22. Kids Cancer Charities

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Introduction

I was asked to write this paper by my niece whose 4 year old daughter has cancer.   She just set up her own charity – Connected for Life – and wanted to know what other NZ charities focus on kids with cancer so that her charity can share this information with others.

 

Summary

There are 27,177 registered charities in NZ today.  As many as 72% (19,574) have told the charity regulator that one of their beneficiary groups is “children / young people”.  Out of these, 23% (6,373) said that “children / young people” are their main beneficiary group.  There is no easy way to identify cancer charities so I drilled down on the 6,373 charities to find the ones which listed “health” as their main sector of operation.  The result was a dataset of 199 charities that listed “children / young people” as the main beneficiary and “health” as the main sector of operation.  This reduced to 172 when I excluded those that had never lodged a return with the regulator or they operated primarily overseas.  Excluding plunket charities brought the total down to 134, which was the group I reviewed for the paper.

 

My review found that 26 out of the 134 charities provide support to children with cancer.  The details section of this paper provides more information about each of them.  In summary:

 

·        Top three: The top three, based on gross income, are The Starship Foundation, Child Cancer Foundation and Canteen.

·        Areas of operation: 15 operate nationwide, 4 operate in Auckland, 2 in Wellington/Wairarapa and the remaining five operate in either Canterbury, Hawke’s Bay, Otago, The West Coast or Vanuatu.

·        Income and Assets: In total, the 26 charities reported total gross income of $27 million in their most recent return, of which $9m was donations.  They paid out $8 million in grants and control assets of $45 million, of which $30 million is cash and investments.

·        Volunteers and paid staff: The 26 charities reported having a total of 375 volunteers, 66 full time employees and 26 part time employees.

 

This analysis also pointed to some lessons which could be taken on board by both the charities themselves and the regulator.  Here are my top two tips:

 

·        List your website on the charities register:  Only 12 of the 26 charities listed their website on the charities register.  Fourteen out of the 26 did not, and some small charities did not appear to have a website.  I would like to see more charities list their website and other links on the register – it makes the register more useful and helps users find out more information and interact with them.

·        Check whether you have explained your purpose clearly and succinctly:  It can be time consuming to find out what a charity’s purposes are using the charity register, and cancer charities are not easy to spot.  Unfortunately, the existing classifications of “sector”, “beneficiary” and “activities” on the register do not always provide enough information to explain why the charity exists.  The classifications are also applied inconsistently by charities, so a mistake or unusual classification means a charity could be overlooked.  Things become more difficult when a charity doesn’t have a website and doesn’t explain its purpose in its financial accounts. I would like to see the regulator ask charities to record a short narrative about their purposes on the register (which could be supplemented with a purpose classification), as this would make finding specific charities, such as cancer charities, much easier (as it is on the Australian charities register).  Hopefully a change will be made when the new accounting standards come into force for the 2016 returns, which require all charities to provide an overview of themselves and explain why they exist.  In the meantime, if you are a charity then double check if you have a succinct explanation about your purpose on your website and facebook page (if you have one) and in your financial report.

 

For donors planning to give money to a charity that helps kids with cancer, here are five red flags you may wish to look out for before making a donation:

 

·        Donee status: If you want to claim a tax credit, ensure the charity has approved donee status by checking on the IRD Approved Donee Organisation search tool. Don’t assume you can claim a tax credit for donations to every charity - only 19 of these 26 charities have approved donee status. 

·        Lodged returns and financial statements: Check whether the charity has filed its annual return and its financial statements with the charity regulator, to make sure it is compliant and transparent. At the time of preparing this paper, 5 out of the 26 charities have overdue returns. Two lodged a return but did not lodge their financial statements. 

·        Accumulated funds:  Check the charity’s balance sheet to see how many assets it has accumulated.  If it has already accumulated a large amount of cash and investments, when will it – and your donation - be spent on charitable activities?  Does it really need your donation now?  It may be worth asking the charity about its accumulation policy.

·        Related party transactions:  Closely held charities may have related party transactions that you should keep an eye out for in the financial statements.  For example, at least one of the 26 charities has lent money to companies controlled by the charity’s officers or their relations.  Make sure you are satisfied that the charity discloses these transactions, explains them and shows they are at arms’ length, otherwise your donation might end up being wasted and not go towards charitable activities.

·        Independent audit or review:  Many charities don’t have to have their financial statements independently audited or reviewed.  But if they do, it might give you more confidence in the financial statements and help you decide whether to donate.  The charities regulator has asked all charities to attach their audit / review report if they have one, so it is worth checking.   Six out of these 26 charities filed accounts that were independently audited and two filed accounts that were independently reviewed.

 

The details

 

The following 26 charities have recorded on the NZ charities register “children / young people” as their main beneficiary, “health” as their main sector, and based on their website and register information it appears children with cancer are a focus or they will benefit from these charities.  They are listed in descending order of size based on gross income reported in their most recent return filed with the regulator (shown in red).  Note that this is not a complete list of all kids cancer charities; for the reasons explained above it is not easy to comprehensively identify kids cancer charities on the charities register.  However, hopefully it is a good start.

 

1. The Starship Foundation

Areas of operation: Nationwide

Website: www.starship.org.nz

Donations to this charity qualify for a tax credit: Yes

Volunteers / employees: 30 / 16

Donation income / total gross income / grants paid out / total assets:

(YE 31/12/14) $7.0m, $11.7m, $6.6m, $19.1m

Financial accounts independently audited / reviewed: Yes (audit)

Description:

The Starship Foundation raises funds so Starship Children's Health can better care for its young patients. Starship Oncology provides assessment, diagnosis, treatment and long term follow-up for children and adolescents with cancer.

 

2. Child Cancer Foundation Incorporated

Areas of operation: Nationwide

Website: www.childcancer.org.nz

Donations to this charity qualify for a tax credit: Yes

Volunteers / employees: 200 / 37

Donation income / total gross income / grants paid out / total assets:

(YE 30/06/14) $974k, $7.0m, $158k, $15.2m

Financial accounts independently audited / reviewed: Yes (audit)

Description:

This foundation aims to reduce the impact of cancer by offering services to ensure children and their families are supported, informed and well cared for on their journey with cancer.

 

3. Canteen The New Zealand Organisation Supporting Young People Living With Cancer Incorporated

Areas of operation: Nationwide

Website: www.canteen.org.nz

Donations to this charity qualify for a tax credit: Yes

Volunteers / employees: 2 / 37

Donation income / total gross income / grants paid out / total assets:

(YE 30/06/14) $336k, $5.5m, $0k, $4.8m

Financial accounts independently audited / reviewed: Yes (audit)

Description:

CanTeen’s mission is to ensure no 13-24 year old will ever fight cancer alone.  They will provide one-to-one support, sharing support, tools and workshops, skills for the future, and grants of up to $1,500.

 

4. Countdown Kids Charitable Trust

Areas of operation: Nationwide

Website: www.countdown.co.nz

Donations to charity qualify for a tax credit: No

Volunteers / employees: 0 / 0

Donation income / total gross income / grants paid out / total assets:

(YE 30/06/14) $425k, $1.3m, $1.2k, $318k

Financial accounts independently audited / reviewed: Yes (audit)

Description:

All proceeds from donations to this Trust go to 11 children’s hospitals around New Zealand, for medical equipment (funds are not restricted to cancer-related equipment).

 

5. Camp Quality New Zealand

Areas of operation: Nationwide

Website: www.campquality.org.nz

Donations to charity qualify for a tax credit: Yes

Volunteers / employees: 60 / 0

Donation income / total gross income / grants paid out / total assets:

(YE 30/06/14) $408k, $649k, $0, $957k

Financial accounts independently audited / reviewed: Yes (audit)

Description:

Camp Quality is committed to making a positive difference to children (aged 5-16 years) living with cancer. Camp Quality NZ provides annual summer camps and year-round support at NO COST to help children and their families overcome the challenges of living with cancer.

 

6. Little Elms Charitable Trust

NB: The return for YE 31/03/15 has been overdue since 30/09/15

Areas of operation: Hawke’s Bay

Website: www.littleelms.co.nz

Donations to charity qualify for a tax credit: Yes

Volunteers / employees: 4 / 0

Donation income / total gross income / grants paid out / total assets:

(YE 31/03/14) $5k, $174k, $0, $1.3m

Financial accounts independently audited / reviewed: No (no financial statements were lodged for FY 31/03/14)

Description:

This trust owns and manages the Little Elms complex in Orchard Road, Hastings.  The complex consists of six motel-type Chalets, a three bedroom Holiday house and an Administration building.  The Chalets provide accommodation for families of patients at the nearby Hawke's Bay Hospital.  Families of child cancer patients from around the country are able to use the holiday house to have some much needed “time out” from the rounds of tests and treatment that otherwise rule their lives.

 

7. Dream Chaser Foundation - A Chace Topperwien Charity

Areas of operation: Nationwide

Website: www.dreamchaser.co.nz

Donations to charity qualify for a tax credit: Yes

Volunteers / employees: 6 / 2

Donation income / total gross income / grants paid out / total assets:

(YE 31/03/15) $117k, $123k, $0*, $158k
* Although the return shows the charity did not pay out grants or make donations/koha payments, the financial accounts show they paid $4,000 in bereavement grants and paid $44,964 as "family support"

Financial accounts independently audited / reviewed: No

Description:

This foundation supports children and their families facing childhood cancer in four main ways – petrol and groceries vouchers, birthday gifts for children in Starship Children’s Hospital, family getaway packages and providing a donation towards funeral/tangi costs.  Its two current projects involve a bone marrow donor drive and supporting Ronald McDonald House Auckland.

 

8. Guardian Angels Charitable Trust

Areas of operation: Auckland

Website: http://guardianangels.co.nz/

Donations to charity qualify for a tax credit: Yes

Volunteers / employees: 10 / 2

Donation income / total gross income / grants paid out / total assets:

(YE 31/03/15) $71k, $71k, $80k, $19k

Financial accounts independently audited / reviewed: Yes (review)

Description:

Guardian Angles supports the needs of terminally ill children and their families. It is not tied to a specific childhood group of illnesses but cares for all families where there is no longer a possibility of a cure for their children.

 

9. Aaron Otley Memorial Trust

Areas of operation: Canterbury

Website: -

Donations to charity qualify for a tax credit: Yes

Volunteers / employees: 4 / 0

Donation income / total gross income / grants paid out / total assets:

(YE 31/03/15) $10k, $44k, $5k, $50k

Financial accounts independently audited / reviewed: No

Description:

This trust fund is applied to assist specifically children but also their families within the Pleasant Point community who have been adversely affected by accident or illness.  (Funds are not restricted to children with cancer).

 

10. Geoff and Helen Henderson Charitable Trust

NB: The return for YE 31/03/15 has been overdue since 30/09/15

Areas of operation: Auckland

Website: -

Donations to charity qualify for a tax credit: No

Volunteers / employees: 0 / 0

Donation income / total gross income / grants paid out / total assets:

(YE 31/03/14) $0k, $35k, $0, $572k

Financial accounts independently audited / reviewed: No

Description:

This trust provides funds for Starship, Auckland.

 

11. The Ernest and Josephine Earnshaw Charitable Trust

Areas of operation: Nationwide

Website: -

Donations to charity qualify for a tax credit: No

Volunteers / employees: 0 / 0

Donation income / total gross income / grants paid out / total assets:

(YE 31/07/15) $0k, $34k, $0, $742k

Financial accounts independently audited / reviewed: No

Description:

This trust makes grants to the Child Cancer Society of New Zealand.  The funds are managed by the Public Trust. No distributions were made to the Child Cancer Society in YE 31/07/15 or YE 31/07/14. 

 

12. Kids In The Community Charitable Trust

Areas of operation: Nationwide

Website: www.kic.org.nz

Donations to charity qualify for a tax credit: Yes

Volunteers / employees: 3 / 0

Donation income / total gross income / grants paid out / total assets:

(YE 30/06/14) $31k, $33k, $0, $74k

Financial accounts independently audited / reviewed: No

Description:

This trust works with the charity Camp Quality that benefits children with cancer; each year Kids in Cars (KIC) held a day for children offering rides in cars and trucks at Pukekohe Park Raceway where they hold car and truck shows.

 

13. Caring for Child Cancer

NB: The return for YE 31/03/15 has been overdue since 30/09/15

Areas of operation: Auckland

Website: -

Donations to charity qualify for a tax credit: Yes

Volunteers / employees: 14 / 0

Donation income / total gross income / grants paid out / total assets:

(YE 31/03/14) $1k, $25k, $2k, $0

Financial accounts independently audited / reviewed: No (no financial statements were lodged for FY 31/03/14)

Description:

This charity provides financial support towards the treatment of less fortunate children with cancer.

 

14. Upper Clutha Children's Medical Trust

Areas of operation: Otago

Website: www.uccmedtrust.co.nz

Donations to charity qualify for a tax credit: Yes

Volunteers / employees: 6 / 0

Donation income / total gross income / grants paid out / total assets:

(YE 30/06/15) $4k, $23k, $16k, $41k

Financial accounts independently audited / reviewed: Yes (review)

Description:

This trust assists families resident in the Upper Clutha region who are finding it difficult to meet the costs associated with medical treatment for their children by specialists or other appropriate providers where government funding is not provided and in cases where there is genuine hardship.  The Trust payments are not limited to assistance for cancer treatment but apply to all medical problems.

 

15. The R D  Butland Charitable Trust

Areas of operation: Nationwide

Website: -

Donations to charity qualify for a tax credit: No

Volunteers / employees: 3 / 0

Donation income / total gross income / grants paid out / total assets:

(YE 31/03/15) $0, $18k, $3k, $337k

Financial accounts independently audited / reviewed: No

Description:

This trust pays for medical care for children (not restricted to cancer patients).  The accounts do not specify the recipients of the $3,250 donations.  The trust appears to have related party transactions, with a $50,000 advance to Butland Holdings Ltd and $7,180 deposited with JM Butland Ltd, however there was no related party note in the financial statements.

 

16. Doris May Chapman Charitable Trust

Areas of operation: Nationwide

Website: -

Donations to charity qualify for a tax credit: Yes

Volunteers / employees: 0 / 0

Donation income / total gross income / grants paid out / total assets:

(YE 30/04/15) $0, $16k, $50k, $731k

Financial accounts independently audited / reviewed: No

Description:

This trust assists and supports children receiving treatment for cancer from Starship Hospital.  The accounts are prepared by the Public Trust.  $49,620 was paid to Starship in YE 30/04/15.

 

17. The Wairarapa Children's Trust Board

Areas of operation: Wellington / Wairarapa

Website: -

Donations to charity qualify for a tax credit: No

Volunteers / employees: 5 / 0

Donation income / total gross income / grants paid out / total assets:

(YE 31/03/15) $13k, $13k, $0k, $12k

Financial accounts independently audited / reviewed: No

Description:

This trust provides support, information and advice for families in the Wairarapa District regarding the availability of funding, assistance, support and services offered by Wairarapa District Health Board and/or any other government agencies, and/or any other source for the medical treatment of children and the support of their families.  It is not limited to children with cancer.

 

18. Estate of Eric Frank Williams

Areas of operation: Auckland

Website: -

Donations to charity qualify for a tax credit: No

Volunteers / employees: 0 / 0

Donation income / total gross income / grants paid out / total assets:

(YE 31/10/14) $0k, $12k, $0k, $626k

Financial accounts independently audited / reviewed: No

Description:

This trust funds the Starship Hospital Children's Trust.  The funds are managed by the Public Trust. No distributions were made to Starship in YE 31/10/14 ($16,575 was granted to Starship in YE 31/10/13).

 

19. Lions Club of Wainuiomata Charitable Trust

Areas of operation: Wellington / Wairarapa

Website: -

Donations to charity qualify for a tax credit: Yes

Volunteers / employees: 5 / 0

Donation income / total gross income / grants paid out / total assets:

(YE 30/06/14) $0k, $12k, $3k, $17k

Financial accounts independently audited / reviewed: No

Description:

This Lions Club provides free transportation for cancer patients.

 

20. Operation Sugar Limited

NB: The return for YE 31/03/15 has been overdue since 30/09/15

Areas of operation: Nationwide

Website: www.operationsugar.co.nz

Donations to charity qualify for a tax credit: Yes

Volunteers / employees: 9 / 0

Donation income / total gross income / grants paid out / total assets:

(YE 31/03/14) $10k, $11k, $0k, $11k

Financial accounts independently audited / reviewed: No

Description:

This charity provides FREE custom birthday cakes and photography at the birthday celebrations of children who have a life threatening illness and/or require frequent hospitalisation.  It is not limited to children with cancer.

 

21. Parfitt Kids Charity

Areas of operation: West Coast

Website: -

Donations to charity qualify for a tax credit: Yes

Volunteers / employees: 2 / 0

Donation income / total gross income / grants paid out / total assets:

(YE 31/03/15) $3k, $7k, $0k, $39k

Financial accounts independently audited / reviewed: No

Description:

This charity helps hospitalised children and their families. They make gift packs to provide a positive distraction for children and reduce their anxieties while being in hospital.  The reason for hospitalisation is not limited to cancer patients.

 

22. Child and Adolescent Cancer Trust

Areas of operation: Nationwide

Website: -

Donations to charity qualify for a tax credit: Yes

Volunteers / employees: 8 / 0

Donation income / total gross income / grants paid out / total assets:

(YE 31/03/15) $0.4k, $6k, $1k, $143k

Financial accounts independently audited / reviewed: Yes (audit)

Description:

The purposes of this charity include supporting and funding child and adolescent regional cancer services run out of Christchurch including the children's haematology oncology service and the associated child /adolescent cancer service.  In the 2015 financial year it donated $1,150 to Wild in Art NZ Ltd and approved a $12,735 donation to the Children's Haematology Oncology Centre at Christchurch Hospital.

 

23. The Isaac Shenton Foundation

Areas of operation: Nationwide

Website: www.isaacshentonfoundation.org

Donations to charity qualify for a tax credit: Yes

Volunteers / employees: 2 / 0

Donation income / total gross income / grants paid out / total assets:

(YE 31/03/15) $3k, $3k, $0.3k, $0k

Financial accounts independently audited / reviewed: No

Description:

This charity would like to honour Isaac Shenton's memory and help those who are still on the cancer-journey, including those who have lost their children to cancer.

 

24. Nicola Jane Robinson Memorial Trust

Areas of operation: Nationwide

Website: -

Donations to charity qualify for a tax credit: Yes

Volunteers / employees: 0 / 0

Donation income / total gross income / grants paid out / total assets:

(YE 31/03/15) $0k, $3k, $2k, $86k

Financial accounts independently audited / reviewed: No

Description:

This Memorial Trust is focused on the disease of Leukaemia in children; objects include assisting the study of, and dissemination of knowledge concerning the causes, diagnosis, prevention and treatment of Leukaemia.  The charity’s 2015 grant payment of $2,200 was made to Rotary Club Charitable Trust – Kids Should Have A Ball (which raises money for children’s charities in Canterbury – in 2015 it donated to St John and Canterbury West Coast Air Rescue Trust).

 

25. The Vanuatu Child Cancer Trust

Areas of operation: Oceania (10%)

Website: -

Donations to charity qualify for a tax credit: Yes

Volunteers / employees: 2 / 0

Donation income / total gross income / grants paid out / total assets:

(YE 31/03/15) $501, $501, $500, $1

Financial accounts independently audited / reviewed: No

Description:

This trust raises funds to assist with life saving medical/cancer treatments not available to children in Vanuatu.

 

26. The Child Brain Tumour Charitable Trust

NB: The returns for YE 31/03/14 and 31/03/15 are overdue

 Areas of operation: Nationwide

Website: -

Donations to charity qualify for a tax credit: No

Volunteers / employees: 0 / 0

Donation income / total gross income / grants paid out / total assets:

(YE 31/03/13) $0, $0, $0, $0

Financial accounts independently audited / reviewed: No

Description:

The purposes of this charity include supporting the immediate family and/or caregivers of children with terminal and/or serious illnesses, diseases and other health conditions. The trustee is Perpetual Trust Ltd.  Note that this charity was registered in 2012, filed a nil return for the YE 31/03/13 and has not filed a return since, so it may not be operational.  Alternatively, it is possible the subsequent returns have been withheld from the register by the regulator (otherwise you would have expected it to have been deregistered).

 

Looking across the Tasman

The Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC) has defined children as aged under 13 and youth as aged 13 to under 25. The Australian charities register shows that far fewer charities have recorded “children and/or youth” as charity beneficiaries.  Out of the 49,130 Annual Information Statements lodged for 2013, 57% (27,952) recorded “children and/or youth” as a beneficiary, compared to 72% in NZ.

 

The ACNC 2013 Annual Information Statement data does not list “main beneficiaries” so it is more difficult to identify charities focusing mainly on children/youth.  However it does allow charities to write a narrative about their activities and it does have a narrative for other beneficiaries.  By filtering the word “cancer” in both of these narratives, it is possible to identify 270 charities that are involved with cancer and have “children/youth” as one of the beneficiaries.  The activities of these 270 charities are very similar to what is offered by the kids cancer charities in NZ (there is more narrative on the ACNC register so the nature of activities are easier to identify).  For example:

 

·      Sports Camps and Holiday Accommodation for families living with cancer

·      Providing welfare and financial assistance to families with a child diagnosed with cancer

·      Survival Kits for newly diagnosed families - practical assistance, toiletries, meal vouchers, parking vouchers, etc; Bravery Beads Program; Information Folders, Oncology Diaries Other Publications; Grocery Deliveries for the Parents Room on the ward; Family Support Coordinator; Inpatient Activity Programs for adult carers and child patients; Music Therapy in-kind support and resources; The Parents Adviser - a Financial Advice & Assistance Service for parents of oncology kids.

·      Accommodation for cancer patients

·      Funding of scholarships for childhood cancer research and the provision of mobile cars and nurses to take cancer treatment of children in their own home environment.

·      Provide free workshops and home-delivered confidence kits to teens undergoing treatment for any sort of cancer that has an impact on the person's appearance and wellbeing.

·      Raise moneys for use in the relief and benefit of seriously ill children.

 

At the time of writing this paper, the ACNC has not published any financial information datasets, so it is not possible to analyse the financial statements lodged by Australian kids cancer charities.

 

Data references

Data for this paper was extracted from the New Zealand charity register (at www.charities.govt.nz) on 3-4 November 2015 and from the ACNC register (at www.data.gov.au) on 5 November 2015 (the latter data was dated 1 November 2015). 

Disclosure

I worked for the New Zealand Charities Commission and the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission from 2011 to August 2015.   The above analysis does not take into account any protected information obtained during my time at the charity regulators.  Any errors and opinions are mine and opinions do not represent the views of my previous employers.

 

Further reference
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