Archived: International Village Care Ministry: mini-charity review

Mini-charity review of International Village Care Ministry (IVCM), an organisation that invites the public, on its website, to donate to it.

Are they responsive to feedback?

• When sent a draft of this review, they…responded the next day. Their responses, where appropriate, have been incorporated below.

Is IVCM registered?

• Not as a charity.
  • This means that they are not entitled to any charity tax concessions.
• Not incorporated.
  • This means that the members are personally liable for the actions of IVCM.
• But it has an ABN.

What does IVCM do?

• Projects in India (three), and Cambodia (one).
  • Ministry comment: ‘We are a relatively small group looking after around 180 children either in the homes in India or thru the Daycare Training centre in Cambodia.’
  • There is no record of an organisation called IVCM declaring the receipt of money in the year to 31 March 2015 in the districts in which the Indian projects are located. Perhaps those visiting from Australia delivered the (net) donations?
    • Ministry comment: The work we do in India is run thru Global Developments…We have a FCRA under Eagle Trust our main trust in India that overseas our work. In Cambodia we have a MOU with the Government under IVCM for the work we do there.
      • Reviewer response: I could find no record for ‘Eagle Trust’; IVCM did not explain why they needed Global Developments if they had an entity of their own (‘Eagle Trust’).

Do they share the Gospel?

• The members are Christians, they don’t offer a tax deduction, so, despite the absence of any reference to it on the website, I expect so.
  • Ministry comment: ‘We certainly are Christian operated and run and it underlies all that we do. Sharing the Love of God and His word is paramount but we do it with the children & people we are working with and looking after, not out on the streets.’
    

What impact are they having?

• No information found.

What do they spend outside the costs directly incurred in delivering the above impact, that is, on administration?

• No financial information is published, so it is not possible to make this calculation.
  • Ministry comment: ‘All admin costs etc are picked up by the Directors and any shortfall in monies received to what is expended are also picked up by the Directors.’

Can you get a tax deduction?

• No

Is their online giving secure?

• There is a PayPal-like button, but the next page is ‘under construction’.

What choices do you have in how your donation is used?

• None shown on the website.

Is their reporting up-to-date?

• No reporting by regulatory authorities is required.
• However, their Associate membership of Missions Interlink requires them to “have available for [their] members and supporters a clear and appropriate financial statement which has been approved by its auditor.”  It’s not offered on the website, so just ask.

Does their reporting comply with the regulator’s requirements?

• NA

What financial situation was shown in that Report?

• NA

What did the auditor say about the last financial statements?

• NA

If a charity, is their page on the ACNC Register complete?

• NA

Who are the people controlling the organisation?

• The directors, three couples, are shown at the bottom here.

To whom is IVCM accountable?

• To Missions Interlink[1] via its an Associate membership.
  • You might ask them whether it is acceptable for a member not to be a charity.

1. For one opinion on the strength of that accountability, see the section Activities in this review. ↑