Archived: ReachAcross: mini charity review for donors

Mini charity review of ReachAcross (RA) as an organisation that receives gifts from supporters^[1] , and seeks Christian missionaries. (Including the answers to the questions that the Australian charity regulator, the ACNC, suggests that you ask.)

(To see the situation last year, read this review.)

Are they responsive to feedback?

• When sent a draft of this review, they…did not respond.

Is RA registered?

• As a charity, yes.
• But not incorporated. It is an unincorporated association.
• RA doesn’t have a licence to fundraise in the five states that, according to the ACNC Register, it operates. Nor in the other two that have a licensing regime^[2].

What do they do?

• Generally: see the website.
  • Here’s how RA is different (to other mission agencies presumably).
• Specifically: no information found about what they did last year. (The Annual Information Statement (AIS) 2015 just says, as it did in the previous year, ‘Free will (sic) gifts from supporters’.)

Do they share the Gospel?

• Yes

What impact are they having?

• Nothing found.

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

• No accounts available, so no calculation possible.

Can you get a tax deduction?

• No

Is their online giving secure?

• NA (not offered).

Is their reporting up-to-date?

• Yes (five months after their year-end).
  • But if you are considering a large donation, I would ask for more up-to-date financial information – the accounts are for a year end that is now 10 months ago.

Does their reporting comply with the regulator’s requirements?

• AIS 2015: No. Neither activities or outcomes given.
• Financial Report 2015: NA
  • As a ‘Small’ charity, RA doesn’t have to submit a Financial Report.
  • As a Basic Religious Charity^[3] it doesn’t even have to include financial information in its AIS.
  • The constitution (Addendum 1) says that ‘All accounts will be audited annually and a statement of accounts circulated to all those on the mailing list in Australia.’
  • RA is a member of Missions Interlink, and one of their requirements is that members ‘have available for its members and supporters a clear and appropriate financial statement which has been approved by its auditor [Standards Statement, 4.1].
    • There is no ‘financial statement’ on the website. So you could request one.
      • I would be happy to have a look at it for you.

What financial situation was shown by that Report?

• NA

What did the auditor say about the last financial statements?

• NA

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

• Not quite. ‘Phone’ and ‘Website’ are blank.

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

• None – at least on the website.

Who are the people controlling the organisation?

• Not shown on the website but they are listed under Responsible Persons on the ACNC Register entry.

To whom are RA accountable?

• Not claimed on the website, but RA is a member of Missions Interlink. Missions Interlink has standards with which members must comply^[4].
• RA is also accountable to the ACNC.

1. Annual Information Statement (AIS) 2015 on the ACNC Register. ↑
2. The law in this area is not straightforward and advice varies, so check with the charity before drawing any conclusions. ↑
3. It qualifies as one of these special cases so long as it couldn’t be registered as another subtype of charity. ↑
4. For one opinion on the strength of this accountability, see the section Activities in this review. ↑