There is no minimum distribution requirement in the financial year in which you establish your structure. But you can start giving today, should you wish to by logging into your client portal.

Your annual giving goal minimum is based on your 30 June balance, with gifts paid to eligible organisations each following financial year. Depending on your giving structure, an eligible charitable organisation may vary; however, organisations that are registered charities with the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC) and have Deductible Gift Recipient 1 (DGR1) status are eligible.

Consult with your Adviser if you have any questions, but this target is achieved by gifts paid to charity totalling:

• 5% of a PAF’s balance as at the previous 30 June balance
• 4% of an APS Foundation Giving Fund’s balance as at the previous 30 June balance

How to find charities

Who, what or where do you want to fund?

All good questions, which can be assisted through the a conversation with the APS Giving Services team or by using the APS Workbook to help determine your values and funding focus – Setting your giving approach as found on the APS website.

To get started on searching for charities working in the areas that interest you, other than a simple internet search you can ask the team at APS. Inspiration can also found on the APS website Give Lists, which provide just some of the charities working in cause areas such as:

• Domestic Violence
• Mental Health
• Climate Change
• Education
• Homelessness
• Emergency Appeals
• and more…

These selected topics are ones of peak interest to APS clients and are updated periodically. Use them as a stepping stone for your own research into further charities of interest and reach out to the Giving Services team if you have a cause not mentioned on the APS website.

Foundation inspiration…

Large foundations with a public presence are also a potential source of information and inspiration. These foundations often have staff working closely with charities and conducting thorough due diligence, which means you can be assured that the organisations they fund are impactful. There are many across Australia including:

• The Ian Potter Foundation
• The Paul Ramsey Foundation
• Snow Foundation & Snow Medical

Collective organisations such as your local community foundation, the Foundation for Rural and Regional Renewal and Creative Australia can also provide you with information on grassroots organisations and independent projects to support.

Collaborative & membership organisations

There are a number of membership organisations designed to provide support to funders. Joining one or more, depending on your interests, can provide

• Networking and collaboration
• Learning and knowledge sharing
• Collective influence and advocacy
• Access to innovative grassroots charities and funding opportunities

Some examples include:

Giving Circles

‘Giving circles’ (also known as ‘giving groups’) are a form of collective giving that has been gaining momentum in Australia over the past decade. This participatory model involves donors making a contribution– ranging from $100 to $10,000 per annum – into a pooled fund, then educating themselves about community issues through social events, seminars and other activities. The multiple benefits of giving circles are similar to those for membership organisations, see the Engaged Giving guide for more information.

APS facilitates the Bloom Giving Circle for funders in the environmental space, and will be looking to establish more giving circles based on client desires. There are also numerous giving circles outside of APS, including The Funding Network, Impact 100, 10×10, Melbourne & Sydney Women’s Funds, as well as giving circles set up by individual charities.

For more information contact Australian Philanthropic Services on 02 9779 6300 or email giving@australianphilanthropicservices.com.au