Collective giving with Give500

Give500 is Border Trust’s collective giving campaign, making supporting life changing community programs across the Border region accessible to everyone.

How it works

Local community members, families, groups and businesses are invited to become a Give500 donor by donating $500 to the Give500 program.

Donated funds are pooled, with the size and value of the annual Give500 grant pool determined by the number of donations made. Donations are open from mid-November to 30 June each year.

One $500 donation = 1 vote

As a donor, you have a direct say in which project or initiative receives that year’s grant. For every $500 donation you make, you get one vote at our annual Pitch Night to decide the Give500 winner.

Sixty per cent of funds raised each year are allocated to support community initiatives. The remaining forty per cent is held in a Give500 Named Sub-Fund to support foundation sustainability, additional charitable granting and build a perpetual fund for ongoing community benefit.

The Give500 Named Sub-Fund is a Sub-Fund within Border Trust. Donations are tax-deductible.

Join us in 2025 !

Give500 harnesses the power of collective giving to fund projects of direct benefit to our community.

The 2025 Give500 Collective Giving Campaign is now Open.

Deciding the winning project

All donors are invited to attend the Give500 Pitch Night, where you’ll view a video and listen to a short pitch from each of the three finalists about their project and then vote for their preferred project (one $500 donation = 1 vote).

The winner and runners up are announced on the night. The winner receives the largest grant, and a smaller amount is awarded to two runners up.

The Give500 grant program opens July 2025

Head to our Find a Grant page for more grant options.

Apply for a Give500 grant

Local not-for-profit and community organisations are invited to apply for Give500 funding to support their local projects.

Applications to the Give500 Grant Program open on 1 July each year.

Applications to the Give500 Program will be shortlisted to three outstanding projects by the Give500 Committee, with the selected short list organisations to be voted on by Give500 donors at the annual Pitch Night held in November.