Grant making in the community - Investments & advice

Grant making in the community

Bush fire disaster response

ANZ Trustees is taking the following action to give our charitable trusts the opportunity to respond to this significant disaster that has impacted on regional communities in Victoria.

Short-term response
We have identified our trusts that support disaster relief as well as those focused on assistance for people in necessitous circumstances. We will consult with the relevant co-trustees to recommend grants from these to relief appeals.
Non-financial response
One of our trusts provides accommodation for the poor. The trust currently has a number of vacant and liveable units awaiting development in a regional area of Victoria. We have commenced negotiations with the local council to see whether these can be offered to local people in need as a result of this disaster.
Medium-term response
Our experience with events of this scale is that after the immediate relief effort, the insurance assessments are completed and government support is accessed, there still remain gaps that need to be filled in order to strengthen communities.

These might be funds for the rebuilding local sporting pavilions, for playground equipment for kindergartens or for rebuilding community halls and gathering areas. We are in consultation with our long term partners Foundation for Rural and Regional Renewal (FRRR) and will take their advice on how best to implement such a program in Victoria. It is expected that this will be a coordinated effort from a group of philanthropic foundations in Victoria and we will make it as available and as easy as possible for recovering communities to access funding through this single well known channel.

It is our and FRRR's experience that funds of this nature will not be able to be received by the communities impacted for at least 18 months, in which time those trusts with existing grant commitments which need to be honoured will have scope to pool resources the program.

Grant-making in the community

Grant-making is a specialised skill. As strange as it may sound, giving money away can be hard to do. It requires good knowledge of the community, for example, what the community needs are, who is doing what and which initiatives are likely to have the most impact. It can also be helpful to know or network with other funders to learn from their experience.

Using an expert can help to maximise the effectiveness of your giving and lessen the stress that can be involved with a perpetual gift. It can be helpful to have access to research, networks and organisations or people that can help you develop and evaluate your giving strategy.

What to give to

There is no such thing as a good or bad cause. Giving to an area or issue you are passionate about can often be most rewarding. In deciding what to give to, it might help to consider the following:

causes or people you wish to benefit from your giving
issues you feel most strongly about
charities you have supported in the past
a need you want to address.

When to give

You can give at any time, either during your lifetime or through your will. Giving during your lifetime means you can personally appreciate the benefits your gifts make to others and it gives you the opportunity to be personally involved.

Tax benefits of giving

Donations made while still alive can be tax deductible, with deductions able to be spread over five years. Charitable foundations are exempt from paying tax on their income.

Donations

Where you may not wish to establish your own foundation, you can always make a tax-deductible donation to an existing tax deductible charitable foundation that supports causes you have an affinity with.

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