How You Can Help

Our grants vary between $3,000 and $6,000 per year per selected student.

For that amount annually and a modest service fee you can allow us to help one more child each year. Recent history shows that sum of about $100,000 can endow a bursary or scholarship of $4,000 per year in perpetuity.

If you wish, for that amount or more you can be the sponsor (anonymously if you prefer) of a bursary or scholarship scheme.

If you are not able to donate that amount or do not wish to sponsor a scheme, you may add to the money available for the AVCAT grants, which are funded by general donations.

A number of different donors can combine to sponsor a scheme.

While more sponsored scholarships are always welcome, a more pressing need is funding for administration, either coupled with a sponsored scholarship or separately. AVCAT's work is necessarily labour intensive and because of its structural features, fixed costs are therefore high. Please see AVCAT Structure.

Being seen as a corporate supporter of an organization like AVCAT, whose work is to help veteran's children, the innocent victims of war, offers advantages to the corporate sector generally, and particularly, to those who do business with the Australian Defence Force.

It is a practical demonstration of support for our soldiers, sailors and airmen and women, who are continuing to do us doing us proud overseas. Since 1948, there have been over 81 separate operational and peacekeeping deployments overseas, involving over 160,000 service men and women and to more than 40 different countries. Each of those deployments has resulted in Australian casualties. Often the casualties include their children.

General Peter Cosgrove, AC, MC, Chief of the Defence Force, visiting AVCAT in November 2003. The Chairman of the Trust, Admiral W M Hudson, AC, RAN (Rtd) is on the left and the CEO, Brigadier P T F Gowans, Retd, on the right.

Other Support
Because of the value of its work for the nation, AVCAT receives valuable support from in addition to the ex-service organizations, educational authorities through Australia, government bodies, companies and suppliers, who give their services at no cost to the Trust or at discount rates.

AVCAT also receives significant taxation concessions from federal and state authorities and has access to privileged purchasing arrangements.

AVCAT is a Gift Deductible Recipient for taxation purposes and is authorized under State legislation to fund raise. Our bursaries and scholarships are paid direct to recipients and exempt from income tax in their hands.

Financial Overview
All schemes offered by AVCAT are sponsored and funded by the Australian Government, the ex-service organizations, corporations, private donors and by AVCAT itself from donations direct to it.

For administering those schemes, AVCAT receives service fees which support the operating costs of the company. Other than fees received for administering the Long Tan bursary and a one time grant to assist with AVCAT's general, initial promotion, the Trust has never received any financial assistance from federal, state or local government.

In the financial year 2006/2007, AVCAT is to receive approximately $645,000 to distribute to those selected for the various schemes under management. By the start of 2009, when the number of continuing recipients and new selections each year under enhanced Long Tan Bursary scheme reaches a steady state, AVCAT will be administering about 250 new and continuing recipients.

In 2006/2007 The Trust's administrative income is expected to about $244,000 of which all but all but $5,900 is service fees received to administer sponsored scholarship schemes. It is expected income will be almost all expended during the financial year, after allowing for the usual provisions to meet future obligations such as equipment replacement and long service leave.

Funds to pay to recipients are treated as trust funds in the accounts of the Trust and are acquitted annually to scheme sponsors.

Under the terms of the Agreement to administer the Long Tan Bursary, the Trust is given office space and services by the Department of Veterans' Affairs, Sydney Office, a much appreciated assistance

AVCAT has the normal expenses of company operating nationally. It has trustee responsibilities for monies given to it to pay its recipients and it has a role to play in building Australia's future. We run on a shoestring; there is always pressure on operating costs.

Donations for administrative costs, with or without sponsored scholarships, are most welcome.

Administrative Costs
An objective of the Board since the Trust was established has been that the largest possible proportion of money available is to be distributed directly to recipients, consistent with efficiency and effectiveness in terms of purpose. So oriented, we traditionally, manage on a shoestring.

The normal measurement used for distribution efficiency in Australia for welfare organizations is the ratio of administrative costs to total expenditure, with best practice being 25 cents in the dollar.

It is a hard target. Particularly for competitive scholarships where selection is labour intensive, there is ongoing management of recipients and payment is spread over a number of years.

AVCAT's ratio, when the enhanced Long Tans are mature, will be about 27 cents per dollar. State fund raising legislation uses a similar measure which relates administrative costs to donated funds. AVCAT easily betters than target.

Whatever the efficiency measure used, AVCAT's goal is to produce high quality selections that later make a significant contribution to the veteran community nation.

For As to frequently asked Questions for donors, click here.