Charitable fundraising

Changes to the charitable fundraising laws start 1 April 2026

From 1 April 2026, charities registered with the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC) can use their registration to automatically satisfy NSW registration, reporting and record-keeping requirements.

All fundraising authority holders in NSW must comply with both the National Fundraising Principles and Standard Conditions.

Learn more about the changes.

Charitable fundraisers must follow the fundraising laws

Fundraisers must follow rules and processes to raise money or ask for donations of clothes, food, or other items or benefits for a charitable purpose in NSW.

If you are planning to run a fundraising appeal in NSW, you must:

establish your charitable purpose and how you will distribute funds
keep good records
ensure you have an authority to fundraise if you raise more than $15,000 in a financial year.

Find out how to fundraise as an individual, organisation, registered charity or commercial fundraiser.

Registered charities

Organisations can register as a charity with the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC).

You can use your ACNC registration to automatically fundraise in NSW under a deemed authority and to meet your NSW financial reporting and record-keeping requirements.

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Deemed fundraisers

Check if you have deemed authority to fundraise in NSW and learn about your streamlined reporting requirements.

Key responsibilities for fundraisers

Get an overview of the fundraising responsibilities.

National Fundraising Principles

Follow the 16 fundraising principles.

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Fundraising guidelines

Refer to the detailed guidance on meeting the conditions of your authority to fundraise.

Organisations not registered with the ACNC

There are four key parts to planning and setting up your organisation to fundraise.

Authority to fundraise

Find out if you need an authority to fundraise and how to get one.

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Key responsibilities for fundraisers

Understand the responsibilities for fundraising organisations.

National Fundraising Principles

Learn and follow the 16 principles.

Fundraising guidelines

Refer to the guidelines to help you understand and comply with your legal obligations.

Individual fundraising

Working with an established charity or organisation with a fundraising authority is the best way to actively fundraise in your community. It means you don’t need to take on the legal responsibilities and liabilities that come with running a fundraiser.