Seeking Funding as a Charitable Organisation

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Step-by-Step

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Are you seeking funding from Australian philanthropic trusts and foundations? The steps you should follow are simple:

Please note that Philanthropy Australia cannot provide legal advice.

 

  1. Ascertain the charitable status of your organisation. The Australian Taxation Office's website has information to assist not-for-profit organisations.

     

  2. Using The Australian Directory of Philanthropy, make a shortlist of foundations which may be able to fund your project.

     

  3. Contact each of these organisations individually to obtain their most current set of guidelines.

     

  4. Consider attending a Grantseeker Workshop. These provide grantseekers with information on how to research potential funders, and how to most effectively frame grant applications.

     

  5. Apply to each organisation individually, being sure to follow their guidelines. Ensure that you include all the information the grantmaker requests, that you frame your application in the manner they request, and that you do not apply to them if you do not fit their guidelines.

 

It is important to note that you cannot expect to source all, or even a large percentage, of your funding from philanthropic trusts and foundations. Most charitable organisations can expect less than 10% of their funding to come from the philanthropic sector. There are many other ways to ensure your organisation's financial viability, including fee-for-service work, service contracts, Government funding, community fundraising and corporate partnerships.

Australian Directory of Philanthropy

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The Australian Directory of Philanthropy lists over 350 Australian trusts and foundations with their contact details and funding preferences. The Directory is intended to assist you to locate foundations which may be able to fund your organisation.

Please see our Publications page for more information on the Australian Directory of Philanthropy and an order form.


Legal Limitations on Foundations

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Foundations have different legal limitations depending upon the legal structure used and their trust deed. This is too complicated to provide definitive information about, but as a general guideline many foundations will need to fund organsiations which have one or both of the following charitable endorsements from the ATO:

DGR Status

Please see our FAQ page for more information about DGR status.


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