The trustees meet every 2 months, 6 times per annum. Most meetings are by video conference and one meeting is held face to face. At each meeting we review our expenses, financial accounts, donations, investment performance, grant progress, risk management, along with ACCET growth and development. In August we receive our annual accounts and prepare annual and multi-year forecasts that assist in setting the size of the annual grant pool for the following year. Our face to face meeting in December allows us to evaluate grant requests and debate the relative merits of qualifying requests. We are blessed with trustees from three states who have diverse skills and perspectives. Chairman and Secretary roles are subject to vote each year. 

The Trust is not a work of or comes under the oversight of any particular congregation. The Trustees are a group of devout Christians from a variety of congregations of the church of Christ. The current Trustees live in Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria. The Trustees donate their expertise, personal time and energy to serve as Trustees each year in keeping with the Trust Deed.

No. In fact it is a long term and current policy of the Trust to only gift the grants to congregations of the church of Christ. Each grant is provided as a non-refundable free gift to the congregation.

There are currently seven Trustees serving on the Board. These being Peter Amos, Michael Bargholz, David Mowday, David Payne, Stuart Penhall, Geoff Thomas and Ray Walker. The Trust Deed states that there must always be a minimum of 5 Trustees who are practicing members of the church of Christ. Previous Trustees were Reg Evans and John Stone. Each Trustee is a volunteer who upholds to use all donations, income and capital in the sole furtherance of the Trust Deed’s objective.

ACCET commenced on the 23rd November 2003 by 5 Christians at Gosford, NSW.

The Trustees govern the trust to ensure that donations are invested in order to generate returns to cover expenses and fund grants. At the same time our goal is to ensure that a gift to the trust keeps on giving year after year. In short we aim for attractive investment returns and aim to protect the capital invested over the long term. This calls for a conservative approach to risk. The trustees obtained independent financial advice in developing investment strategy. Today the trust invests in a mix of index funds, securities and bank deposits. In this way the trust receives returns from a diversified portfolio of Australian and International shares and government bonds; property securities and cash. The result has been an average annual return since inception of 5%pa, achieved at low cost, and with total preservation of donated funds. 

No. In fact it is a policy of the Trust to only gift the grants to congregations of the church of Christ. Each grant is provided as a non-refundable free gift to the congregation.

No. ACCET is a registered charity for tax purposes and therefore is not required to pay income tax on investment earnings. This allows for more of the investment earnings to be applied to grants and giving.

No and this would be illegal. If the Trust ends the Trustees must transfer all and any capital along with any undistributed income of the Trust to a trust or other entity with objectives similar to those of the Trust.

The Trust has provided grants to 25 different congregations and mission points within Australia. Many congregations have received grants over multiple years. 

No. All grants are provided to congregations of the church of Christ in Australia, or church of Christ ministry organisations in Australia.

No. The Trust Deed and Charitable Status with the Australian Tax Office only permit grants to be distributed within Australia.

Yes you can. We just ask that the grant application for the work go through a congregation of the church of Christ. It would therefore be beholden on you and the said congregation to work through and lodge the application together. Any approved grants are provided to a congregation.

Most certainly. David Payne is the current ACCET secretary. David will be able to answer any questions in the preparation of your application. Please contact David by email at [email protected] or phone on 0468 719 025. Please don’t hesitate to contact any of the Trustees should that be easier for you.

No. Grant applications are open to be received from September until mid November each year. There is a set allocation of money (a grant pool) set aside each September for the following year. The size of the grant pool changes each year and is announced at the September grant invitation opening. Grant applications close in mid November and applicants are notified of outcomes in early December.

Yes. Each year a grant pool is advertised, for example $60,000 is available for 2024. On average, ACCET receives double that amount in grant requests. Since inception the Trust has provided $312,350 in grants but has received grant applications totalling $713,099. It is the Trustees prayer that as the Trust grows a larger grant pool can be provided each year, thus funding more requests.

The grant approval will be made to the applicant for one year. Applicants are requested to re-apply each year for further grants. Approved grants are paid at the start of each quarter; January, April, July and October.

The Trust is not a Deductible Gift Recipient charity so any donations to the Trust are not tax deductible for the donor. However, once the donation is received by the Trust it does not incur any income tax as per the previous question.

Direct money transfer or BPay are the most convenient forms of donation. However if you would like to post a cheque then by all means ACCET will accept that method too. Note that any cheques should be made payable to Australian church of Christ Evangelistic Trust and not ACCET. Go to the Donations page to find out more.

Yes. As at 30 June 2023 the Trust had received $1,314,169 in donations since inception in November 2003. The Capital balance of the Trust on the 30 June 2023 was $1.368,133 exceeding the amount of donations. In 20 years of operation the Trustees work hard at protecting the capital so every donation keeps on working in perpetuity. In this same 20 year period $312,350 in grants have been paid out along with $93,828 in operating expenses. Any donation to ACCET is literally a gift that keeps on giving!

Yes. Just email David Payne at [email protected] and let David know your details including the amount given and the date given. David will then provide you with a receipt.

Yes. In fact ACCET has received several donations that generous brethren have left in their wills. The easiest way to do that is to nominate a portion (percentage or specific dollar amount) of your estate to go to the Australian church of Christ Evangelistic Trust ABN 18 064 594 371. Recording the ABN allows the executor to locate the Trust.