FAQs
Frequently asked questions
Your money goes where you want it to – how many charities can promise you that! When you donate to GIVIT you have the power to choose whether you want your hard-earned cash to buy a particular item requested on the website, whether you want to support a current appeal, or support GIVIT directly to keep doing the great work we do across Australia.
Hand on heart, we promise 100% of your donation received by GIVIT will be used to purchase essential items for a person in need. Your donation is incredibly powerful and makes a world of difference to local retailers who may also be experiencing hardship.
GIVIT’s staffing and operational costs are covered by government contracts and the great support provided by our donors and corporate supporters who choose to “Support GIVIT”. Thank you, we couldn’t keep smashing donation records like we are without your support. Your donation is helping us connect with more support organisations across Australia to assist people in need get exactly what they need, when they need it most.
Spending donated money in communities that are hurting is a big part of GIVIT’s philosophy. Your donated funds have an even bigger impact as you enable the purchase of exactly what is needed right now, but also support the local retailers who are employing local people, providing opportunity and lifeblood to a small town or disaster impacted region.
GIVIT is all about supporting local communities, and helping them in the way they want to be helped.
Australia is a big nation of givers, but time and time again we see that communities in need can be overwhelmed by well-meaning donations that are often not needed, or not needed right now. This means an intense effort is required to sort, store and ultimately throw away items that people gave thinking they would be helpful.
GIVIT exists to ensure giving is coordinated, and that donations do no harm to individuals, communities and the environment, especially in times of disaster.
Essentially anything inside, and around, a house – everything from cutlery to baby items, a washing machine to hardware tools can help someone set up a new home. You can also donate school equipment, sporting goods, bigger items such as a shipping container and much more. The quality of the item is what matters. If it’s good enough for you to give to a family member (a family member you like 😀) then it’s something that will help someone who is facing extreme hardship.
The few things that we can’t accept are listed on the Prohibited Items list.
There are a few things we need to say no to. In order to protect the safety, dignity and privacy of both donor and recipient, the following items cannot be offered or sourced through GIVIT:
- Any items requiring exchange of registration, identity documents, or legal transfer of ownership, including but not limited to: motor vehicles, caravans, trailers, mobility scooters (in states and territories where registration is required), real estate and accommodation in private properties;
- Items that are illegal or hazardous, including but not limited to: alcohol, cigarettes, e-cigarettes, tobacco, smoking implements and products, drugs, drug-like substances and drug paraphernalia, human parts, recalled items and items that do not comply with Australian mandatory standards;
- Medications, including both prescription and over-the-counter, however vouchers to purchase such products from local retailers are permitted;
- Perishable food and animal fodder, however vouchers to purchase such products from local retailers are permitted;
- Payment of debts and/or recurring bills;
- Illicit, inappropriate or pornographic material;
- Lost or stolen property;
- Animals;
- Raffle and/or auction prizes, or lottery tickets;
- Items intended to address need outside of Australian borders;
- Items that are on loan or involve an ongoing fee or agreement – e.g. rental of whitegoods, storage.
You can be sure that when you donate through GIVIT, your offer is being seen only by support organisations that have been through GIVIT’s registration process and vetted by GIVIT as genuinely working with vulnerable people and communities in Australia. Your donation will support genuine need, and you will help change the life of someone doing it tough right now.
No way! Donations that come through GIVIT cannot be sold by any support organisation. Your donation is to support a service’s work or a person in genuine need. Support organisations are obligated to only use your donation for that purpose.
The list of items needed right now that you see on givit.org.au is a dynamic live list. As soon as a support organisation submits a request, you see it. As soon as you offer a donation, support organisations registered with GIVIT see your offer on a private login protected page.
We’d still love your donation and to be able to tell support organisations across Australia what you have to give. To list your offer on our secure website, simply click here and include a description and photo of each item. Listing each type of item separately is important so you know exactly which donation offer has been matched. A support organisation that needs a couple of your items may not need the whole lot.
Only support organisations that have successfully registered with GIVIT will be able to view your offer.
By doing this, you are helping to create a giant free shopping list for support organisations across Australia. They love how easy GIVIT makes their job when they are looking for essential items for their service or a person they are supporting.
Having a photo will help the support organisation know straight away if what you have to donate will match their needs.
It saves time to know upfront that the work shirt you are offering has short sleeves, when the person they are supporting needs long sleeves for sun protection.
If you offer to donate an item already requested on the website, once you put in your contact details, you will receive the details of the support organisation which needs that item. Connect with them and work out drop off, pick up, post or purchase options. Very easy.
If there is no existing request for what you are giving away, you can list the donation on our website. As soon as you do this, support organisations registered with GIVIT can see your offer on a private login protected page. We then ask you to commit to hanging onto your donation for a minimum of two weeks. This allows support organisations time to see your listing, and then get in touch if what you are offering is exactly what they need right now.
If you donate towards a current request, you will see the organisation has specified delivery options. Please consider these before donating (if the organisation listed only Drop off, you will need to arrange delivery). If the organisation has listed several options (Pick up, Drop off, Post/courier, Voucher) you can discuss with them the preference which suits you best.
If you offer an item and indicate you can deliver, you must then deliver the item (or arrange delivery) within the specified area. If you indicate the item needs to be collected, the organisation which accepts your offer will pick it up. If you offer to post the item, you will need to cover this cost.
Under no circumstances are you to deliver your donation directly to the person in need. If you are asked to do this, please let us know.
GIVIT is not able to assist with collecting or transporting your offering.
Yes! Thank you! When you see a request listed on givit.org.au, you know it is a genuine need that has been assessed by a support organisation working with vulnerable people. Any way you can help fill a need is much appreciated. We all love new things. Imagine how special you can make someone feel by donating a new microwave, crockery set, or children’s bike and helmet. By choosing to donate funds to GIVIT, we can also purchase on your behalf.
To access donated support through GIVIT, you must first connect with a support organisation able to assess your needs.
To find support organisations in your area that are already registered to use GIVIT, please search here.
If you are a support organisation - charity, social service, school, community group, government or non-government organisation - register here to use GIVIT.
To avoid any real or perceived conflicts of interests and to promote transparency we are unable to accept requests for items and/or services for the personal use of staff members or volunteers under their employer's organisation profile. If in need, staff or volunteers can seek the assistance of an independent GIVIT-registered organisation (on the proviso that they are not a volunteer or staff member of said organisation) to place the request for the item or service on their behalf. The list of registered organisations can be found here.
Yes! Cash donations over $2 are tax deductible as GIVIT is registered with Deductible Gift Recipient status. A tax receipt will be automatically emailed to you if you donate online. If you donate via direct deposit or cheque, please send us an email at info@givit.org.au and we will email you a tax receipt.
Unfortunately donations of items are not tax deductible and we cannot issue tax receipts for item donations.
If you are a support organisation already registered to use GIVIT and this is the first time logging into our website, you will need to set a new password to be able to get started.
Enjoy discovering the new website. Training manuals and videos are available once you log in, and remember we are always around. You can always contact us here.
If you are donating, you do not need to log in, simply click here to offer your donation.
We would love you to scream from the rooftops about the great work of GIVIT and how great it feels to be part of a giving movement! When you donate, there are links to tell the world about your big heart through Facebook, Twitter and email. You can also link to us on social media, share our stories and subscribe to our newsletter (which you can then forward to friends). Please tell everyone. Thank you!
We ask you to hang on to what you have to give away for a minimum of two weeks to give support organisations across Australia the chance to see your offer and get in contact with you if what you are offering is exactly what they need right now.
When you list what you have to offer, you can nominate whether you can drop off your items, or whether you need them to be picked up.
Once you offer your donation, you will be emailed a link which will enable you to manage your pledge, including an option to withdraw your offer if it is no longer available.
Before you start your collection, check here to see if there is a need for what you want to gather.
If you are wanting to support a community devastated by an emergency or disaster, GIVIT is the smart way to give. There’s no need for support organisations to sort through piles of well-meaning donations. Through GIVIT, they can simply view a private list of what is available, reserve what is needed, and not need to go to the time and expense of throwing away all the extras.
Donating bags of clothes is not helpful at these times - what size are the people who are needing the clothes, are your clothes in good condition, do they match the weather conditions? Amazing work is already being done to feed and clothe people. Excess donations that do not match what is needed right now are at risk of being thrown away. That's why giving needs to be smart and coordinated.
By offering your donation through GIVIT, you can ensure your donation does no harm to a community that is already under strain after an emergency or natural disaster. Only what is needed right now will be reserved by support organisations assisting affected residents.
Your donation offer will stay listed for the time period you choose, ensuring support organisations can keep going back to the list to find the exact items they need as people find somewhere new to live and have a safe location to put the bed, fridge or washing machine they need.
GIVIT is not able to assist with collecting or transporting your offering.
Donated items will help affected communities through an emergency or disaster, please however also consider donating money. Being able to spend donated funds in an affected community means an impacted resident gets exactly what they need, when they need it most. Local businesses are also supported. Please don't buy bottles of water or nappies and put them on a truck when you could spend the same money buying a voucher from a local store. How you decide to give to support affected communities does have a big impact on their recovery.
100% of funds received by GIVIT are spent purchasing essential items in affected areas, wherever possible. This supports the recovery of the whole community.
GIVIT Alerts are sent to your inbox once a week to let you know what is needed near you right now. You set how far from your postcode you want to know about, you can even choose to highlight requests from certain support areas.
You can! Please email info@givit.org.au to request GIVIT's bank details.
If you donate using direct deposit, please include information in the reference field should you wish your money to go towards a specific appeal or disaster region, and your email if you would like a tax deductible receipt.
In Australia, your donation of $2 or more is tax deductible.
You can donate here using Visa, MasterCard or PayPal. Please enter your donation amount in Australian dollars. The payment will be processed through payment portal eway and you will be charged the relevant amount in your own currency. This may be more or less than the value you have entered, depending on exchange rates.
Alternatively, you can email info@givit.org.au to request GIVIT's bank details.
If you donate using direct deposit, please include information in the reference field should you wish your money to go towards a specific appeal or disaster region.
