After the dust settles on the sports funding allocations that occur at Federal and State budget time and certain commitments are made for developing sport and facilities, it is often grassroots sport that is left contemplating its future. And that is where the Australian Sports Foundation Ltd (ASF) can assist.
The ASF is a company established by the government in 1986 for the purpose of supporting the development of sport in Australia. Its listing as a deductible gift recipient (DGR) in the Tax Act means that donations to the ASF in support of registered sporting projects are tax deductible. Any non profit incorporated sporting organisation, council, club, sporting association, community group or school can apply to register a sport related project with the ASF.
Projects can be registered in the areas of facility development, non recurrent equipment, sport development, team travel and hosting a major sporting event. Once registered, organisations have the potential to benefit financially through their registration by undertaking a fundraising campaign, encouraging donors to make an ‘unconditional’ donation to the ASF. Donors can nominate a registered sporting project as their preferred beneficiary.
“Councils can play a dual role,” said ASF General Manager, Rod Philpot. “If they are contemplating a facility development, they can seek to register a project with the ASF. In addition, councils can also obtain brochures from the ASF for distribution to local sporting organisations so that they may also consider the benefits the ASF can provide.”
The ASF’s mission is to provide ‘a unique tax advantage for sports fundraising’ and this means that the ASF works with organisations to complement other funding streams that they may have, as progress is made to achieve a sporting objective.
Donations received by the ASF in support of a registered sporting project, form the pool of funds from which the ASF issues discretionary grants to registered projects. In 2005/06, the ASF celebrated the dual milestones of 20 years of operation and issuing discretionary grants totalling over $100 million since 1986, including the issue of $9 million in grants to 220 projects in 2005/06 alone.
For more information on how the ASF can assist your Council or community sporting clubs with sporting projects, please contact the ASF on (02) 6214 7868 or visit the ASF website at www.asf.org.au
* Copy supplied by ASF
