Archived: World Hope Network: mini-charity review

Mini charity review of World Hope Network (WHN), as an organisation that seeks donations online. (Including the answers to the questions that the Australian charity regulator, the ACNC, suggests that you ask.)

Is it responsive to feedback?

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

Is WHN registered?

• As a charity, yes.
  • WHN says that it is ‘part of an international Aid Organisation (sic), but the organisation is not identified on the website.
  • There is, however, another charity controlled by the same people, Hope Ministry Partners Ltd.
• Other registrations:
  • WHN is a public company, a company limited by guarantee.
    • It is permitted to omit ‘Ltd/Limited’ from the end of its name.
  • It operates, per the ACNC Register, in NSW as well as its home state, Queensland. Both these states have a fundraising licensing regime. WHN has no fundraising licences in Australia^[1].

What do they do?

• There’s isn’t a clear statement on the website of what WHN does; what they want donations for should give you a good idea though.
• WHN is the head office for the work of ‘World Hope’ in other countries:
  • World Hope is set up to work in many countries. The head office is in Australia.  Each country has its own registered branch, with a local board and local staff. 
    • The ACNC Register says that WHN operates in Cambodia and Pakistan.
      • But the ‘Donate’ page also mentions Vietnam.
      • And Hope Ministry Partners says that they work in South Africa as well.

Do they share the Gospel?

• No – it’s not part of their mission
  • We are a global network of people dedicated to helping others, independent of religion, race, gender or status. We often get asked “are you religious?” The answer to this is easy. We simply want to help people. We don’t help people to make them Christians, we help people because we are Christians [http://www.worldhope.com/about.html].
    • But there is no mention of Christ under values (or elsewhere) in the constitution.

What impact are they having?

• There is no mention of impact, outcomes or results on the website. And no report in which they may be mentioned.
• Latest News’, however, reports the result of them stepping outside their mission (see above), and having quite an impact for the Kingdom:
  • ‘No of people who accepted Christ for the first time: 374
  • Numerous miracles recorded, 3 of which we have absolute confidence to publish’
    • Perhaps though, this was the work of their subsidiary, Hope Ministry Partners Ltd?

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

• There is no Financial Report – none is required – but the AIS 2015 shows that they spent $14K to send $41K overseas.
  • The recipient or recipients of this money are not disclosed.

Can you get a tax deduction?

• Yes

Is their online giving secure?

• NA. (Not offered.)

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

• ‘Self sustainability fish farms in Cambodia – $100 each
• ‘Vietnam and Cambodia Medical & Building Donations’
• ‘World Hope Public School – Lahore, Pakistan’
• ‘General Donations’

Is their reporting up-to-date?

• Yes. (Five months after year end.)

Does their reporting comply with the regulator’s requirements?

• AIS 2015: Apart from the lack of outcomes, and the inclusion of a name that is not registered, yes.
• Financial Report 2015: Yes. (Not required by the ACNC.)
  • 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.”
  • The constitution also requires them to have an audit [clause 16-00].
  • WHN controls another charity, Hope Ministry Partners Ltd, via its control of the board of that charity. (Or perhaps it’s the other way around?)
  • Does WHN control, in a financial accounting sense, the overseas branches?
    • Structurally, our head office is situated and governed by a board of directors in Australia.  For each country that World Hope is in, and will be in, it has a national office with local people on its board.  The only exception is the international chairman which sits on every national board. Each country has its own registered branch, with a local board and local staff.

What financial situation was shown in that Report?

• With the possibility of the figures being higher – see ‘Does their reporting…?’ (above), the AIS 2015 shows:
  • $53K of donations in and $41K out (the remainder being Australian ‘overhead’).
  • Although the cash basis of accounting is used, there are $21K of assets and $2K of liabilities.

What did the auditor say about the last financial statements?

• We are not told whether an audit was performed.

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

• No – ‘Phone’ and ‘Website’ are blank.

Who are the people controlling the organisation?

• Other than that Daniel Zelli is the ‘executive director and international chairman’, there is nothing on the website.
• From ‘Responsible Persons’ on the ACNC Register:
  • Nicole Anderson
  • Helen Burman
  • Colin Henry Johnston
  • David Randle
  • Daniel Zelli
• Three of the WHN directors form the board 0f Hope Ministry Partners Ltd. Ideally WHN should therefore be producing consolidated financial statements.

To whom is WHN accountable?

• Here are WHN’s two statements on accountability:
  • STRICT ACCOUNTABILITY AND REPORTING OBLIGATIONS
    As World Hope Welfare Network is part of an international Aid Organisation, the organisation is run in accordance with strict international guidelines and reporting requirements. All money is directed towards the relief of poverty and suffering and cannot be used for profit or the gain of any one individual.  Organisational policy is compliant with guidelines as set out is the Federal Parliament of Australia Charities Act. http://www.worldhope.com/countries.html
  • World Hope is run according to Australian Tax Office guidelines for charitable organisations and maintains a high level of accountability and reporting in international offices. http://www.worldhope.com/about.html
• WHN is also accountable to Missions Interlink[2] via their Associate membership.
• And, as an Australian registered charity, to the ACNC.

1. The law in this area is not straightforward – is an internet invitation ‘fundraising’ for instance? – and advice varies, so check with the charity before drawing any conclusions. ↑
2. For one opinion on the strength of that accountability, see the section Activities in this review. ↑