Frequently Asked Questions

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Welcome Back!

Last time you were here, you were looking to help vulnerable children and families. Your support can save and change lives.

Healthy Futures

Gifts to the Healthy Futures Fund are directed towards existing and new programs and activities that support children and their communities. To keep you informed on our work and the change Healthy Futures Fund is having, we will provide you with periodic impact reports which detail the type of programs the Fund has supported, along with case studies and photos from the communities which demonstrate the collective impact.

Yes! Healthy Futures Fund is for anyone who is committed to supporting children’s development and can commit over a period of three years.

ChildFund Australia works in partnership with children, their communities and local organisations to create lasting change, respond to humanitarian emergencies and promote children’s rights. We work alongside local partners to achieve this, supporting them throughout the planning and implementation phases.

Long term change requires long term commitment. To see the impact of our commitment, we are asking for a 3-year pledge with a minimum single gift of $5,000 or more per year. We will use the funds raised to super-charge our impact by matching against substantial institutional grants which require co-contribution of 10-20%.

Donations from the Healthy Futures Fund are pooled and directed to ChildFund projects working to remove barriers to ensure a healthy tomorrow. Funds raised will be used immediately to tackle health barriers across the Asia-Pacific region, and a yearly impact report will be generated highlighting the work in action with case studies and images.

Simply put, your gift to Healthy Futures will go towards where it is needed the most, contributing to reducing poverty for children in developing communities, one gift at a time.

Gifts for Good

You can buy Gifts for Good for anyone. If someone you know cares about a particular cause, you can choose a gift that closely matches their interests. Our gifts have been given to colleagues, employers, family, friends, partners and more.

Yes, Gifts for Good are tax deductible. Keep your receipt and you can include your charity gifts as part of your tax return next year.

For gift cards, please allow 10 days for delivery via Australia Post. For any purchases made after 16th December, you can still share a personal message with your gift by selecting the printable PDF options on our website.

All of our Gifts for Good form a part of ChildFund’s development programs, which are designed to help communities towards self-sufficiency. If you buy ten baby chickens, for example, then ChildFund will not only provide these chicks to the family, but also give them the opportunity to take part in training on animal-husbandry, and child nutrition. If you decide to buy a direct gift of baby chickens for your sponsored child, only the chickens are delivered. Please also note that prices and resources can range from country to country.

You can select an e-cards, PDF card to print at home, or you can request physical cards which will be posted to your address. All of these options include a description of the item you have purchased, and how it helps children and families in vulnerable communities. All you need to do is write a personal message to your gift recipient.

Gifts for Good can be purchased at any time of the year, so you can also choose a card with a themed cover for birthdays, Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day and other important events.

Yes. You will receive a tax deductible receipt for every donation over $2.

The receipt can only be sent out to the individual making the donation: that is, the person whose details are given on the donation form.

For mail order, please allow 10 days for delivery of your gift card/s. In order for you to write a personal message, we will send the gift card directly to you, and not to your friends or family.

E-Cards and print at home cards will be delivered to the nominated email address instantly.

If you’re looking for a creative gift idea for your friends and family simply choose a gift from the online store that you would like to buy in honour of your loved ones. Your funds will be used to resource and support our child-focused development programs.

For every gift, you will receive a gift card to give to your loved ones to show them the unique act you have performed on their behalf.

Yes! Your gift represents a real item or resource that will be purchased to support our child-focused international development work.

We collaborate closely with the communities with whom we work to develop and implement programs that suit the local context.

Your purchase of a Gift for Good enables ChildFund to resource each of our projects, and ensure they have a long-term benefit to children’s lives.

No. The Gifts for Good program is designed to help vulnerable children and families around the globe, not just children sponsored by the Australian public.

All Appeals

Your support can save and change lives. Each of our appeals approach child poverty by raising awareness about one issue we’re working to resolve. However you choose to give, your donation will be helping children, their families and communities escape the cycle of poverty.

If you’re unsure which appeal you’d like to donate to, you can also donate to where it’s most needed. We’ll use your donation to support the children and communities on our priority list, which means you don’t need to choose between equally important causes.

Every child needs a childhood, and we won’t stop working until we end poverty for all children.

When an emergency or crisis strikes, children are at their most vulnerable. Many children will be separated from their families in the chaos and may have suffered traumatic experiences as the event or disaster unfolded.

Rapid response efforts are essential to protecting children in crisis, as well as supporting their recovery and readjustment to a stable routine.

Rural communities face many challenges, particularly access to essential infrastructure and support. Children are among the most vulnerable in these communities, which is why one of our objectives is community development.

Our community development projects operate across South East Asia, particularly in Myanmar, Laos and Papua New Guinea.

Every child deserves to know they are loved, and to live in a nurturing, safe and supportive home. Poverty forces many children to give up their childhood, to take up work as a child labourer, or additional household responsibilities.

To help children regain their childhood, we need to support their families. By improving the livelihood of the family, we empower the children in the household with the chance to be a child again.

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    Stay up to date

    If you’re filing your tax return for the first time, have never claimed donations or donated at all, you’re probably wanting to know more about how you can claim donations to charity on your taxes. We’ve answered some of the most important questions about tax deductible donations below.

    Tax deductible donations are about giving back, to get back. Donating to ChildFund Australia will help children in urgent need of support. You’ll be helping the most vulnerable children across South East Asia and Africa, and you yourself will be able to receive a greater refund on your tax return.

    You can submit any tax deductible donation over $2 as part of your tax return.

    You can only claim for donations which are monetary gifts, given without the promise of something in return. Raffle tickets, charity chocolates, events and other donations of this kind, are not tax deductible.

    At ChildFund, all regular giving donations over $2 are tax deductible including child sponsorship, community sponsorship and donations to appeals. A few donation categories are not tax deductible, for example, birthday gifts to your sponsored child and are not included on your annual tax receipt.

    Tax deductible donations need to be made to a charity or organisation that has a DGR status, like ChildFund Australia.

    You can search the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits register to confirm your chosen charity has a DGR endorsement. You will also need to keep your receipt, to prove that your donation is authentic.

    Your generous donation will be directed towards where it will have greatest impact. This could include our health, education, child protection and emergency programs that address the causes and impacts of poverty for children in developing communities.

    Yes you will. A tax receipt for your one-off donation should arrive within 14 days. For regular monthly donations, including child sponsorship, tax receipts are sent annually, towards the end of July. Please keep your contact details updated so we can ensure you receive your tax receipt.

    Yes, this is a wonderful way to come together with friends and family to make a positive impact for children. Head to our fundraising page to learn more.

    Gifts in Wills

    A gift in your Will is generally unassigned as this helps us provide funding for the most pressing needs in the future.

    Greater flexibility increases our capacity to respond to children in crisis and changing needs and priorities. It is often beneficial for a benefactor to have a personal discussion with ChildFund Australia’s Philanthropy & Planned Giving Executive about a bequest intention to ensure that ChildFund Australia can execute the gift according to the benefactor’s wishes.

    ChildFund Australia is registered as a Deductible gift Recipient. Provided that your gift brings no material or tangible benefits to you under the rules specified by the Australian Taxation Office, monetary or other gifts to ChildFund Australia are generally allowable for deductions for Australian income tax purposes. Donors should, however, seek independent advice from their legal and/or taxation advisor.

    ChildFund Australia is honoured to have the trust and support of people like you. Every gift, no matter how small or large, makes a difference and is greatly appreciated.

    Leaving a gift in your Will to ChildFund Australia is one of the most thoughtful ways to support vulnerable communities into the future. Your gift shows foresight and commitment, but we understand it can be a private matter. If you do let us know about your gift, we can properly prepare to receive it, and plan ahead. We would also love to express our appreciation, keep you up to date with our work and invite you and your family to relevant special events.

    We have included recommended wording for your Will that you can find on the Gifts in Wills page. We advise that you take this as the basis of a discussion with your loved ones, solicitor or public trustee. We appreciate that you may have particular interests you would like to discuss that may influence the wording so please get in touch. Our Philanthropy & Planned Giving Executive welcomes your obligation-free enquiries. All discussions will be confidential.

    If you make a gift provision in your Will to ChildFund Australia, you are giving a designated financial amount or percentage of your estate, in cash, property, securities or other assets, to help fund programs that ensure children in need around the world have a childhood. Leaving a gift to a charity in your Will is often called a bequest.

    Major Gifts

    Expendable gifts are used in their entirety during a specific period of time. Gifts to an emergency, for example, are expendable. Some larger expendable gifts are used over longer periods for 3-5 years.

    Endowment refers to funds meant to exist in perpetuity. These gifts are invested for the long term and intended to provide a permanent source of financial support for ChildFund Australia. Each year, a portion of the fund is paid out, usually about 5 percent, and used for the purposes the donor and ChildFund Australia agreed upon when the gift was made.

    To find out if your company offers a gift-matching program, ask your human resources department about your company’s policy. You will probably need to fill out a form provided by your company, which your company will send to ChildFund.

    If your company offers matching gifts, please let us know at the time you make your gift.

    All gifts to ChildFund Australia are tax deductible in Australia.

    ChildFund is a Deductible Gift Recipient and if you would like a copy of our current endorsement from the Australian Tax Office then please contact us: info@childfund.org.au or 1800-023-600

    All major donors receive a tax receipt and thank you letter at the time of the donation. If you would like additional copies, please don’t hesitate to contact us: info@childfund.org.au or 1800-023-600.

    Donors who have made a major gift – typically endowed funds or larger expendable funds – receive regular reports from ChildFund. Reporting may include contact from program staff and visits to in-country communities, depending on the nature of the gift. In addition, annual financial reports are sent to all major donors.

    ChildFund Australia and its managed country offices publish annual reports which include honour rolls. Unless you have designated your gift as anonymous, your name may appear in one of these reports at the appropriate gift level. We also welcome conversations around other naming opportunities.

    Most donors make annual gifts to projects of interest in conversation with ChildFund. Annual giving provides flexible resources that can be directed to ChildFund’s greatest needs and allows for planning.

    If you would like to discuss an area of interest and learn how you can make a lasting impact, please contact our Philanthropy Executive: philanthropy@childfund.org.au or call 1800-023-600.

    You can also send a cheque made out to ChildFund Australia. Please include a note telling us how to direct your gift and send it to:

    ChildFund Australia
    C/O Philanthropy
    Level 8, 162 Goulburn Street
    Surry Hills, NSW 2010

    If you wish to make a gift by wiring funds to ChildFund, contact our Single Giving Manager for details: philanthropy@childfund.org.au or call 1800-023-600.

    To arrange a planned gift (such as a Gifts in Wills or life income gift), please visit the Gifts in Wills section of this site or contact the Gifts in Wills Executive: giftsinwills@childfund.org.au or call 1800-023-600.

    Fundraising

    It can be more expensive to send goods overseas than it is to buy them in country and, with often unreliable postal services in the countries where we work, it is more efficient and safe to send monetary donations to assist those in need. It is also important to support small businesses in the aftermath of any emergency, so buying goods in-country can be an important part of the recovery process for local communities.

    Donations are tax deductible when a donor receives nothing in return for their donation. For example, donations made online, gift registry donations or company matched donations. Donations are not tax deductible when a donor receives something or the chance to win something. For example, donations for morning tea, purchases of raffle tickets or event tickets for a show

    We would love you to include the ChildFund Australia logo on any promotional materials for your event. Please remember, all materials must be approved by ChildFund Australia prior to print and distribution. Get in touch with our communications staff to see how they can help you promote your fundraising event.

    We encourage you to talk to your local media regarding your fundraising as they may feature a story about you in their paper/program. You can also contact our communications team to discuss this further.

    Unfortunately, ChildFund Australia only has insurance for employees and cannot provide insurance for any venue or council. You will have to speak to the venue or council about the insurance required and where to purchase it.

    All money raised from your event should be received within two weeks of your event taking place. Refer to the Fundraiser’s Toolkit for methods  of payment.

    Firstly, talk to your employer as all companies operate their matched donations program differently. We can provide you with a letter regarding your fundraising along with a summary of all the donations received for your fundraising to date.

    Once you know what your company needs to make their matched donation, contact our Community Fundraising Officer.

    All fundraisers need an Authority to Fundraise. This is required by law.

    By far the easiest way to fundraise is by creating a fundraising web page on Everyday Hero and sending a link to all your friends and family asking them to make a donation.

    While you are waiting for your Authority to Fundraise you can continue organising your event but you cannot collect any donations until you receive your Authority to Fundraise.

    General FAQs

    Please refer to any of your mailings to find your supporter number. You can also call our office on 1800 023 600 or send us an email to – info@childfund.org.au and ask us for your supporter number. You will need to provide identifying information so we can find your number for you.

    There are a number of ways you can do this, by calling our friendly supporter relations staff on 1800 023 600; sending us an email at info@childfund.org.au giving us as much information so we can identify you; including name and address and supporter number and requesting that you wish your donation amount changed and the amount.  Or you can send your request by post to: Level 8, 162 Goulburn Street, Surry Hills NSW 2010. Please allow 14 days notice for this change to take effect.

    Yes of course. Please contact our Supporter Relations staff by either mail, email or phone.

    ChildFund Australia understands the importance of protecting your personal information from misuse, interference and loss and unauthorised access, modification or disclosure.

    We use security encrypted response forms to protect the personal and financial information you provide us over the Internet. To confirm that your browser supports our encryption system, check for a security icon (usually a padlock) at the bottom of your screen.

    Yes we understand the importance of protecting personal information and you can find our privacy policy here.

    Your donation will be debited from your nominated bank account or credit card on the 15th of each month. If this date falls on a weekend your payment will be processed the Monday following.

    Yes you will. For a single gift your tax receipt should arrive within 14 days. For regular monthly gifts, including child sponsorship, tax receipts are sent annually, towards the end of July.

    Please keep your address details updated so we can ensure you receive your tax receipt.

    ChildFund Australia does not normally provide employment for volunteer workers in its overseas programs, preferring to fill positions in national offices with local staff to promote the cultural appropriateness of the programs. There are some opportunities for volunteer staff in the Sydney headquarters.

    Funds raised in excess of an appeal target set by ChildFund Australia will be directed to other ChildFund projects in need of funding.

    Child sponsorship, Global Community and Project Humanity and one-off donations over $2 are tax-deductible and GST free.

    ChildFund Australia’s program work is carefully planned with targets and goals to be achieved within set timeframes. Depending on the size and scale of the program, work can run from a number of months to many years. As ChildFund Australia is accredited by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), all of our programs are audited to ascertain that funds are used to their maximum potential.

    ChildFund Australia understands that poverty is a complex problem that needs to be addressed with full community support. ChildFund Australia assesses where its aid is able to flow without political, religious or bureaucratic obstacles and liaises with government and community members to assess where needs are the greatest. ChildFund Australia, in partnership with our ChildFund Alliance affiliates, then creates programs in consultation with community leaders to provide practical assistance to children, families and impoverished communities.

    A request for a refund of contributions already donated to ChildFund Australia by a sponsor/donor will be considered and determined on a case by case basis.

    When a request for a refund is received, an assessment of the reason given for the refund request is undertaken. The following reasons will usually be considered favourably:

    • an error has been made by ChildFund Australia;
    • a sponsor/donor decides within the first 1-3 weeks of providing contributions that they have changed their mind and the funds have not already been remitted overseas;
    • a sponsor/donor banking details are fraudulently obtained and used;
    • the sponsor disputes agreeing to allocation of an additional child through ChildFund Australia marketing programs; or
    • a sponsor/donor contributions are paid in advance.

     

    The following reasons will not usually be grounds for a refund to be given:

    • the financial circumstances of the sponsor/donor;
    • the sponsor/donor denies or disputes having made a decision with ChildFund or one of its contracted marketing agencies to provide financial contributions; or
    • disagreement by the sponsor/donor with the nature of the programs provided by ChildFund.

     

    If it is agreed that a refund is to be made the sponsor/donor will receive the refund within ten working days of the decision.

    The financial accounts of ChildFund Australia are independently audited on an annual basis by accounting firm KPMG. This process includes auditing the financial accounts of our country offices in Vietnam, Papua New Guinea and Cambodia, Lao, Myanmar and Timor-Leste.

    As an organisation focused on achieving the best possible outcomes for children and their families, ChildFund Australia’s Development Effectiveness Framework (DEF) allows us to measure and evaluate the effectiveness of our work. The DEF gives ChildFund Australia the means to track and evaluate the results of its development programs. By counting tangible outputs and measuring long-term changes, ChildFund is able to assess the extent to which it has contributed to improved living standards for children and communities.

    ChildFund Australia is a member of the Australia Council for International Development (ACFID) and a signatory to the ACFID Code of Conduct. The Code requires members to meet high standards of corporate governance, public accountability and financial management. As evidence of this accountability, ChildFund Australia is accredited by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) to receive government grants. This accounts for around 10 per cent of ChildFund Australia’s revenue.

    ChildFund Australia is not affiliated with any religion, faith or other organisation. ChildFund Australia is a non-discriminatory, independent, not-for-profit organisation, assisting children, families and communities regardless of nationality, gender or religion. We respect the cultures and religions of all the people we help, encouraging spiritual growth only within the context of family and culture, and we do not evangelise.

    ChildFund was established in 1938 as the China’s Children Fund and opened its first Australian office in 1985.. As recognition of a growing worldwide focus, to reflect the ethic of helping others and to keep the acronym (CCF), the official name changed to Christian Children’s Fund in 1951. The name was then shortened to CCF Australia before the change to ChildFund Australia in October 2005.

    ChildFund Australia is an independent international development organisation that works to reduce poverty for children in developing communities. We work in partnership with children and their communities to create lasting change by supporting long-term community development, responding to humanitarian emergencies and promoting children’s rights. We want every child to be able to say: “I am safe. I am educated. I am heard. I can make a difference. I have a future.”’

    ChildFund Australia implements programs with a range of local partners in Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Papua New Guinea, Timor-Leste, Vietnam and other Pacific nations, and manages projects delivered by partner organisations throughout Asia, Africa and the Americas. Our work is funded through child and community sponsorship, government grants as well as donations from individuals, trusts and foundations, and corporate organisations.

    ChildFund Australia is a member of the ChildFund Alliance – a global network of 11 organisations which assists more than 14 million children and families in over 60 countries. ChildFund Australia is a registered charity, a member of the Australian Council for International Development, and fully accredited by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade which manages the Australian Government’s overseas aid program.