January 2026 Good News

January 27, 2026
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Here’s your first Good Numbers update of 2026 — a quick round-up of the what's happening in the world of small charities, and the tools we’re building to support them.

  1. Good Numbers: our App iscoming in 2026!
  2. New Guide: When accepted ≠ compliant
  3. Are you one of 10,711 Incorporated Societies yet to reregister?
  4. You should know about: WiseComply

The year ahead: watch out for our new App!

At time of writing, we're less than a month away from onboarding our first non-profits into the brand new Good Numbers App. We think our App will revolutionise how non-profits manage their numbers and complete year-end reporting requirements.

Funding View

Early feedback is strong. Those who have had a sneak peek at it particularly love the Funding view feature:

  • "the Grant tracker is a game changer for [us]"
  • "I love the piece of mind that reporting to both funders and charities services is ready to go whenever I need it!"
  • "I LOVE the introduction of the funding tab"
  • "Way more appealing 💕"

Love and bookkeeping aren't words commonly used together, but we seem to have struck on something here!


When accepted ≠ compliant

We’ve noticed many charities assume that if Charities Services accepts their annual return, they are compliant. In reality, most returns are accepted as lodged and only a sample are reviewed. In 2024, 34% of returns didn’t meet Tier 4 standards. While this doesn’t cause immediate issues, non-compliance can show up when applying for funding, dealing with regulators, or answering questions from members. Reporting expectations are only increasing, and staying broadly aligned as you go is far easier than catching up later.

Read more about this misconception >

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10,711 Incorporated Societies yet to reregister

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Around 45% of societies haven’t completed re-registration under the Incorporated Societies Act 2022, and the deadline is early April 2026. While this can sound like dry admin, the consequences of not re-registering can be serious — including difficulties accessing funding or, in extreme cases, issues with bank accounts. If you’re involved in an incorporated society in any capacity (committee, staff, volunteer, or member), it’s worth taking a moment to check the register and make sure your society shows it is registered under the 2022 Act.

Check your Incorporated Society >


WiseComply

Launching soon, WiseComply is built for NZ Incorporated Societies to help keep on top of their compliance requirements. Start with a revised constitution and re-registering under the 2022 act, or adopt it to make life easier for your Committee members!

Check out WiseComply >

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That's all for this month!
Wishing you all a safe start to 2026, no matter where you are in Aotearoa. 

Ngā mihi nui,
Duncan @ Good Numbers 
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