Local giving with powerful results
A bequest is a gift left to the Foundation in your will, in whatever form suits you. It costs nothing during your lifetime, yet allows your generosity to create real, lasting change for Cardinia long after you’re gone.
A bequest can be as simple or as specific as you’d like. From a dollar amount to a share of your estate, or even property, shares or art, you choose what fits your own circumstances and wishes.
A bequest is a deeply personal way to make sure the community you care about continues to thrive. It’s one of the most powerful ways to give because it lets your generosity grow into something far greater than you could give in a lifetime.
Start by choosing the form your bequest will take. This could be a specific dollar amount, a percentage of your estate, an asset like property, shares or art, or even a Named Fund created in memory of yourself or someone you love.
We strongly recommend seeking legal advice before updating your will, as individual circumstances can vary significantly. Your solicitor can help ensure your bequest is documented correctly, and that your final wishes are recorded clearly and legally, exactly as you intend them.
To make things simple, we provide suggested wording for your solicitor to use, including our official name and ABN. This helps ensure your bequest is recorded accurately in your will, reducing the risk of ambiguity or complications further down the track.
Once your bequest takes effect, it becomes a genuine, lasting part of Cardinia's future. Your gift continues funding the causes, people and community you cared about most, creating change that carries your values forward for generations to come.
Your bequest deserves to reach the community you knew and loved. Choosing us means your gift stays entirely local, creating a legacy that’s truly yours.
Every dollar stays in Cardinia Shire, funding the causes and community you knew and cared for.
Our volunteer board makes every decision, guided by real, local community priorities.
We report on real outcomes, so your bequest creates change you’d genuinely be proud of.
Every grant we award supports real, local causes, strengthening families, helping young people thrive, addressing housing instability and tackling food insecurity across Cardinia. A bequest ensures this work doesn’t stop with you, it continues creating genuine, lasting change for the community you cared about.
Expanded storage now helps Have Hope reach 50 more local families each week.
HeartKids’ gathering gave fathers of critically ill children a safe space to connect and share.
Rotary Emerald’s new cafe offers dignity, support and connection for carers and those living with dementia.
Making the decision is one thing, putting it into action is another. Here you’ll find suggested will wording, our full bequest guide, and other resources to help make the process simple and clear.
Clients who care about their community don’t always know where to start. The Cardinia Community Foundation offers a genuinely simple, tax-effective way to direct their giving locally, with real, visible outcomes.
Provide your clients with a tax-efficient, structured approach to their giving, avoiding the complexity of setting up traditional charitable trusts or foundations. We specialise in tax-effective charitable giving solutions.
Our committed advisors ensure your clients contribution generates maximum change within the Cardinia community’s crucial areas – from family resilience, children, youth and wellbeing to homelessness and crisis support.
Whether your clients wish to contribute substantially or more modestly, we ensure that charitable giving to local causes remains straightforward, enjoyable, and impactful.
No. A bequest only takes effect after your lifetime, so it has no impact on your finances or lifestyle today.
We strongly recommend seeking legal advice when updating your will, as individual circumstances can vary. Your solicitor can help ensure your bequest is documented correctly.
Yes. We provide suggested will wording, including our official name and ABN, to help ensure your bequest is recorded clearly and accurately.
Yes. You can direct your bequest toward a specific focus area, or leave it for the Foundation’s general purpose, allowing us to direct it where the need is greatest.
Yes. Your will can be updated at any time, so your bequest always reflects your current wishes.
No. Every bequest matters, regardless of size, and contributes to the Foundation’s ability to support Cardinia’s future.
Yes. A bequest can be used to establish a Named Fund in memory of yourself or someone you’d like to honour, providing lasting, ongoing support for Cardinia.
Yes. You can leave a bequest to multiple charities, including a specific amount or percentage to each, according to your wishes.
That’s entirely your choice. Some donors prefer to remain anonymous, while others are proud to share their intentions and be recognised during their lifetime.
Whether you’d like to talk it through or explore things privately first, we’re here to help.
