Archived: International Village Care Ministry: mini-charity review

Mini-charity review of International Village Care Ministry (IVCM), an organisation that seeks donations online, and is an Associate member of Missions Interlink. (Including the answers to the questions that the Australian charity regulator, the ACNC, suggests that you ask.)

For the last review, see here.

Are they responsive to feedback?

• I sent them a draft of this review. Unlike last year, they did not respond.

Is IVCM registered?

• They are a charity, but not registered as one.
  • 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 IVCM has an ABN.
• Lack of registration for GST is OK so long as their turnover is less than $15oK.

What does IVCM do?

• Projects in India (three), and Cambodia (one).
• For the review last year, they commented that ‘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.’
• And in explanation for the lack of a record of an organisation called IVCM declaring the receipt of money in the year to 31 March 2015 to the Indian government, they commented ‘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.’
  • The record of the receipt of money for ‘Eagle Trust’ is a little hidden – the name is actually Enrich Accommodate Guide for Life and Education (Eagle) Charitable Trust.
  • Presumably this is the Global Development project?
  • Why the need for a third party, Global Development Group, when they have their own registration under the Foreign Contributions Regulation Act (FCRA)

Do they share the Gospel?

• They made this comment on the review last year:
  • ‘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.’
• Global Development Group is a secular organization.

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.
• Last year, they commented that
  • ‘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.’

Do they pay their board members?

• No constitution is publicly available to check.
• No financial statements are publicly available to check.

Can you get a tax deduction?

• No

Is their online giving secure?

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

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

• ‘I want to sponsor……(child / widow / couple / house mother / teacher)’

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

Where were your (net) donations sent?

• This is not disclosed.
• The FCRA returns submitted to the Indian government show that approximately $27K was received by the charitable trust from IVCM in the year ended 31 March 2016, and $29K in the next year.

Who are the people controlling the organisation?

• Three couples, described as ‘Our Directors’ are shown at the bottom here.
  • Alan Cockram
  • Judi Cockram
  • Dave Tunkin
  • Barb Tunkin
  • Don William
  • Joan William

To whom is IVCM accountable?

• To Missions Interlink via its an Associate membership.
  • For one opinion on the strength of that accountability, see the section Activities in this review.
  • You might ask Missions Interlink whether it is acceptable for a member to be a charity yet not be registered with the ACNC.