Since its inception in 2019, the OFS Mission of Australia has been registered with the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC) as a charity, but without Deductible Gift Recipient (DGR) status. This means that while we gratefully accept donations, we are unable to issue tax-deductible receipts to our donors.
The National Council has considered applying for DGR status. However, under Australian tax rules, donations used for specifically religious purposes do not generally qualify as tax-deductible gifts. This is important for us because the OFS Mission is not simply a general charity—we are a Franciscan Mission and part of the life and work of the Church.
Our Mission exists to support the work of the Secular Franciscan Order wherever there is genuine need. Sometimes this means helping the poor and vulnerable, while at other times, it may mean supporting an OFS project within the Church.
If we were to seek DGR status, this would limit our freedom to use Mission funds for some religious and Franciscan purposes.
The National Council therefore decided that maintaining this freedom is more important than being able to offer donors a tax deduction. By not seeking DGR status, the OFS Mission remains free to use the generosity of our donors where it is most needed—whether supporting the poor and vulnerable or supporting OFS projects within the Church. The National Council felt that, as Franciscans, it would be contradictory to our mission if the benefit of offering donors a tax deduction restricted our ability to support the Church and its mission. Our Franciscan calling is, after all, rooted in the words spoken to St Francis: “Go and rebuild my Church.”
We are deeply grateful to everyone who supports the OFS Mission and makes this work possible.