Environmental organisations

Gifts to public funds listed on the Register of Environmental Organisations may be tax deductible if the public fund is a deductible gift recipient (DGR).

Organisations on the Register include those involved in land, wildlife and rainforest conservation.

Entering your organisation and public fund on the Register

The Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water maintains the Register. The Assistant Treasurer and the Minister for the Environment decide if your organisation and its public fund is entered on the Register. This decision is not made by us.

The activities underlying an environmental organisation's principal purpose must relate to the natural environment as distinct from other types of environment such as built, cultural and historic environments.

If your organisation wants to be entered on the Register, it must meet several requirements, including:

• it is a registered charity or an Australian government agency
• its principal purpose must be protecting and enhancing the natural environment or a significant aspect of it, providing information or education, or carrying out research about the natural environment or a significant aspect of it
• it does not give any of its property, profits or financial surplus to members, beneficiaries, controllers or owners
• it maintains a public fund to receive gifts for its principal purpose
• it must have a policy of not acting as a mere conduit for the donation of money or property.

Contact the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water to be listed on the Register and have your public fund endorsed as a DGR. The department will assess your organisation's eligibility to be entered on the register. If your organisation is entered on the register, the form is then sent to us to endorse your public fund as a DGR.

To find out more about your eligibility and getting endorsed, see DGR endorsement.