Apply for Funding

Funding Guidelines

The McCusker Charitable Foundation will only consider applications from the following:

  • Organisations having income tax charity endorsement from the Australian Taxation Office.
  • Organisations with Deductible Gift Recipient status.

Priority will be given to:

  • Organisations meeting the Foundation’s key objectives.
  • The McCusker Charitable Foundation will accept applications from all states and territories of Australia for projects conducted within Australia. However, priority will be given to applications supporting projects conducted by qualified organisations within Western Australia for the benefit of Western Australians.
  • Projects that demonstrate strong collaboration and projects that do not replicate work being conducted by other organisations.

Funding Objectives

The McCusker Charitable Foundation’s primary focus is medical research and the advancement of science. However, when funds are available, the Directors will also consider applications for assistance for projects related to:

  • Care, welfare and education of young people.
  • Promotion of high achievement and excellence.
  • Support for the aged and infirm.
  • Development of the arts.
  • Agricultural research.
  • Projects that encourage greater philanthropy, volunteering and giving throughout Australia.

NB: The McCusker Charitable Foundation has a close relationship and provides funding directly to Telethon. If your organisation is seeking funding for projects related to the health and wellbeing of children in Western Australia, we encourage you to apply directly to Telethon and not to the McCusker Charitable Foundation.
Visit for more details – https://www.telethon7.com/grant-funding

Key Exclusions

  • Individuals.
  • Travel-related expenses.
  • Technology eg App development or purchase of computers.
  • Evaluations and feasibility studies.
  • Retrospective funding.
  • Projects that are not sustainable.
  • Projects related to religious belief, political activity or initiatives that are clearly the responsibility of Government.
  • Projects or causes that the McCusker Charitable Foundation is already providing significant funding to.

While these Guidelines form the basis of a rigorous framework for the assessment of applications, the Directors retain discretion in all decisions about the granting of Foundation funds.

The Foundation receives hundreds of requests for funding and has a very small administrative team. Reasons for rejection of project funding will not be provided.

Timing

The McCusker Charitable Foundation will receive applications by email, for funding between the months of February and November.

Application Guidelines

Please send us an email of approximately 250-500 words including the following information:

  • A brief summary of your project.
  • The amount of funding you are seeking.
  • Any other relevant information.

If the Foundation is interested in your proposal, the Administrator will contact you directly, requesting further information.
If you do not receive a response from the Foundation within 4 weeks of sending your email, unfortunately your project does not fall within the Foundation’s current priorities and is unable to support your project.
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Please send all requests for funding to:
Mrs Tonya McCusker
mccuskercharitable@bigpond.com