BCF and the Australian Charity & Not-for profits Commission (ACNC)

[guest]

I was just perusing the ACNC website for BCF (as one does) and I’m hoping someone can help me understand the results. This is the link: https://www.acnc.gov.au/charity/chariti ... 60/profile

Firstly, I think it is quite evident that what BCF describes as its “charitable activities” would be a stretch to call it such. As far as I am aware, at least these days, there’s virtually no operating within the broader non-BCF/CF local communities. Back in the day there used to be the odd event in public (ie the Devonshire Tea), but even that would be a stretch to call it charity.

Anyway, are these figures presented the annual financials?
The recorded revenue was $18,344,159.00, 99% of which came from donations/bequeaths (tithing and offering).
The recorded expenses was $4,927,897.00. That includes wages, ‘grants and donations for use in Australia’ (whatever that means) and all other expenses.
That leaves a ‘profit’(?) of $13,416,262. Now pardon my ignorance, but can anyone who knows business and church functions explain what all this money that is left over goes towards? And again, is that annual??

Seems like a lot of money for a “not-for profit charity”.

[guest]

Same guest here again,

I also found if you dig into the financials tab there is a lot more detail. For example, apparently there are 14.86 full-time equivalent staff (plus 300 volunteers). The wages expense was over $4,000,000, for 14 people???!!

ACNC needs to look into this.

[Bagel]

So, no wonder that there is naked ambition within the ranks to get ‘on the tithe’. Average income for those 14.86 FTE employees is around $270k p.a. If this report is correct.

Surely there is some explanation for this? But am still staggered by the $14 million’profit’. Maybe there was a need for a solid gold lampstand? Or maybe some lobster lunches, star quality of course.

Same guest here again,

I also found if you dig into the financials tab there is a lot more detail. For example, apparently there are 14.86 full-time equivalent staff (plus 300 volunteers). The wages expense was over $4,000,000, for 14 people???!!

ACNC needs to look into this.

[BreakFree]

Hi Guest,
I just googled how to raise a concern with The Australian Charities and Non for profit Commission. https://www.acnc.gov.au/raise-concern#: ... 20involved.

Its a good point if you want to have the government poking around in CF affairs. They may not be an out come but It will at least make them uncomfortable if only for a brief moment.

[Stargazer]

Stealing of tithes has occurred decades ago. It goes all undetected, except when someone cleans out the elders home and finds $220000 stashed under his mattress. Tithe money used to stuff a mattress! Mmmm I’m pretty sure that’s abusing community tithes. Does anyone know if the above concerns have been raised with ACNC? How can a community charity profit $13 million and declare they are a “not for profit charity”?. What a joke? CFS even have the government blindsided

[guest]

Before we get too carried away, I don't think that kind of revenue is replicated year on year. It looks like a one-off to me. And the most likely reason would be some business people have sold assets and paid a tithe on it. Maybe there were a few people sold businesses within the reporting period. I don’t know.

I see no reason to suspect that those who gave have any ill-intent. It's probably quite the opposite. What is important, is what gets done with the money. The church congregation should know what’s going on with that kind of money, and the leaders should be giving an open and honest account. Apart from the account they need to give the ACNC, they also need to give an account to God. I understand there are many church structures, but I believe the members should have the right to question what is being done with the funds.

The average full-time equivalent salary looks extremely high, and I doubt that all FT employees actually get that. Certainly, those in the more administrative roles wouldn’t see anything like that. Which means that either those at the top are being paid extremely high salaries, or funds are being siphoned off in some other way. I think ACNC should look at that. How could such a small not-for-profit have leaders/employees on more than $300k/$400k p/a? It doesn’t make much sense to me. Can anyone else think of a possible explanation?