisation, and (b) is used for the purposes given.
Nothing found.
Charity response
Missions Interlink requires IMM to have a ‘complaint management and dispute resolution policy’[9]. No such policy is among the policies on the website.
IMM invites neither feedback nor complaints.
We sent IMM a draft of the review. They commented but were silent on whether they were to be published. So, no IMM comments.
- See here for the previous review. ↑
- https://missionsinterlink.org.au/about/ ↑
- https://missionsinterlink.org.au/membership/mi-members-and-associates: ↑
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↑- A section in the article, Donating and Volunteering:
- Focus on the nature of the charity’s work, its beneficiaries and the impact the charity is having in the community.
- Is it clear what the charity is trying to achieve and how its activities work towards its objectives?
- Would you like to spend your money, or time if volunteering, to support these objectives?
- Is the charity being transparent about its activities?
- Under ‘Accountability’ in the footer. In the same place it says that Every Daughter Matters is a member of Missions Interlink. It isn’t. ↑
- The ACNC has previously – the Fact Sheet is no longer on the site – explained impact this way: “Every charity has a mission that is associated with producing a public benefit. As this mission is pursued, the changes produced in individuals and their communities can be referred to as the charity’s ‘impact.’ If you are donating to a charity, you may wish to make sure that your donation is creating the greatest impact possible.’ There is no reason why this wouldn’t still be their view. ↑
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