About the reporting standards
The reporting standards (also known as accounting standards) are set by the External Reporting Board (XRB), a Crown entity that develops and issues accounting standards in New Zealand.
Registered charities must prepare annual reports for Charities Services every year using these standards, which are designed to:
- improve the quality and consistency of charity reporting
- help people understand how your charity is performing over time
- make your information easier to access and use.
Reporting requirement by tier
Charities report using a tiered system based on their annual expenditure and size. Your tier determines the type of report you must prepare.
- Tier 1 and Tier 2 charities (large sized charities) prepare Financial Reports.
- Tier 3 and Tier 4 charities (small to medium sized charities) prepare Performance Reports.
To find out which tier applies to your charity, visit Which tier will I use?
What needs to be reported?
Your Performance or Financial Report is a good opportunity to tell the public and others about your charity’s work over the past year. It should include both financial and non-financial information, such as:
- your charity’s purpose
- activities or services delivered
- income and expenses
- assets and liabilities
- notes and disclosures (e.g. related party transactions or control relationships).
These reports are published on the Charities Register, where funders, donors and the public can access them to understand how your charity is operating and the impact it's having.
Templates and guidance
Templates and reporting guides are available to support Tier 3 and Tier 4 charities in preparing their Performance Reports.
We recommend that Tier 1 and Tier 2 charities visit the XRB’s website for further guidance.