Future2 Make the Difference! Grants Program – Australia

Deadline: 27-Aug-24

In 2024, Future2 seeks to support programs that help Australians build stronger financial futures.

Through the annual Make the Difference! Grants Program, Future2 has committed $1.6 million in grant funding to over 150 community programs since 2007.

Each application will be asked to demonstrate how the program fits within one (or more) of the given categories. All applications must be nominated by a financial services professional and should be able to demonstrate a genuine association between the cause and nominator.

Categories

• Applications to receive grant funding are invited for programs that focus on:
  • Financial Wellbeing for Young Australians, Financial literacy and education programs for people under 25.
  • Financial Wellbeing for Australians in Need, Financial literacy programs for Australians in need including those experiencing mental health, social isolation, domestic violence, homelessness or poverty, or for those who come from First Nations and Refugee & Migrant communities.
  • Financial Wellbeing for Women, Financial literacy programs for disadvantaged women in Australia.
  • Financial Wellbeing for those in Regional and Remote Australia, Programs that support financial literacy in regional and remote Australia.

Funding Information

• The type of grant offered is a one-year grant of up to $10,000.

Eligibility Criteria

• Future2 encourages applications from all causes, charities, not-for-profit organisations or community programs that meet the below criteria.
• Organisations are not required to be registered charities or have Deductible Gift Recipient (DGR) status.
• Priority is given to grassroots, community programs where you can see the ‘money at work.’ Organisations with significant annual revenue will not be considered for a Future2 Make the Difference! Grant.
• Importantly, applications must be endorsed by a financial services professional and should be able to demonstrate a genuine association between the cause and nominator. For example, involvement with your program, or pro bono support from a financial services professional.

Criteria

• Future2 seeks to support programs that help Australians build stronger financial futures.
• All applications must be nominated by a financial services professional.
  • The application should be able to demonstrate a genuine association between the cause and the financial services professional who nominates the application. The applicant and nominator should reside in the same State/Territory, and where they do not, an explanation of the working relationship should be provided.
  • As the Foundation of the Financial Services Professional, they welcome applications from anyone working in the financial services industry in Australia (including but not limited to: Financial Advice, Insurance, Accounting and SMSF Professionals).
• Can demonstrate that their program helps Australians build stronger financial futures via one (or more) of the grant categories;
• Can demonstrate impact and outcomes of the program in the local community (priority will be given for programs that can demonstrate a high impact in the community);
• Provide opportunities for ongoing involvement with Future2’s community, for example engaging financial services professionals in volunteering, fundraising, committees, etc;
• Identify and deal with the cause of a problem, not simply treat the after-effects;
• Will continue to have an impact and remain sustainable well beyond the period of their support and, if appropriate, have the capacity to become self-sustaining;
• Could be extended or replicated so that it benefits an increasing number of people;
• May show evidence of collaboration with other agencies and organisations to implement or extend the reach of the project, or to share improved knowledge;
• Well-managed and prudently budgeted and;
• Past Grant Recipients: Please note, that whilst you are eligible to apply again there will be a weighting in the judging criteria towards those who have not received a Future2 grant in the last 5 years.

Ineligible

• In general, the following are not eligible for funding:
  • Individuals;
  • Government entities, for example, government departments, statutory bodies and organisations wholly funded by government;
  • Organisations with more than 15% Government funding;
  • Organisations with an annual revenue of over $5 million.
  • Religious groups, except for programs that support a non-religious purpose;
  • Programs outside Australia;
  • Capital funds and building works;
  • Recurrent costs or general operating expenses of an organisation;
  • 100% of the costs of any program unless future financial support can be demonstrated;
  • Study programs or conferences;
  • Research, except in special circumstances at the Board’s discretion;
  • Travel, except where it is integral to the operation of a program and;
  • Retrospective requests, general fundraising appeals or commercial sponsorships.

For more information, visit Future2.