Can a Private Ancillary Fund (PAF) donate to fundraising campaigns with the Australian Sports Foundation?

Yes, a Private Ancillary Fund (PAF) or other charitable fund can donate to certain campaigns fundraising with the Australian Sports Foundation – but the donation must be made through the Australian Sports Foundation Charitable Fund (ASFCF), not the Australian Sports Foundation Limited.

ASF operates two distinct entities:

  • Australian Sports Foundation Limited is an Item 1 Deductible Gift Recipient (DGR) specifically listed in the Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 (Subdivision 30-B, s30.90). It can receive tax-deductible donations from individuals and businesses for the general development of sport in Australia. However, it is not a registered charity, and as such, it cannot accept donations from PAFs.
  • The Australian Sports Foundation Charitable Fund (ASFCF) is a registered charitable trust with the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC). It was established to advance charitable purposes through the development (and medium) of sport. Our charitable fund can facilitate tax-deductible donations from PAFs, charitable trusts, and similar entities that are required to distribute funds only to registered charities.

In short, if you are managing a PAF or similar philanthropic structure, you must ensure that:

  1. The donation is directed to the ASFCF; and
  2. The campaign being supported has been approved to receive donations through the ASFCF.

Before making any distributions from a PAF, we recommend you confirm with the beneficiary whether their campaign has been approved to receive funds through the ASFCF (see how to confirm a campaign’s charitable donation eligibility).