ANNOUNCEMENT – KNOTbound Ltd is now a registered Australian Charity!
As some people are aware, in June KNOTbound Ltd applied to the Australian Charities and Not-For-Profit Commission (ACNC) for status as a registered charity to better help us serve our BDSM communities and to provide connection and understanding to those outside our BDSM communities.
We are very pleased to announce that today we received notification from the ACNC that our application has been approved and that KNOTbound Ltd is now a formally registered Australian charity.
Why is this important?
Registered charity status is difficult to achieve in Australia. Of the 600,000 non-profit organisations that exist, 60,000 or 10% of these, are registered charities. The process is lengthy and thorough to make sure that a charity meets the strict guidelines on service to the public.
In recognising KNOTbound Ltd formally as a charity, the ACNC has given the organisation national recognition that it meets these stringent guidelines and is a committed and dedicated service organisation in relation to BDSM in the areas of:
- Advancing Health
- Advancing Education
- Advancing Culture
Through this recognition, our ability to engage in discussions and begin work with organisations in these areas is enhanced. It also shows recognition that there is a need for work in these areas, legitimises us as a distinct subculture and recognises that we face discrimination from society which we need to work to counter. It opens the door for serious discussion with government bodies and reviews of legislation. In short, it gives the community a power base to speak from and be heard.
It should be noted that a charity does not automatically get granted a Donor Gift Recipient (DGR) status. This is the ATO ruling that allows people to get a tax exemption from donations they make to an organisation and is different from the income tax exemption KNOTbound itself has.
This was something many of us were unaware of before embarking on this journey. KNOTbound is currently in discussion with the ATO about receiving DGR but it’s quite difficult. Less than a third of charities manage to obtain DGR. We will let you know the outcome.
As far as we are aware, KNOTbound Ltd is the first organisation of its kind, devoted entirely to charitable services to those involved with, interested in or needing to be educated on what we know as the BDSM lifestyle. We will continue to keep people up to date as changes happen and we invite you to celebrate what is truly a landmark moment in BDSM community history.
You can click on the following link to view the charity registration status:
https://www.acnc.gov.au/RN52B75Q?ID=C5C01A2C-104F-4C4F-AF19-531E60D5D27E&noleft=1