Universal Charitable Fund Grant Round

Who can apply

• Applications must be from the organisation to which the grant will be awarded.

• The applying organisation must have Deductible Gift Recipient status, commonly known as DGR1 and tax deductibility.

• Typically, the organisations awarded grants have an income of less than $1 million per annum.

• Australian charity applicants only – grants in support of overseas projects are allowable if your organisation has an Australian registered office, or already has an auspice arrangement (project account) with an Australian organisation (eg RAWCS, GDG, World Relief Australia).

Who can’t apply

• UCF cannot make grants to individuals (even if you are raising money for a good cause).

What UCF funds

UCF’s priority is to fund small and medium-sized Australian charities (less than $1 million income pa) that fit into one (or more) of the following areas and with a focus on the alleviation of poverty, distress, disadvantage or marginalisation.

• Education

• Health

• Building self-sufficient communities (sustainable)

• Children and youth

Any programme you ask UCF to fund must be able to be completed within 12 months and have a clear charitable purpose consistent with its tax-deductible gift status.

What ucf does not fund

• UCF does not make grants to general funds or for printing, marketing or advocacy.

• If you are applying for funds for a programme with an expected cost larger than the amount you are applying for, you must demonstrate how the remainder of the cost will be covered. (E.g. If you are applying for $3,000 for something that will cost $25,000 then you will need to note how the remaining costs will be met).

• In general, UCF does not fund social welfare (e.g. food relief, school uniforms and equipment, comfort packs for hospitalised children etc).

• Publications, audio or video productions – although UCF may make an exception if the content serves as supporting materials to a project within its focus.

• Requests to support travel for groups or individuals, notwithstanding the travel that may be connected to a worthy cause.

• UCF does not make grants for start-ups or for religious, political or research activity.

• UCF does not fund staffing costs or capital works. Requests for equipment will be judged on a case-by-case basis where the equipment sought is integral to the program delivery.

• Training costs may be considered but must have a measurable outcome directly connected to the alleviation of poverty, disadvantage, marginalisation or the building of individual or community capacity.

To apply, please follow the steps below:

• Read these Grant Guidelines to make sure your project or activity meets the objectives.

• Register for the Foundation Grants portal. You only need to do this once for all our grants. If you already have an account through Australian Communities Foundation, please use your existing username and password.

• Preview the questions and budget template before you get started.

• Once logged into the portal, click the Apply button in the top left of the dashboard and enter the access code: UCF2025.

• Complete and submit the application form.

• Make sure to note your username and password as you will be able to save and continue the form at a later date.

• Submit your application before 11:59pm AEDT Friday 4 April 2025.