Fundraiser Common Issues and Questions

Fundraiser Common Issues and Questions

October 18, 2023

Fundraising

FAQs

Am I eligible to sign up with the ASF?

Organisations are eligible to sign up with the ASF if they:

  • Are an incorporated entity,

  • Have an ABN and bank account, and

  • Are looking to fundraise to develop sport in Australia.

Individuals* are eligible to sign up with the ASF if they:

  • Are an Australian citizen or permanent resident, and

  • Are either competing at a State, National or International level, or are part of a recognised high-performance program within their sport.

* The ASF platform is not limited to athletes. It is also open to coaches, officials and support staff.

Signing up with the ASF is free and it takes 5-10 minutes at: https://asf.org.au/sign-up

What does it cost to use the ASF fundraising platform?

Our platform is  free to use – there are no setup or account fees involved! As the ASF is a small non-profit, we do retain a small percentage of all donations to cover the operating costs of running a fundraising platform and providing support to every fundraiser.

More information about our retention and processing fees can be found in our  Terms & Conditions. 

What can I raise funds for?

The Australian Sports Foundation’s charter, and what we have our tax-deductible status for, is to raise money for the development of sport in Australia. 

For a community club, this could include: 

  • Facilities (capital works, maintenance, and hire/lease) 

  • Equipment (purchase and maintenance/repairs) 

  • Coaching (payment of staff or contractors) 

  • Travel (training camps, competitions etc) 

  • Hardship funds (paying rego fees and other costs for players experiencing financial hardship) 

  • Medical costs, player welfare programs 

  • General operational costs (i.e. to “keep the lights on”) 

  • ‘Future Fund’ (i.e. to ensure the sustainability of the club into the future) 

For an athlete this could include (but is not limited to): 

  • Equipment and uniform (purchase and maintenance/repairs)

  • Travel (training camps, competitions etc)

  • Medical costs, physio & conditioning

  • Coaching

These lists are not intended to be exhaustive. If you have a project in mind that you’re not sure is eligible, please contact our Support Team. However, generally, if the intention and outcome of the project is to develop Australian sport in some way, you should be good to go!

How soon do we have to spend any funds raised?

Clubs and individuals can fundraise for both short-term and long-term projects on the ASF platform. 

Donations collected on the ASF platform are NOT required to be physically spent within a certain period.

When is a donation tax-deductible?

Donations of $2 or more to the Australian Sports Foundation are tax-deductible.

Information regarding donations and who can make them can be found on our Information for Relatives and Other Associates page.  

Important information on what can be claimed as tax-deductible is included in the ATO’s advice on what is classified as a gift or donation. By that token, sponsorship arrangements where the business receives advertising and branding is not classified as a donation and these payments should not be made to the ASF.  

The ASF is always happy to provide guidance based on our knowledge of tax law. However, we’re not authorised to provide tax advice.  Fundraisers and donors are encouraged to seek independent financial advice.

It is the taxpayer who makes a claim for a deduction on their tax return, and the onus is on the taxpayer to assure themselves of their eligibility to claim a deduction for a particular gift to ASF.

When do donors receive their tax receipt?

The ASF will issue donors with a tax receipt for their donation when payment has been received by the ASF. This receipt will be emailed to the address the donor provided on their donation form. TIP- donors should check their junk/spam folder.

The timing of receipts depends on the payment method a donor has used for their donation:

  • Credit card/Apple Pay/GooglePay= instantly

  • EFT = generally within 1-2 business days of payment*

  • Direct Debit = generally within 3-4 business days of payment

  • Cash/cheque = generally within 2-3 business days of payment*

* provided the donor used their DON-XXXXXX reference or another clear descriptor to enable the ASF to match their payment to their donation record.

Grant payments, acquittals & accessing your donations

The funds you raise are paid out as a grant from the ASF. Grants are paid on a fortnightly basis – on the 15th and the last day of each month.

All you need to do to receive a grant payment is ensure that you have current bank details correctly entered in the Account section of the ASF platform.

For each grant payment you receive from the ASF, you will be required to submit an acquittal declaration confirming that you have or will spend the funds on the approved purpose and for the development of Australian sport.

The ASF has a simple, online acquittal process to ensure funds raised are being used appropriately. Here’s our acquittal's “how-to” guide.

How do I close my project?

The closing of projects is done manually by the ASF team upon request from the an authorised club contact.

This is due to required checks to complete prior to closure. 

  1. We need to ensure all donation funds have been granted out for the project, and 

  2. All subsequent acquittals must be completed.  

Please contact us if you wish to close your project. 

Helpful Guides and Articles

Our website has an abundance of helpful resources to answer any other questions you might have, and to get you started on your fundraising journey: