Funding guidelines

Except for emergency applications the Trustees make grants in one round each year. 

The opening date for applications is mid-April each year and with a closing date of 30 June each year.

If an application is for an emergency, please contact the the Executive Officer to discuss how to apply. If the Trustees regard any application as an emergency, they may fast-track the application for consideration and, if approved, the payment will be made within a week of the approval.

The Trustees' normal practice is to finalise their decisions on all applications submitted by the end of October. All applicants are then notified of the outcome of their application and successful applicants will receive payment for the approved funding at this time.

All applications are submitted online using the online application form which can be found under the Grants tab. 

If you are not able to submit an application using the online application system please contact the the Executive Officer to make other arrangements for submitting an application.

The terms of the Wills give the Trustees complete discretion in making their decisions on what they fund or choose not to fund in support of the Designated Purposes.

The general funding practices currently adopted by the trustees are:

1. To fund a variety of organisations and initiatives rather than making very large grants to fewer organisations – see Annual Distributions
2. From time to time consider funding multi-year grants.
3. Being prepared to support organisations that collaborate with other grant-makers to maximise impact and eliminate duplication.
4. To support organisations to build their capacity (build organisational capacity). This includes:
   • staff costs;
   • costs to improve effectiveness through technology; and
   • developing strategic capacity.
5. Not to support the following:
   • initiatives that only benefit an individual or an individual's family;
   • contributions to the corpus of another grant making organisation.

Organisations supported under this Fund will normally be registered with the Australian Charities and Not-for-Profit Commission (ACNC). as a Public Benevolent Institution (PBI) and be incorporated in, or have their headquarters in, Victoria.

Initiatives supported under Fund 1 include (but are not limited to):

• initiatives designed to alleviate the cycle of social disadvantage and social problems; and
• emergency relief and material aid initiatives.

The Fund is also supportive of initiatives that assist:

• recently arrived migrants, refugees and asylum seekers; and
• people living in regional, rural and remote areas of Victoria.

The Victorian Government's Department of Health and Human Services provides a list of all Public Hospitals in Victoria on its website. All hospitals on this list are eligible to apply for funding under Fund 2.

Areas of focus include:

• equipment and infrastructure;
• initiatives that improve patient care;
• regional hospitals that act as centres of excellence and specialised services within an area; and
• support for smaller community hospitals.

The areas of focus under this Fund are:

• early education initiatives for disadvantaged children;
• education and training for the young;
• core education and completion of schooling;
• improved education for indigenous, immigrant and disadvantaged communities; and
• teaching, training or research carried out by universities or other tertiary institutions into any of the above areas. 

Religious purposes must be for the advancement of religion.

The Fund does not discriminate between religions or denominations. Having regard to the diversity of religious practices and beliefs in modern Australia, the Fund supports ecumenical and interfaith initiatives.

The following are some of the areas that are currently supported:

• religious ministry and religious initiatives to the poor and disadvantaged;
• training for religious ministry;
• upkeep and support of ministers of religion in their ministries;
• chaplaincy or pastoral care initiatives;
• maintenance, restoration, refurbishment or improvement of places of worship.

Initiatives supported under Fund 7 are encouraged from applicants outside of Victoria and include (but are not limited to):

• initiatives designed to alleviate the cycle of social disadvantage and social problems; and
• emergency relief and material aid initiatives.

The Fund is also supportive of initiatives that assist:

• recently arrived migrants, refugees and asylum seekers; and
• people living in regional, rural and remote areas in Australia.

Unless stated otherwise, a grant will be made on the following conditions:

The recipient will:

• use the whole of the grant exclusively for the project as described in the application
• endeavour to complete the project within 12 months from the date of receipt of the grant.
• inform the Fund when any material change, which may affect the recipient's ability to undertake or complete the project within 12 months from receipt of the grant.
• expend the grant only within Australia.
• show the receipt of the grant in its financial accounts and keep appropriate records to verify the use of grant.
• provide the Fund with a receipt for the amount received.
• submit a grant report at the end of the funding period using the online grant report form .

The recipient gives approval for their distribution details to be published on our website and in other other publications.