How it works

An endowment for everyone.

For two centuries, endowments — permanent funds that give from their investment yield — have been the privilege of universities, hospitals, and the very wealthy. Benefund makes the same model available to anyone, starting at $50.

Step one

Start small. Contribute often.

Open a Benefund with as little as $50. Then set a recurring contribution that fits your life — weekly, fortnightly, or monthly. Every dollar you put in becomes part of your fund's permanent base.

Your contributions don't get spent. They get invested. They become the engine.

  • Minimum to start: $50 — no minimum balance after that.
  • Top-ups: automated by direct debit, or one-off at any time.
  • Through your employer: contributions can come from after-tax payroll. Many employers also match.
  • Pause or change anytime: your fund is yours, and so is your contribution schedule.
Step two

Professionally invested.

Your contributions are pooled and invested under the oversight of an Australian Financial Services Licence (AFSL). You choose the strategy that fits your time horizon and risk tolerance — Conservative, Balanced, or Growth.

The fund is managed continuously by qualified professionals. You don't pick stocks. You don't time markets. You just choose how your fund behaves, and we handle the rest.

  • Three strategies tuned for different goals and tolerances.
  • AFSL-licensed investment management with full regulatory oversight.
  • Diversified portfolios across asset classes, no single-stock exposure.
  • Transparent fees — a small management fee, no performance fees, no surprises.
Step three

Grows quietly. Compounds powerfully.

Your fund earns yield from the investments. With Benefund, you decide what happens with that yield: between 75% and 100% of it is distributed to your chosen charities each year. The rest stays invested, gently growing your fund's giving capacity.

If you choose to give 100%, your fund still grows — through your contributions. Either way, the result is the same: a permanent, growing engine for charitable impact.

  • Distribution slider: 75–100% of yield to charity. Default is 100%.
  • Capital is preserved — your principal is never spent.
  • Yield reinvested above 75% compounds, lifting future distributions.
  • You can change your distribution rate anytime in the app.
Step four

Gives — every quarter, forever.

At the end of each quarter, your fund's distributable yield is sent to the charities you've chosen, in the proportions you've set. ATO-compliant gift receipts are generated automatically and delivered to you. Your tax deduction is handled.

You don't have to do anything. The cycle just continues — quietly, professionally, automatically — for as long as the fund exists.

  • Distributions every quarter: 1 January, 1 April, 1 July, 1 October.
  • DGR-only charities — every distribution is tax-deductible.
  • ATO gift receipts issued and stored automatically.
  • Change your charities or splits anytime — your fund, your call.
Investment strategies

Three options. One philosophy.

Each strategy is a diversified, professionally managed portfolio. You choose the one that matches your time horizon and risk appetite — and you can change it whenever you like.

Conservative
Steady.
~5%p.a.
Indicative target return

Stability and consistent yield. Lower volatility, more predictable distributions. Suited to shorter horizons or risk-averse contributors.

Mix: 70% fixed income, 25% equities, 5% cash.

Growth
Ambitious.
~9%p.a.
Indicative target return

Maximising long-term impact. Higher short-term volatility, but bigger compounding effects over decades. Best for long horizons and steady nerves.

Mix: 70% equities, 20% alternatives, 10% fixed income.

Indicative target returns are forward-looking estimates only. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance. Capital is not guaranteed. Strategy mixes are illustrative — exact allocations are managed by Benefund's investment manager and may vary within published bands.

The compounding effect

Same money. Very different impact.

A side-by-side over 30 years: the same dollars given as one-off donations vs. used to seed a Benefund. The endowment doesn't just match — it compounds.

Benefund — cumulative giving
Traditional — cumulative giving
The same $50 a fortnight, contributed for 30 years. With traditional giving, your $39,000 is gone — and so is the giving. With Benefund, that same $39,000 has built a permanent fund still giving every quarter, forever.
What you control. What we handle.

Your fund. Your call.

Benefund is built to be set up once and trusted forever — but every meaningful decision stays with you. Adjust anything, anytime.

You control.

The decisions that are yours, always.

  • Your charities — pick from 200+ DGR-endorsed organisations. Add or change anytime.
  • Your splits — divide your distributions between charities however you like.
  • Your strategy — Conservative, Balanced, or Growth. Switch when life changes.
  • Your contributions — frequency, amount, pause. All in your hands.
  • Your distribution rate — give 75–100% of yield. Default is 100%.

We handle.

The mechanics that make it work.

  • Investment management — overseen under an Australian Financial Services Licence.
  • Quarterly distributions — yield calculated, transferred, reconciled automatically.
  • ATO gift receipts — issued and stored after every distribution, ready for tax time.
  • Charity verification — DGR status checked on every charity, every quarter.
  • Compliance & reporting — full regulatory oversight, transparent fee disclosure.

Now you know how it works.

Ready to start yours?

Open a Benefund in minutes. Start with as little as $50. Pick your charities. Set your contribution.

We'll handle the rest — for giving that grows with you.

Benefund. It's yours, to give.