About Border Trust
We are a local, independent, philanthropic organisation that activates the power of giving.
Since it was established in November 2004, Border Trust has been the local, place-based catalyst of positive change, distributing over $4 million to local community groups and not-for-profit organisations.
We work with donors and partners who contribute donations, bequests, assets, and other gifts. We invest these, then distribute grants to fund initiatives that build our community’s capacity to cope with disruption, deliver capacity-building programs and continue to grow in positive ways, now and into the future.
Our purpose is to enable local people to shape the future of their community by directing resources (money, time and talent)
to support worthwhile local initiatives.
How does Border Trust work?
Our communities have needs that are not able to be met by traditional funding sources.
Border Trust encourages individuals, families, businesses and other organisations to make donations to meet these needs, now and in the future. These donations are retained as capital by Border Trust to build a perpetual and substantial fund for philanthropic purposes.
The raised funds are then directed to community projects selected from applications through a community grants program, and money is distributed to local causes.
Bequests and ‘named funds’ can also be established via Border Trust and are normally held in trust as capital, with the trustees investing these funds and distributing the interest regularly to community groups and initiatives of their choice.
Download – Border Trust – Your Community Foundation
Legal structure
Border Trust is a company limited by guarantee, which is a charitable organisation. It is the Trustee of a charitable trust (known as a public fund) and the Towong Community Bushfire Disaster Relief Fund. Donations to the public fund are tax deductible.
Border Trust is fully transparent and accountable to the community through external audits and community consultations.
What is a Community Foundation?
A community foundation is an independent philanthropic organisation that enables local donors to contribute cash, trusts, bequests or real property to create permanent endowments that benefit a specific geographic area.
Community Foundations are 100% local, place-based catalysts of positive change. Donations, bequests and other funds raised by Community Foundations are invested in perpetuity to fund community resilience and capacity building programs, now and into the future.