Fundraising
This section is about the main legal issues when fundraising in Victoria. Fundraising can include holding fetes, dinners, auctions, doorknocks, tin collections, selling merchandise and a range of other activities that raise funds for a community organisation.
In Victoria, if your community organisation wants to conduct fundraising activities, you may be required to register as a ‘fundraiser’ under the Fundraising Act 1998 (Vic) and the Fundraising Regulations 2009 (Vic) (‘Victoria’s fundraising law’).
Consumer Affairs Victoria (CAV) which is part of the Victorian Department of Justice, oversees the registration of fundraisers in Victoria. A link to CAV's Fundraising Registration Guidelines has been included in the Resources section below.
PilchConnect has developed a Guide to Fundraising. The Guide explains:
- which activities are considered fundraising activities in Victoria
- when your group will need to register to fundraise
- ongoing obligations for all fundraisers (whether required to be registered or not) such as maintaining a special fundraising bank account
- other laws groups need to consider when fundraising (such as lottery permits)
- when your group needs to consider fundraising laws and licensing requirements in other states
- issues to consider when fundraising online, and
- issues to consider when using third party fundraisers.
Australian Consumer Law
It's also important to consider the Australian Consumer Law when fundraising, particularly when your fundraising involves the sale of goods or services (like merchandise or event tickets).
Go to PilchConnect's page on Australian Consumer Law.
Consumer Affairs Victoria (CAV)
Australian Tax Office (ATO)
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This page provides details about the laws on the tax treatment of fundraising activities. The guide, which can be downloaded in PDF form, includes case studies about how to calculate tax for different fundraising events.
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This page of the ATO's site provides basic information about the fundraising law in each state and territory of Australia. Use the navigation menu on the right hand side to select the jurisdiction.
Other
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This section of the ABR site allows you to download a list of the names of organisations which have been endorsed as a DGR, and can attract tax deductible gifts.
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This is a peak body for fundraisers with information on best practice.