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What fundraising activities are not regulated under fundraising laws?
Working out whether an activity is regulated under fundraising laws depends on the Australian jurisdictions that apply and the definitions used in the fundraising laws in each applicable state and territory.
There are several categories of activities that are generally not considered fundraising or are specifically excluded from these laws. These activities include private and personal appeals, internal and workplace activities, government and corporate support, and commercial transactions.
Fundraising laws are generally designed to regulate public appeals for charitable purposes, so private fundraising (such as asking friends or family for money to support a personal activity like studying overseas) is typically not regulated. For example:
- in South Australia, raising funds for a local sports club tour does not meet the definition of a charitable purpose and is therefore not a regulated activity, and
- in Victoria, raising money solely for the benefit of an organisation’s members, such as for an overseas tour, is not considered regulated fundraising
Activities that are restricted to an organisation's existing members or employees often fall outside the scope of fundraising laws. For example:
- requests for membership joining or renewal fees are excluded in the ACT, New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania, and Western Australia
- appeals made in an organisation solely to its members or within the premises of a club are often not considered regulated fundraising, and
- collections made strictly among people who share a common employer or workplace (such as colleagues raising money for a staff member’s medical treatment) are excluded in a number of states
Financial support from institutional sources is typically not defined as fundraising. For example:
- seeking or receiving money, goods, or benefits from a Commonwealth, state, or local government authority is not considered a regulated collection
- soliciting or receiving sponsorship or corporate partnerships is excluded from the definition of a collection in the ACT under the Charitable Collections Act 2003 (ACT)
- in Victoria, receiving money from a corporation, partnership, or trust that is specifically permitted to donate under its own governing documents is not considered a fundraising appeal
Regular business activities and genuine charges for services (where they are not done for a charitable purpose) are not fundraising appeals. For example:
- genuine charges for educational, medical, child-minding, or nursing services are not considered fundraising appeals in New South Wales under the Charitable Fundraising Act 1991 (NSW)
- in Tasmania, soliciting through the sale of goods or services (such as a commercial product) is specifically excluded from the definition of ‘soliciting’ for a charitable purpose under the Collections for Charities Act 2001(Tas)
- in Western Australia, the sale of goods for valuable consideration is also generally not a regulated collection under the Charitable Collections Act 1946 (WA)
- in Victoria, an activity is only a regulated ‘fundraising appeal’ if it is represented as being not solely for profit under the Fundraising Act 1998 (Vic) so, standard commercial activities are excluded
Examples of activities that are specifically excluded under certain fundraising laws include:
- bequests for property to be devised or bequeathed under a will, which are excluded from fundraising definitions in New South Wales, Victoria and the ACT
- in Queensland, appeals made solely for the advancement of religion by recognised denominations are not regulated, other than door-to-door or street collections
The Northern Territory does not have laws governing general fundraising (such as doorknocks or tin collections) so these activities will not be ‘regulated fundraising’ unless they involve community gaming.
Unsolicited donations
There is a provision in the ACT fundraising law that, if an organisation receives money or a benefit that was not solicited or was not received because of a specific collection conducted by the organisation, it is not considered part of a charitable collection. The position for unsolicited donations is less clear in a number of states and territories. In general, the position will depend on the specific circumstances of the donation, the purpose of the donation, and the receiving organisation.
View our guide to fundraising laws in Australia for more information.
The content on this webpage was last updated in May 2026 and is not legal advice. See full disclaimer and copyright notice
