That’s right — good governance starts with good records. Whether you’re a small grassroots group or a national organisation, the legal obligation to maintain proper financial and operational records applies to everyone.
Poor record-keeping can lead to serious risks — including governance breaches, conflicts of interest, and even fraud. The ACNC receives around 3,700 complaints a year, and most involve some form of inadequate documentation.
What You’re Required to Do
All charities must:
-
Keep written financial and operational records
-
Retain them for at least 7 years
-
Keep them in English (or in a format easily translatable)
-
Ensure they are secure, accessible, and well-organised
-
Only provide them to the ACNC if requested
Charities operating overseas must also maintain records of their overseas activities.
Record-Keeping Health Check
Use the checklist below to assess how well your charity is tracking.
Financial and Operational Records
-
Do you have a policy outlining what records are kept and who is responsible?
-
Are all financial transactions documented?
-
Are operational decisions and program activities recorded?
Format and Accessibility
-
Are your records in English or easily translatable?
-
Are they easy to locate and retrieve?
-
Is there a clear filing system in place?
-
Have staff or volunteers received training?
Security and Storage
-
Are sensitive records protected and access-controlled?
-
Are backups stored securely offsite or in the cloud?
-
Do you limit printing to only essential records?
Paper Record Management
-
Are documents sorted by type (e.g. receipts, communications)?
-
Are records filed by reporting period (e.g. financial years)?
-
Do you have sufficient storage for seven years of records?
Compliance with Other Regulatory Bodies
-
Does your record-keeping policy align with state or Commonwealth regulations?
-
Is your board regularly updated on compliance status?
A Policy Is Not Enough
Having a written policy is important — but putting it into practice matters more. Make sure your team understands:
-
Who is responsible for maintaining records
-
Where and how records are stored
-
How to securely store and back up key documents
Do You Have a Backup and Restore Solution?
If your charity uses tools like:
-
Email
-
Website content management systems
-
Salesforce or other CRM systems
…and you don’t yet have a backup and recovery solution in place, now is the time to act. We can help you protect your data and ensure compliance with the ACNC’s expectations.
