The Foundation: A Philanthropic Initiative
The Documentary Australia Foundation is a private philanthropic initiative that aims to inspire and nurture partnerships between philanthropic grantmakers, charities and documentary filmmakers. The Foundation provides all the information, guides and resources to help them work together to achieve their mutual goals.
The Foundation does not make or commission films. The Foundation manages and receives grants from the public, and passes these grants onto documentary filmmakers. The Foundation provides information and resources to enable the philanthropic, charitable and documentary film worlds to collaborate for the mutual benefit of all. The Foundation facilitates the use of philanthropic donations to fund a wide range of documentary films.
DGR STATUS
The Documentary Australia Foundation has registered charitable DGR (Deductible Gift Recipient) status enabling foundations to make grants to documentaries. Due to its charitable status, individuals and corporations are also able to make tax-deductible donations to documentaries. The Documentary Australia Foundation is dependent upon funding from external foundations, corporations and individual grantmakers. The Documentary Australia Foundation does not commission or directly fund projects without funding from external grantmakers.
The Documentary Australia Foundation Donations Fund is listed on the Register of Cultural Organisations (ROCO) maintained under subdivision 30-F of the Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 and, from 17 July 2007, is eligible to receive tax-deductible donations. The Australian Taxation Office has endorsed The Documentary Australia Foundation Donations Fund under Subdivision 30-BA of the Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 with effect from 17 July 2007 as a public fund on the Register of Cultural Organisations pursuant to item 12.1.1 of Subdivsion 30-B of the Income Tax Assessment Act 1997.
APPROVED LIST OF DOCUMENTARIES
The Documentary Australia Foundation Board will assess documentary proposals to determine their eligibility for private funding. If the documentary is considered eligible it will be placed on the Documentary Australia Foundation Approved List posted on the website.
To be approved, documentaries must:
- Be suitable for philanthropic support according to the Documentary Australia Foundation's application form.
- Clearly demonstrate that they are a bona fide documentary being made by reputable or emerging filmmakers with either an Australian production company or a current Australian Business Number (ABN)
The submissions are not judged stylistically. They are assessed with reference to whether the subject, approach and outreach potential are appropriate for philanthropic support (see application form).
MAKING TAX-DEDUCTIBLE GRANTS TO DOCUMENTARIES
Through the Documentary Australia Foundation, grantmakers can only make grants to documentaries on the Approved List. A grantmaker can identify a preferred area of interest or documentary proposal for a grant, and Documentary Australia will consider that preference after it is satisfied that the particular documentary meets the criteria outlined in the application form. Whilst all preferences will be taken into account and assessed by the Board, foundations, corporations or individual donors cannot directly designate their grant to a specific documentary project.
Once approved, eligible projects will be listed on the Documentary Australia website. The Documentary Australia Foundation will enable foundations to make DGR approved grants and individuals and corporations to make tax-deductible donations to documentaries. Please note the restrictions on the Grantmakers application form.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
- Lisa Cotton
- Chairman
- Dr Mitzi Goldman
- Executive Director
- Susan MacKinnon
- Executive Director
- Jane Kenny
- Director
- Kel Fitzalan
- Director
- Michael Hanavan
- Company Secretary
- Mark Worrall
- Director
- Kevin Farmer
- Director