Fundraise for a community purpose

If your organisation is ineligible to register as a charity, you may be able to apply for a sanction (i.e. an approval or a permit) to fundraise for a one-off community purpose. It's illegal to fundraise in Queensland without approval.

A community purpose is something that promotes the general welfare of the public, such as:

  • constructing a building
  • maintaining a park
  • repairing a public recreation facility.

Organisations already registered with the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC) don't need to register as a charity with us. However, most organisations must notify us of ACNC registration before starting to fundraise.

Only the following organisations can fundraise in Queensland without registering as a charity or notifying us of ACNC registration:

Already registered with ACNC?

Notify us of ACNC registration online

Your suitability to apply

To apply, you must:

  • be an association of 3 or more people with a governing body controlling the association's management—you don't have to be an incorporated association
  • have a constitution that sets out your charitable objectives and operating rules and states you are not for profit—unless your members are only charities.

You must use the charity’s income and property to promote its objectives. You must not:

  • distribute income among members
  • pay dividends to members (unless the members are charities).

Ready to apply online?

Register as a charity

It's free.

Read more about registering online.

Supporting documents

You must attach the following supporting documents to your application:

  • your association's constitution, certified as accurate by 2 members of the governing body
  • the resolution or minutes from the meeting where the members or the governing body decided to apply for a sanction to fundraise for a charitable purpose, certified as accurate by 2 members of the governing body
  • a statement of your association's financial affairs (and audited financial statements, if available)
  • written approval from the central body, if your association is a branch or section of a larger organisation.

Processing time

Applications usually take 4 to 6 weeks to process. It can take longer if you haven't supplied all the information we need.

Other ways to apply

Complete the application for a sanction form.

You can lodge the form:

In person—visit one of our locations

By post

Registration Services Unit
Office of Fair Trading
GPO Box 3111
BRISBANE  QLD  4001

Note: You can't apply by email or phone.

Attachments

When submitting this form, you must remember to submit the supporting documents.

Fee: Nil

More information

Office of Fair Trading

Go back to Office of Fair Trading home.

Last updated:
17 March 2026