FAQ & Resources

Here are the answers to questions that people often ask. If you would like to suggest additional questions, please send them via the email address on our Contact page.

How much do individuals in Australia donate?

The latest data we have is for the 2008-2009 tax year. Individual taxpayers claimed $2093 million in tax deductible donations, down 10.8 per cent from 2007-2008, probably because of the Global Financial Crisis.

These figures exclude donations to non-tax deductible entities and giving by philanthropic entities and businesses.

How many foundations are there in Australia and how much do they give?

We estimate that about 5000 foundations in Australia give between $500 million and $1000 million per annum. As of October 2010, this includes 863 private ancillary funds and approximately 2000 charitable trusts and foundations administered by trustee companies.

Where can I find facts and figures about donations and charities in Australia?

The following are good sources of detailed information.

Visit this website: Trustee Corporations Association of Australia
You can download: Charities and Deductible gifts, Australian Taxation Office

How does Australia compare to the rest of the world?

There is ample evidence to show that Australians, and Western Australians in particular, are less generous than others. For the details, see our Learning & Sharing page.