At Australian Communities Foundation, we are always looking for ways to improve our processes and ensure our grantmaking evolves with contemporary best practice – both for our Fundholders and the not-for-profit organisations they support.
As part of this commitment, we’re excited to introduce some small changes (effective 1 July 2025) that will make it easier and faster to get grants out the door, particularly for grants under $10,000.
In many philanthropic contexts, grants under this threshold are treated as general donations and don’t come with onerous reporting or agreement requirements. By aligning our processes with this standard, we’re reducing the administrative burden on grant recipients and supporting a more streamlined granting experience for everyone involved.
A simpler process for distributing grants under $10,000
Until now, all grants at ACF – regardless of size – have required the same administrative steps, including a signed Grant Agreement. While these agreements are non-binding, they often create unnecessary follow-up and delays.
Moving forward, grants under $10,000 will no longer require a signed agreement. Instead, grantees will receive a Grant Letter outlining the purpose of the grant and any terms (such as providing a receipt). If the organisation hasn’t received a grant from ACF in the past year, they’ll still need to complete a short form to confirm payment details.
This change will also help us deliver on our commitment to process grant payments within two weeks of receiving requests.
Reduced reporting requirements for grants under $10,000
We’re also reducing formal reporting requirements for these smaller grants.
Our best-practice approach to reporting for untied funding remains in place: organisations receiving multiple untied grants from ACF are only asked to report once a year, typically by submitting their annual report.
What’s new is that untied grants under $10,000 will no longer require any formal reporting. Grants for specific projects will still require a brief report.
By reducing red tape, we can shift the focus to ongoing connection and communication. Many Fundholders are already building long-term relationships with the organisations they support based on trust, and we hope these changes will further support this approach among our giving community. We also encourage Fundholders to stay connected by visiting grantee websites and subscribing to their newsletters, where you’ll often find inspiring stories, updates and impact reports straight from the source.
Looking to request a grant?
As always, the best way to request a grant is via the Fund Portal. Logging in ensures we receive all the information needed to process your request efficiently – and you can reset your password or contact us if you run into any issues. Please note the deadline for FY25 grant requests has passed – all requests will still be processed promptly, though they’re likely to be completed in July.
And if you’re looking for inspiration, our Funding Platform features over 600 organisations working across Australia. While we encourage untied funding as a principle of best-practice philanthropy, the Platform also highlights a range of timely projects currently seeking funding. Filter by your area of interest, location, or target population.
