The Mapleton & District Community Association (MADCA) has begun transferring funds into its new Community Benefit Fund, following approval from the Australian Communities Foundation (ACF) and a vote at Wednesday’s (August 5th) general meeting. The fund is built on a $25,000 bequest from the late John Reynolds OAM, a local resident and long-time community advocate, and will give local groups access to tax-deductible fundraising. Very few have this capability, and it constrains their fundraising..
Vice-president Max Standage told members the bequest had prompted MADCA to think beyond its own immediate needs. “It was very generous of John Reynolds to give us $25,000, and that’s why we’ve been determined to use that as an initiative for much more,” Max said.
Honouring John Reynolds
MADCA has in recent years operated a grant scheme which has supported local groups through surplus funds raised at the Mapleton Country Market, but without formal tax-deductible status, its ability to attract larger donations or fund bigger projects has been limited. The Reynolds bequest became the catalyst for setting up a proper structure to change that.
At Wednesday’s monthly general meeting, the members resolved to transfer the full $25,000 into the new fund, split $10,000 into the ACF Main Fund and $15,000 into the ACF Extension Fund. The motion was moved, seconded and carried unanimously.
How the Fund Works
The Community Benefit Fund has been established as a Named Fund under the ACF, which handles the fund’s compliance with Australian Taxation Office regulations and its investment management. “We don’t have to be concerned by the legal aspects of it,” Max said. “If they approve a project for us, it’s on.”
Money placed into the fund is permanently ring-fenced and cannot be accessed by MADCA for day-to-day running costs. Depending on a project’s nature, donations are directed either to the Main Fund, which offers tax deductibility for projects the ACF assesses as eligible, or the Extension Fund, which offers more flexible support for projects that do not meet those criteria.
What It Means for Local Groups
For residents and local organisations, the fund makes it easier and safer to support a local cause, with the confidence that a gift will go toward an approved community project and, in many cases, come with a tax deduction. For local businesses, it offers a straightforward way to give back to the district while keeping their own paperwork simple.
For community organisations, the fund removes a barrier that has held smaller groups back in the past: needing to be a registered charity to fundraise with any real weight behind it. Standage told the meeting that the aim is for other organisations across the district, from sporting clubs to the choir, and beyond, to partner with MADCA and use the fund for their own fundraising, whether that means running a tax-effective appeal or simply having a safe, professionally managed place to hold money raised for a project.
MADCA President, Peter Gamgee said “MADCA strives to support all worthwhile projects that make Mapleton and District a better place to live. We encourage local groups to own and initiate and run their own projects and now we have a means to provide even more support than we could in the past. We encourage local groups to come and talk to us about this.”
The fund also offers a safer path for anyone considering a bequest or larger gift to a local cause. Because the money is held and managed by the ACF rather than passing directly to the requesting organisation, it lends the request a level of legitimacy and protection that would be difficult for a small local group to offer on its own.
A detailed guide to the fund, including how projects are assessed and worked examples for local groups, is available on the MADCA website. Local organisations wanting to discuss a project can contact MADCA at enquiries@madca.com.au.
More information: MADCA – Mapleton and District Community Association
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