A total of 272 charitable organisations and scholarship programmes will benefit from this year’s Acorn Foundation distributions, marking a 10 per cent increase in endowment giving and almost $20M in community funding since 2003.

Acorn Foundation CEO Lori Luke said the number of charitable organisations and scholarship programmes receiving funding this year is 20 per cent higher than last year, including 30 organisations which are first-time recipients in 2024.

“Our ability to give back to this region is thanks to the generosity of our incredible donors.  Our donors enable us to create a lasting impact that will ripple across the region for future generations,” said Luke.

Acorn Foundation donors support the community in various ways, including through gifts in wills and living giving, where a 33 per cent tax credit is available.

Called endowment, or legacy giving, the original gift is invested, and a portion of the investment returns are distributed to causes or organisations selected by Acorn donors.

Every year, the foundation supports charities that have been named and causes that have been selected and allocates unrestricted funds through the Distributions Committee based on applications received.

Acorn Foundation Legacy Giving manager Campbell Higgins said it’s a great time to reach out to Acorn to discuss leaving a gift in your will to celebrate the causes that matter most to you.

“We hope more locals see the benefits this type of giving can provide to charitable organisations across the region.  We’d love to learn about the causes closest to their hearts.”