A big hello to the ACF community! So here we are approaching the end of financial year again (I swear it comes around quicker each time). Every year we get lots of questions in the lead up to June 30, and most of the time they get sent my way, so I’m here to get on the front foot with some frequently asked questions for your reading pleasure.

Of course, if you get stuck with any of the instructions below or I’ve missed your question entirely, don’t hesitate to pick up the phone and give us a call on 03 9412 0412 or email admin@communityfoundation.org.au

How do I donate to my fund before June 30?

Donate online: The quickest way to donate to your fund is to head to our Fund Portal, log in using your email and password and click the Donate tab.

Select your fund, enter your amount and click Add to cart. Proceed to Checkout and your details should be pre-filled. You can then pay with either credit card or direct debit.

Tip: Don’t want to use your pre-filled details? Perhaps you want your donation to be in both your partner’s name and yours. Simply head to our public Donations Portal, search for your fund and complete your donation there.

Donate via cheque: Please make cheques out to the Australian Communities Foundation and remember to clearly identify your fund name. Cheques dated and sent prior to June 30 will be provided with a current financial year date stamp. Please note this option is only available to fundholders.

Donate via bank transfer (for large transactions): If you would like to make a direct deposit, please get in touch with the team for account details.

How can others donate to my fund?

Anyone can search for your fund on our Donations Portal (unless you have asked for your fund to be anonymous).

If you want to send someone a direct link to your fund’s donation page, simply start typing your fund’s name in the search box then click the fund. Copy and paste the link from your browser’s address bar – this will take anyone directly to your fund’s donation page.

Tip: Visitors to our website can also browse a list of all funds on our website, where you can filter by area of interest. We add a ‘Support this fund’ button for funds upon request. Want to add a button to yours? Get in touch here.

Where can I find my donation receipts?

You can view a list of your receipts from the Receipts tab on the Fund Portal.

To view and download a receipt, click the blue number in the ID column. This will open the receipt in your browser where you can either print or save to PDF.

If you have any issues accessing your receipts, get in touch here.

How do I access 21/22 statements?

You can view a list of your monthly statements from the Statements tab on the Fund Portal.

To view and download a statement, click the blue View button on the right-hand side.

Annual fund statements for 2021/22 will be available for download as soon as our investment managers have finalised distributions, likely by early October – we’ll send you an email notification as soon as they’re ready!

How do I check my fund’s balance?

Head to the Fund Portal and you should see your Current Balance on the first page.

Tip: Available Cash not what you were expecting? Available Cash takes into account any pending grants (i.e. not yet approved) and any committed payments for multi-year grants, as well as your fund’s required minimum balance ($20,000).

If you have any questions about your balance, get in touch here.

How do I request grants for my EOFY giving? What’s the deadline?

You can request a grant from the Grant Requests tab on the Fund Portal.

Alternatively, you can email your request directly to our Grants Managers, Gabby Lam and Charlene Yum: grants@communityfoundation.org.au

So that the team has the best chance of paying your grants by the end of financial year, we ask that you get your requests in by 5pm Wednesday 15 June.

I’m looking for ideas and inspiration for my EOFY granting – any tips?

Our Granting Opportunities platform is your best first port of call. Here you’ll find hundreds of proposals from not-for-profits across Australia seeking funding. You can filter by location, focus areas and target population, and you can rest assured knowing that we’ve done the due diligence.

If you’re looking for more specific advice on where to direct your EOFY giving, contact Gabby or Charlene on 03 9412 0412 or email grants@communityfoundation.org.au

I want to establish another fund before June 30 – what’s the easiest way?

For anyone looking to open a fund, whether it’s their first or not, I always think it’s best to give us a call and chat through your giving goals to make sure you get the right fund for your needs. Call us on 03 9412 0412 or email admin@communityfoundation.org.au. Reminder: new funds can be established within 24-48 hours.

If you’re already 100% sure about the details of your new fund, head to our Fund Establishment Form and follow the prompts.

Tip: Your fund’s name can be changed at any time, so no need to decide on one before June 30 – just enter a dummy name when filling out the form and we can change it for you when you’re ready.

I know someone who is new to giving and is interested in starting their own fund before June 30. How can I best introduce them to ACF?

We have a page on our website dedicated to introducing people to funds and foundations at ACF. Send your friends the link and they can jump on and see how easy it is to get started: communityfoundation.org.au/get-started-with-giving. There are stories from the community, tips for getting started, plus a brochure with all the different ways ACF can support your giving.

After your friend fills out the form on that page, one of us from the ACF team will be in touch to give advice on the best giving options tailored to your friend.

If in doubt – call us!

The team can be reached on 03 9412 0412 during business hours. We’re on standby to answer all of your EOFY queries – I’ll probably be the one to pick up the phone!