Stand Like Stone Leads National Philanthropy Reform with New Community Charity Trust

This historic endorsement by the Australian Taxation Office as an Item 1 Deductible Gift Recipient (DGR1) under the new Community Charity category places Stand Like Stone alongside Melbourne’s Inner North Community Foundation, Australian Communities Foundation, and Western Australia’s Fremantle Foundation — marking a pivotal moment for community philanthropy across the country.

For the Limestone Coast community, this means Stand Like Stone can now:

• Attract a broader base of philanthropic support, including Public and Private Ancillary Funds (PAFs)

• Provide grants to a wider range of charitable organisations and causes across the Limestone Coast

The reforms — which took effect earlier this year — follow the implementation of the national Taxation Administration (Community Charity) Guidelines 2025. They represent the most significant change to Australia’s philanthropic landscape in over two decades, recognising the power of community governance to drive lasting social change.

“This reform unlocks new possibilities for giving in the Limestone Coast — it strengthens our ability to support grassroots initiatives, work with local leadership and grow generosity across our region,” Stand Like Stone CEO Jason Wallace said.

“The establishment of the Limestone Coast's Community Charity Trust importantly means we can attract more philanthropic funding from more diverse sources to the region to contribute to positive outcomes for our communities.”

Stand Like Stone Foundation also acknowledged Member for Barker, Tony Pasin MP, for his advocacy in securing the reforms, which helped raise awareness of how the changes could benefit the Limestone Coast and ensured the region's community foundation was well positioned to be an early adopter of the new opportunities.

“I’m pleased to have partnered with the Stand Like Stone Foundation and Community Foundations Australia to secure DGR1 status for community foundations including Stand Like Stone,” Mr Pasin said.

“That outcome paves the way for Stand Like Stone to further harness the generosity that exists across the Limestone Coast, turning it into meaningful outcomes for our local communities.

“This means Stand Like Stone now enjoys the same status and advantages available to larger, metropolitan based philanthropic foundations.”

For over 20 years, community foundations have faced barriers to attracting donations from Private Ancillary Funds and directly supporting community groups without DGR status. These reforms remove those roadblocks, creating a more fit-for-purpose environment for community philanthropy in Australia.

Stand Like Stone joins fellow members of Community Foundations Australia in celebrating this achievement — the result of tireless advocacy by Community Foundations Australia, Philanthropy Australia and sector partners, with bipartisan support from government.

Community Foundations Australia chief executive officer Ian Bird thanked Assistant Minister for Charities Andrew Leigh for his commitment to community foundations and their role as social capital enablers.

“Australian communities benefit greatly from governments that understand the value of community leadership and local decision-making when it comes to addressing complex challenges,” he said.

Philanthropy Australia CEO Maree Sidey added, “These reforms empower people to give and help unlock the flow of more resources to important community initiatives — a vital step toward the Australian Government’s goal to double giving by 2030.”

As a proud member of Community Foundations Australia, Stand Like Stone is committed to building a fairer, more sustainable future through community-led philanthropy.

“We are currently working through what this reform means in practice for our donors, partners and sub-funds and will share updates as we increase giving options and reform our services to enhance our impact across the Limestone Coast,” chairperson Georgie McKay said.

“It is an exciting milestone for Stand Like Stone after years of advocacy by Limestone Coast leaders on the national stage and will set up our community foundation for greater impact and sustainable growth.”