How to help

Who can help?

Anyone who has an interest in Australian plants – corporations, bush regenerators, plant scientists, home gardeners, plant nurseries, societies, bushwalkers, amateur botanists, conservationists – can help. We need your help to promote research through the Australian Flora Foundation. The plant scientists who screen the research projects are highly qualified and experienced and provide sound advice to the Foundation's councellors. The councellors are experienced in assessing research proposals against the Foundation's selection criteria, and in evaluating the progress and results of the research. The results are made freely available on this web site and in the Foundation's newsletters. Grant findings are published in internationally recognised journals. Hence the Foundation is an excellent non-government channel for directing private, group or corporate funds into research into Australian plants.

Where does your money go?

Every dollar donated to the Research Fund goes to the researchers’ projects. Volunteers at the Foundation do the administration so expenses are kept to a minimum. Even members of the Scientific Research Committee work voluntarily in approving research projects for funding. The Foundation awards Young Scientist Prizes to encourage young scientists to study Australian plants, and has published books and held seminars. Over 88 % of total expenditure, including 100% of funds donated specifically for research, go to the research projects.   More details

How is a research project chosen for funding?

Each year a Call for Applications is made in which researchers are asked to submit preliminary proposals. Anyone in Australia may apply. Preliminary applications are screened by the Council. People whose project is ranked highly are asked to put in a full application. Full applications are assessed and ranked against our selection criteria by the Scientific Research Committee and the Council, and then a final decision made by the Council. The objective is to ensure that donations are used in the most effective way. Projects on potential or actual garden or landscaping plants, on plants for the export trade, and projects on ecosystem management and conservation are all considered within the scope of the Foundation's grants.

Getting results

The Foundation keeps in touch with researchers and follows the research work through a progress report and a final report to ensure that all projects are carried through to a successful conclusion. Summaries and full reports of research results are required for each project, and are made publically available on this website.

Sponsors

Sponsorship is sought each year for specific research projects that have been approved for funding by the Council and the Scientific Research Committee. These projects are available for sponsorship between August and December [Projects seeking sponsorship] and are acknowledged in any scientific papers that may arise from the research project. Sponsorship need not be for a specific project but simply be to support the Foundation and all its projects or for a specific area of research eg., conservation. There are various ways of providing sponsorship and the Foundation is pleased to discuss ideas. Contact the President or the Hon. Secretary if you would like to discuss the possibilities (contact us). Sponsorship will be tax deductible for most organisations and individuals.

Donors

Donors contribute, regularly or when they have funds available, to funding research projects chosen by the Foundation. Donations over $2 are tax deducible: the Foundation is an "Approved Research Institute" as defined in the Income Tax Assessment Act. Gifts of property and land are also tax deductible. The Foundation has been registered as a charity by the Australian Taxation Office.

Bequests

For individuals who would like to contribute, but find themselves unable to do so, a bequest is a way of making that contribution. Some information you may need. The Australian Flora Foundation is an excellent, non government channel for directing financial gifts into research into Australian plants.

Members

New members are welcome. Membership of the Foundation is open to anyone who supports its objectives. Members help with the work of the Foundation and pay an annual membership subscription, currently $30, which supports the operation of the Foundation such as the cost of producing and distributing newsletters. The most tangable fruit of membership it the twice a year newsletter. Councillors are elected by the members from the membership. Councillors not only give their time freely, but also cover their own expenses to attend meetings and carry on the business. Other members help with publicity or special skills when needed. Many members make donations to the Research Fund. Membership form.

Some information you may need

The Australian Flora Foundation is incorporated in New South Wales under the Incorporation of Associations Act (1984) and is registered as an "Approved Research Institute" under the Income Tax Assessment Act which means that all donations to the Research Fund are tax deductible. (If tax deductibility is of no value to you, for example a non profit organisation, then you might like to specify that the gift may be used for any of the Foundation's activities and it can then be used to support administration, Student Prizes and other projects that foster research into Australian plants. All donations that carry no such special instructions, automatically go into the Research Fund which is used exclusively for making research grants.) The Foundation is an independent, non profit organisation. The ABN of the Foundation is 147 587 255 06. The Australian Flora Foundation is not registered for GST. Cheques should be made out to the Australian Flora Foundation and sent to the address in Contact Us.

Thank you

The Australian Flora Foundation gratefully acknowledges the University of Queensland for continued support particularly of this website and Macquarie University and the University of Sydney for their administrative support.

Generous bequests have been received from the estates of Michael Bowden, Toni Carver, Inez Armitage and Joyce Ward, which have enabled the Foundation to give support more significant projects, and provide the Young Scientist Awards, which are succeeding in attracting young able researchers to work on Australian plants.

Sponsorship of specific research projects has come from

Lord Mayor’s Bushfire Appeal

Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation

Roads and Traffic Authority NSW

Australian Plants Society NSW

Australian Plants Society (Vic) Maroondah Group

Australian Plants Society (NSW) North Shore District Group

The Australian Flora Foundation gratefully acknowledges members of the Foundation and the Australian Plants Society for continued and generous donations and help with the work of the Foundation and all those individuals and organisations who make the research grants possible by contributing to the Research Fund.

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