Funding Application Guidelines

Funding Guidelines for New Donations (Current at 1 May 2024)

About The Campbell Edwards Trust

The Campbell Edwards Trust is a perpetual charitable trust that was established in 1922 in Victoria, Australia, by the late Robert Campbell Edwards. 

Robert Campbell Edwards, who made his fortune out of tea and property, was dedicated to engendering social change and helping the less fortunate.  He left essentially all his worldly possessions to charity.   

Today the Trust assists Australians through the grant of financial assistance to charitable organisations whose programs give effect to the Trust’s underlying philosophy, values and vision.  Since being founded, the Trust has distributed tens of millions of dollars in donations for charitable purposes in Australia. 

The Trust is governed by a board of Trustees who manage the Trust assets and distribute its annual income.   The Trustees determine the distribution priorities for the Trust income based on the terms of the governing documents, and the wishes of the Trust’s founder, Robert Campbell Edwards, and in light of the evolving needs of the Australian community today.

More information about the Campbell Edwards Trust is available at www.campbelledwardstrust.org.

Trust Mission Statement

The Campbell Edwards Trust is committed to assisting Australians-in-need through the grant of financial assistance to charitable organisations which have programs that grow the key areas in which the Trustees seek to effect change. 

The Trust’s focus areas are:

  • The alleviation of hunger of children;
  • Physical shelter and refuge;
  • Respite care for children in financial need;
  • Medical care for children in financial need;
  • Mental and spiritual help and support for children in financial need;
  • Education for needy and at-risk youth, including by supporting scholarship programs to private schools;
  • Requests which benefit poor children; and
  • Other Christian-spirited requests, such as for: Religious, evangelical or spiritual publications, pastoral and social service activities; Christian youth activities; International philanthropy including children, housing and infrastructure such as hospitals; Indigenous Australians; Physically impaired; Families/children affected by suicide, other life-threatening mental health issues or domestic violence; Homelessness, destitution or hunger from disasters; Social enterprises, and causes which help people help themselves.

In order to fulfil its commitment from finite resources, the Trustees focus on areas where there is the highest assessed potential for having an impact and making a difference.

Use of Donations

The Trust will consider applications for donations that fall within the Trust Mission Statement where the funding is to be used for the following purposes:

  1. Donations for specific activities, projects or programs.
  • Donations for general operations, where the value to be added by the funding can be clearly defined and demonstrated.

Eligibility

The Campbell Edwards Trust will usuallyonly consider donation requests from organisations that are based or have a registered office in Australia.

The Trust will NOT consider the following kinds of applications:

  1. For or on behalf of individuals.
  2. For general fund-raising appeals.

Financial Limits

The Trust will consider applications from eligible organisations for funding within the annual tiers below, and a maximum funding commitment of three years in one grant:

Tier 1: $30,000 to $60,000 per annum

Tier 2: $60,000 to $90,000 per annum

Tier 3: $90,000 to $120,000 per annum

Donation Application Process

To make a request for funding:

  1. Go to our website for the link to complete the Application Form.

Assessment process

When prioritising requests, the Trustees take into consideration various factors including:

  1. The Trust’s governing documents, mission statement, values and vision.
  2. The applicant’s demonstrable need for the funds.
  3. The use of the funds and the relevant project reach and scope.
  4. The impact that the funding would have on the applicant organisation and their work in effecting change in the community.
  5. The size of the contribution relative to other financial contribution the applicant typically receives, including from corporate and government sponsors.
  6. Organisational effectiveness, including staff and/or volunteers and governance.

Please note that the Campbel Edwards Trust is a private, discretionary trust. Decisions are final and no correspondence will be entered into regarding the merits of these decisions.

Key dates

Please note that applications must be made no later than 31 May to be considered by the Trust before 30 June 2024.