Donor help and FAQs

All gifts accepted support the University of Melbourne or its affiliates. As a donor you may express a wish as to where you would like your gift to be specifically applied, or you can simply choose to give to the general charitable purposes of the University so we can direct your support toward the University’s highest priorities. Contact us on +61 3 9035 4054 or through our support form to discuss your particular wishes for the use of your gift.

When the University accepts and applies your gift, it will always seek to ensure that your wishes for the use of the gift are met. The University has a dedicated Gift Policy (MPF 1348) which sets out its obligations about the use and administration of philanthropic gifts. On a collective basis, or at certain levels of giving on an individual basis, the University provides impact reporting back to you to let you know what the gift has been used for and the difference it has made.

If for whatever reason, you are not sure that the gift is being used as you intended, the University and the relevant area that you wished to support remains available to discuss and as necessary seek a resolution with you.

You can discuss your concerns with the University staff involved with the use of the gift or the University’s Director of Donor Relations (via +61 3 9035 4054 or donor-relations@unimelb.edu.au). If that doesn’t result in a satisfactory outcome you can contact the Vice-President (Advancement, Communication and Marketing) and/or the Vice-Chancellor to express your concerns.

You may also wish to direct your concerns to the Chair of the University's Gift Committee. This is a sub-committee of Council and is charged with representing donors’ interests and administering philanthropic funds from donors to any part of the University.  The Committee’s role is to ensure the appropriate and effective acceptance and use of all gifts received.

If despite all these discussions you remain concerned, you can contact the Government’s Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC) or at any point in time. The University (ABN 84 002 705 224) is a registered charity with the ACNC and is required to report annually to it.  The ACNC is the national regulator of charities and has a compliance role in investigating concerns raised about charities.

In recognition of the confidence that has been placed in the University by its donors, and the importance of these assets to the University’s continued excellence, it is the University’s highest priority to ensure that these funds are well invested. The University manages philanthropic gifts, including those gifts held by the University on trust.

Distribution from gifts invested in the University’s long-term investment fund support a range of purposes including student awards, professorships and other academic positions, and an extraordinarily diverse range of research activities. Investment of gifts held long-term is performed on the University’s behalf by independent fund managers, JANA Investment Advisers. An Investment Management Committee (IMC) oversees the strategy for and performance of University investments. The IMC is composed of industry professionals, University council members and senior executives of the University, who provide advice on investment beliefs, strategy, philosophy, and policy, and oversee appointment of fund managers. The IMC meets regularly throughout the year and reports to the University Council through the Finance Committee. The University’s annual Investment Report provides an overview of how gifted funds are invested and managed. This can be downloaded from our long-term gifts page.

We are committed to the responsible administration and oversight of the gifts we receive and accept through the generosity of donors past and present. The Gift Policy (MPF 1348) obliges the University’s General Counsel to undertake an annual gift compliance review and to present it to Council’s Gift Committee for noting and discussion, before the report is required to be presented by the Vice-Chancellor to Council. The University’s Gift Committee is charged with representing donors’ interests and assists Council in overseeing and administering philanthropic gifts from donors to any part of the University.

From time to time, we hold telethons to raise funds at the University of Melbourne. A conversation with one of our students provides an opportunity for you to meaningfully engage with someone living the University experience currently, inviting you to engage more actively in the life of students through the University and allowing us the opportunity to open up a conversation about how you can give back.

For further information regarding giving through the University or to opt-out of receiving a call please contact the Regular Giving Team at annual-appeal@unimelb.edu.au.

Yes. There are many ways in which a gift in your Will can help can help future generations of students and researchers well into the future. For more information, find contact details for our Gifts in Wills team below.

Yes. Find out how you can support the University on our website. If you have any questions, please call us on +61 3 9035 4054 or email gift-processing@unimelb.edu.au to discuss your particular situation.

If you live or are a taxpayer in the UK, US, Canada or Hong Kong SAR, visit our overseas giving page for more information on directing a tax deductible gift or bequest to the University.

We believe giving your time to volunteer and participate in University activities is just as important as making a financial gift. Email our Alumni Relations Office or call +61 3 9035 3588 to register your interest and discuss volunteer opportunities.

Information is collected by University of Melbourne Advancement to: process your gift (if applicable); ensure your information is up to date in the University’s relationship management system; and to tailor University communications about events, alumni benefits, donor relations and fundraising activities most relevant to you. Your personal information may also be used in future to facilitate alumni networks, enhance donor relations, promote University activities, and for analysis, planning and quality assurance.

The collection of personal information by the University of Melbourne is governed by various pieces of legislation including: the Privacy and Data Protection Act 2014 (Vic), Health Records Act 2001 (Vic), the Public Records Act 1973 (Vic); and the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) (together, Privacy Laws). The University is also considered to be a data controller for the purposes of the European Union (EU) General Data Protection Regulation 2016/679 (GDPR) in relation to the collection of personal information from individuals located in the EU in relation to certain activities. The University is committed to protecting your privacy and processing your personal information fairly and lawfully in compliance with the Privacy Laws and the GDPR, as applicable.

If this information is being collected in the form of a survey, for questions marked with an asterisk (*), we will be able to identify you individually. The other information you provide will only be used for aggregated reporting.

The information in this form will be used by authorised staff and contracted service providers for the purpose for which it was collected. The information may be made available to contractors who process information on behalf of University of Melbourne Advancement to perform enquiry and business-related functions. It will not be transferred outside Australia unless to an entity operating under equivalent privacy obligations.

We take all reasonable steps to ensure that the information we hold is accurate and complete and that it is protected from misuse, loss, unauthorised access or disclosure. We will only retain your personal information for as long as required for the purpose it was collected and in accordance with our legislative obligations.

We will not disclose your personal information to anybody else unless you have given consent, or we are authorised or required to do so by law. You may request access to, or correction of, your personal information held by the University, or exercise data subject rights under the GDPR if applicable, by contacting advancement-operations@unimelb.edu.au or calling +61 3 9035 4054.

For further information about how the University manages personal information, to make an enquiry or complaint, or for contact details of the University’s Privacy and Data Protection Officer, please view the University’s Privacy Policy, visit our Privacy Webpage, contact the University’s Privacy Officer at privacy-officer@unimelb.edu.au.