
Donating land is a great way to support the community.
You can donate a parcel of land to an environmental group, or with
their help,
place a conservation covenant on your land to help their conservation
efforts.
Alternatively, donations of land can be made to a community group whose
values
you share, who can sell the land to fund their work.
There are a number of tax concessions and benefits that can be gained
from
making donations of land. All donations of property to groups with DGR
status
are tax
deductible, with those
that are directed towards conservation and environment drawing some
particularly attractive concessions. Click
here for more
information about tax concessions on donations of land for conservation
and here
for tax arrangements
regarding conservation covenants.
Below we have provided some further information about the two main ways
you can
put your parcel of land to good use to help the community.
Donating land to a conservation or
environment
group
Donating land for conservation
creates a lasting
legacy for future generations.
A donation of land to a conservation group ensures that the property
will be
properly protected and maintained. Many unique native Australian
species have
become extinct since European settlement and many more are endangered
or facing
extinction due to loss of habitat and environmental changes. Donations
of land
to conservation groups will help to ensure the future of Australia's
almost
700,000 species, many of which are found nowhere else in the world.
There are a growing number of community organisations who are buying,
rehabilitating and protecting land which is considered to be unique
Australian
ecosystem.
Groups such as Trust
for Nature and Bush
Heritage, among others, accept donations of land
suitable for
rehabilitation and conservation, as well as ordinary rural and
residential
blocks to be sold to support their conservation work.
There may also be time and financial benefits to be gained from
donating land o
a conservation or environment group (through of course you should get
your own
independent advice on this issue) it can release the owner from the
responsibility of managing the land while also offering substantial
estate and
income tax benefits and avoiding capital gains taxes that result from
selling
the property.
Donating land to another community
group
Many
community organisations, particularly welfare organisations, provide a
sanctuary
from violence, homelessness, drug abuse, unemployment and poverty.
These groups often struggle to pay rent for the safe-houses and offices
from
which they run their programs.
Donations of land to welfare organisations can facilitate the
construction of
new premises to expand and improve their services to those who need it.
Habitat for Humanity and The Women's Centre,
along
with a number of groups nationally, accept donations of land to help
provide
housing for low-income and disadvantaged families.
In fact, a land donation could be a meaningful contribution to any
group you
would like to support. All donations of land to groups with DGR status
are tax
deductible. Speak to your favourite community group to find out whether
a
donation of land will be beneficial to them.