Did you know that if just 10 per cent of Australian workers donated $5 per week through workplace giving, an extra $300 million would be raised for Australian charities every year?
If employers matched 5 per cent of these donations, Australian charities would receive $375 million.
YWCA Canberra understands that partnerships are critical to solving some of the ACT’s most pressing social challenges and we enjoy working with organisations across Canberra to create change in our local community.
Workplace giving enables employees to make regular charitable donations from their weekly or monthly pre-tax income, resulting in an automatic tax reduction.
YWCA Canberra’s workplace giving program allows employees to regularly donate to a range of our programs and services through automated payroll deductions. This includes:
There is no need for employees to worry about keeping receipts or to wait until the end of the financial year to obtain a tax benefit. Employers simply deduct the nominated donation amount from salary before deducting tax so the tax benefit to the employee is immediate.
For employers
Inspiring your employees with fundraising initiatives that link to your business’ strategic directions is a proven way to enjoy greater staff engagement, retention, productivity, reputation and social impact.
At YWCA Canberra we know that contributing to the community and seeing the results can boost morale, increase staff retention, and enhance productivity.
Your employees’ collective impact through workplace giving will instil a great sense of common purpose and pride among your team.
Specifically, workplace giving:
For employees
As an employee, participating in YWCA Canberra’s workplace giving program comes with a raft of benefits:
The most successful way to increase donations is for workplaces to match donations. Businesses can enhance the impact of their workplace giving program by incorporating volunteering, skill-sharing and in-kind support.
For YWCA Canberra
Download our workplace giving guide.
As an employer, if you wish to offer workplace giving, you can invite your employees to enter a workplace giving program. Your employees will then specify the amount they wish to donate.
This is typically a fixed amount deducted from their salary or wages on each pay day. You then pay the donation directly to us.
The workplace giving program does not affect the way your employees’ gross income, super guarantee payments or fringe benefits are worked out.
For more information on working out withholding for regular donations, and for more information about how to inform your employees of their workplace giving contributions, visit the ATO website or call the ATO on 13 28 66.
To discuss workplace giving opportunities further, please get in touch with YWCA Canberra’s Director of Communication, Advocacy and Fundraising via caf.team@ywca-canberra.org.au.
What is workplace giving?
Workplace giving is a program that lets employees donate money on a regular basis to one or more charities. The charity must be a deductible gift recipient (DGR) which means that donations to the charity are deductible for taxation purposes.
YWCA Canberra has DGR status and is a registered charity with the Australian Charities and Not for Profit Commission (ABN: 48008389151).
Can anyone donate to charities through their payroll?
Your employer must have a workplace giving program in place. Any employer who has one or more staff may start a workplace giving program.
Can I make a donation anytime I like?
No. Workplace giving operates through your payroll system. If you get paid weekly, you must donate weekly. Someone who gets paid monthly must donate monthly.
Can I make a one-off donation through workplace giving?
Provided your employer is in agreement, you can make occasional or one-off payroll deductions that are not part of a regular planned arrangement.
Your employer will vary your withholding for these one-off donations. This will bring forward the tax benefit to the time you make the donation, instead of having to wait until the end of the financial year to claim it in your tax return.
Is there a minimum or maximum amount I can donate?
No, but your employer can set some rules around workplace giving. Some employers may set a minimum of $2 per pay; others may have no minimum or maximum amount you can donate. But remember that donations must be $2 or more to be tax deductible.
Will everyone who donates get a tax benefit each time they donate?
Most people who make a donation will see a tax benefit in their pay. If you donate only a small amount, you may not get a tax benefit until you claim your donations though your tax return.
What are the implications for me at tax time?
A workplace giving program does not affect the way your gross income, super guarantee payments or fringe benefits are worked out.
Everyone who donates through a workplace giving program must claim the total amount of donations in their tax return. You must do this regardless of whether you have been getting pay-day tax benefits for your donations.
Your employer will let you know how much you have donated over the year in some written form or it will be printed on your payment summary (group certificate).
Whose responsibility is it to check that the charity I donate to is a deductible gift recipient (that is, donations are tax deductible)?
Your employer must check that all the charities in their own workplace giving program are deductible gift recipients. They check this by visiting business.gov.au and looking up the Australian Business Register (ABR).
If my office has a workplace giving program in place will I have to donate?
No. Workplace giving programs are entirely voluntary. You don’t have to donate to a charity through your payroll.
Who chooses what charities I can donate to in a workplace giving program?
Employers and employees should agree on which charities take part in any workplace giving program.
Can I stop my donation at any time?
Your employer will usually set some rules around workplace giving. Some may ask you to commit to six months of donations because more frequent changes can become expensive to administer.
Can I donate to more than one charity?
Yes. You can donate to as many charities offered in your program as you like.
Will my personal contact details be supplied to the charities concerned?
No charity should receive any details identifying individual donors without the donor’s written permission. The charities will receive a bulk deposit each payday.
If I participate, how will I know what my money is being used for?
The advantage of workplace giving programs is that the charities receive regular income but don’t have to issue individual receipts, saving time and money.
Employers should ask charities to provide regular feedback on how donations are being expended and pass on this information to employees making donations (and all employees for their information).
Where can I get more information about workplace giving?
You can find out more about what participating employers and employees need to know via the ATO website.
Source: this information was extracted from the ATO website in February 2019.
There are a range of categories you can direct your workplace giving donations towards, depending on your organisational priorities and employees’ interests:
Canberra has the highest proportion of people (22 per cent) receiving Commonwealth Rental Assistance and those who are spending more than 50 per cent of their income on rent. A shortage of affordable supply, and various factors fuelling demand for housing, has contributed to record high house prices and private rents in the ACT.
YWCA Canberra is combating this by establishing a fund to enable us to build a new group home for older women and will also establish a unique for purpose real estate property management service that supports the poorest ACT residents.
The service will grow the affordable rental housing market in the ACT in the long term, while simultaneously immediately addressing the needs of people who are homelessness or risk of homelessness. The service will be run through the YWCA Canberra’s existing Housing Unit in the Community Services Portfolio.
Landlords will offer their property at a below market rate (a minimum of 75 per cent less than the market rate) to help an individual or household that is struggling to keep housing in the private rental market.
The priority group will be older women on a low income, who are homeless, or at risk of homelessness, and women and children escaping domestic and family violence, although the service will be open to other eligible people and ACT Government priority groups.
YWCA Canberra has an extensive 76-year history of providing housing and support services for women and children in Canberra, with the opening of Leave House in Mort Street by Lady Gowrie in 1942, marking the beginning of YWCA Canberra’s long involvement in housing services. Today we are a registered community housing provider that housed and supported 249 ACT clients in 2018, primarily women and children.
We are currently fundraising to reach our goal of $150,000 to establish the service and are already over a third of the way there!
By donating to this project, you will be contributing to:
Bridge the digital divide in Canberra by supporting the YWCA Canberra Clubhouse.
The YWCA Canberra Clubhouse provides young people with a unique opportunity to experience industry standard technologies, participate in Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics (STEAM) activities and work alongside adult mentors, ultimately developing the skills and attributes necessary to create a brighter future.
With the essential support of our cross-sector partners, volunteers, Tuggeranong community, and our dedicated staff, our members now have access to cutting edge technology, industry mentors and a supportive environment that fosters their creativity and independent learning almost every week of the year.
Watch our video to see some of the recent highlights from the program.
Seventy-five per cent of the fastest growing occupations in Australia require skills in STEAM. And unless we increase the capacity of young people in STEAM now, they will be left behind.
Girls, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students and students from low socio-economic backgrounds are underrepresented in the STEAM workforce, are more likely to have negative perceptions of STEAM disciplines and are less likely to aspire to STEAM careers.
With your help, we can change this. Our programs specifically target young women and girls, and provide supportive, inclusive spaces for them to engage in science, technology, robotics and engineering.
As an organisation dedicated to improving the lives of women and girls in the ACT, YWCA Canberra is proud to be part of the solution, with over a third of our members identifying as female.
Our impact studies demonstrate that our members report the engagement with the Clubhouse has increased the likelihood they will finish school and pursue further studies or careers in STEAM.
By contributing whatever you can afford, you will help young people at risk of disengaging from school to connect with adult mentors to develop new skills, explore their own ideas, and build confidence in themselves using technology, which can lead to future employment and training opportunities.
Every dollar helps! Here are some examples of how your gift makes a difference:
Want to help us continue to make a difference in the lives of vulnerable Canberrans?
You can contribute to ensuring that all women, children and families in Canberra have the essential supports and resources that everyone needs to live.
Your donation will help to:
YWCA Canberra has been providing community services and support for vulnerable families for almost 90 years and we value the financial support we receive through donations.
As a not-for-profit organisation, we use our funding carefully to meet the needs of those we aim to help. Your donation will assist us in our work to provide important programs and services to the Canberra community.
Donate now:
The She Leads program is a leadership pathway for women, including female-identifying and non-binary people, who are looking to explore and develop their leadership potential. Through the She Leads program, the next generation of women leaders, from all sectors and industries, are being equipped with the skills and confidence they need to further their potential.
The program’s vision is ‘Girls and Women Thriving’ – as it is essential women are confident and fully equipped to lead in their homes, workplaces, and communities. When women thrive, society benefits from their unique perspectives and experiences and gender equality is closer to being achieved.
The She Leads program includes the She Leads Diploma of Leadership and Management, the She Leads Conference, the She Leads In-Conversation Series, the She Leads College Conference(for girls in years 11 and 12), the She Leads High Conference (for girls in years 9 and 10), and the She Leads Workshops.
As part of YWCA Canberra’s commitment to providing participation avenues and leadership development opportunities for diverse women who would otherwise be unable to attend our events, scholarships for our She Leads Diploma, and She Leads College, Conference and High events are offered annually.
Every year, thanks to the generosity of our partners and donors we can facilitate these important personal and professional development opportunities, but demand always exceeds the number of available scholarships.
Support a local woman to access their leadership potential through a transformative development experience
“As a proud Pakana Aboriginal woman, registered carer for my son with a chronic medical condition, mother of four, aunty to many more, and Chairperson of the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff network at the Department of Health, winning a scholarship to attend the She Leads Conference was an important opportunity.
Learnings from this conference would not only impact my life, but also those around me, those I care for, those I lead and those I am fortunate to be able to inspire and influence.
Whilst my initial thoughts were ‘well I may learn what others are doing in the region, in terms of leadership to meeting the next generation of leaders,’ I had no idea the impact two of the keynote speakers would have for me. Not just what I could take forward and share but what I can instil in myself.
What I took away from this conference was a feeling of self-worth and empowerment. Something I have been sharing and promoting ever since!”
Kartika Medcraft, 2018 She Leads Conference scholarship recipient
By donating a scholarship and becoming a She Leads Supporter, you are gifting a deserving local girl or woman an established and high-quality leadership opportunity that tangibly impacts lives.
2018 She Leads Conference feedback
Attendees rated the 2018 She Leads Conference highly, with 100 per cent of attendees rating it as ‘Excellent’ or ‘Good’ and 89 per cent of respondents indicating that they would attend the Conference next year. Furthermore, 98 percent stated that they were likely to recommend the Conference to other women.
“She Leads Conference 2018 was hands-down, the best conference I have ever been to. It takes a lot for me to step away from the office for the day, but this conference was totally worth it. Every speaker was top-notch, the program was perfectly curated. . .Congratulations to all involved.” 2018 Conference attendee
“No improvements! It was fabulous. Just loved the key note speakers they were engaging enlightening and so inspirational. Brilliant day. Well done YWCA!” 2018 Conference attendee.
Of the 115 evaluation surveys received from students:
Feedback about the conference from teachers was also highly positive. Of the 16 evaluation surveys received from teachers, 100 per cent agreed they would recommend the conference, that it was a worthwhile excursion and that they wanted to bring students again next year.
Students’ responses when asked what they’d learned at She Leads High that would help them most on the leadership journeys:
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Here are some examples of how your donation can have an impact:
As a not-for-profit organisation, we use our funding carefully to meet the needs of those we aim to help. Your donation will assist us in our work to provide important programs and services to the Canberra community and will be directed to the area of greatest need at the time.