Philanthropy, done differently.
The Five Percent Foundation is a movement of people who pledge to donate at least 5% of their income to address pressing global issues.
Join the movement
How it works
Pledge
Give 5%
Donors pledge to donate 5% of their income to our charitable investment fund.
Grow
We grow your 5%
All donations are invested in line with our ethical investment policy in the Australian Ethical Balanced Fund, which has produced 6.4% returns per year since its inception.*
* Past performance is not a guarantee of future performance.
Impact
Address global causes
We donate 100% of the profits of our ethical investments to highly effective charities addressing pressing global causes. Over the long term, this means a lot more money goes to charity compared to donating directly.
Why we're doing this
At the Five Percent Foundation, we're striving to make the world a better place for all.
Our goal is to do good by making a lasting impact to address global issues like extreme poverty.
Learn more
Why join the movement?
Did you know, if you earn $60,000 AUD per year you are in the richest 2.5% of the world’s population?
With minimal sacrifice, you have the power to significantly impact some of the world's most pressing issues.
Learn more
Our investment model
We do not donate the money donated to our charitable fund by donors (i.e. 5% of their income). That money remains in the fund, and continues to generate investment returns, for the rest of time. 100% of those investment returns are donated to the charities we support.
We believe this will empower donors to dramatically increase their social impact over time.
Learn more
How do we select charities?
We do things a little differently here.
The Five Percent Foundation uses fantastic resources from organisations such as GiveWell and The Life You Can Save to evaluate and pre-select the world's most transparent and effective charities.
Learn more
Fund size
(18 donors pledging, last updated 16 March 2024)
Amount donated to charity
(As at 1 July 2023 - charity donations are typically made every 6 months)
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I don't miss the extra 5% in my bank account. I love that I'm able to use my money to have a real impact on causes I care about.
Dan Poole, donating 5% since 2018
I feel a responsibility to share what I have with those that need it most. I choose to give through the Five Percent Foundation because my donations will have a lasting impact.
Evthoxia Apokis, donating 5% since 2018
The Five Percent Foundation provides me with a simple and effective way for my donations to help those in need over time. Its a no-brainer when I consider the potential impact the foundation will have to the causes I care about!
Jess jones, donating 5% since 2018
The Five Percent Foundation helps ensure my donations will forever make a positive social impact.
Will Zhong, donating 5% since 2018
Regularly donating to the Five Percent Foundation keeps me accountable in my mission to do good in the most effective way possible.
Aron mazur, donating 5% since 2018
Donating to the Five Percent Foundation just makes so much sense! I love knowing that something so simple and effortless, can have such a significant impact to those who need it most.
Heather Osborne-RIgby, donating 5% since 2021
Being a member of the Five Percent Foundation simplifies impactful giving for me and ensures that my contributions continue to make an impact forever.
Harvey Jones, donating 5% since 2018
I love that the Five Percent Foundation makes it easy to donate to multiple causes I care about whilst also showing the impact that these donations make over time!
Varun chitale, donating 5% since 2018
I donate to the Five Percent Foundation because I'm confident that the money I donate is having the greatest possible impact, and that it supports the work of incredibly effective charities.
Tom Malone, donating 5% since 2018
I love donating to the Five Percent Foundation because I know my donation will make a difference, forever.
Annabelle ritchie, donating 5% since 2019
I donate to the Five Percent Foundation because it helps me make lasting and growing contributions to the causes and charities I care about.
Ed vong, donating 5% since 2019
I love that the Five Percent Foundation allows me to make a huge difference, a little bit at a time, forever, even way after I’m gone!
ELYSE COLLAT, donating 5% since 2018
There are so many worthy causes in the world that need support. The Five Percent Foundation makes giving to these causes simple, accessible and transparent.
Georgia thomas, donating 5% since 2018
Frequently asked questions
Click 'Join the Movement' to submit an inquiry to us. From there, one of our team will be in touch to give you all the information you need.
We harness the power of technology, kind people and goodwill to ensure our costs are kept to a minimum.
For the costs that we aren’t able to avoid altogether, our co-founders pay them out of their own pockets.
To date, we have never paid for operating costs out of the 5% contributions from donors.
It might not sound like much, but your 5% contribution can make a real impact where it’s needed most.
The scale of global challenges might seem intimidating, but by pooling and growing our donations, we can make a difference. Our model of philanthropy makes your donation work harder and go further than it ever could alone.
We have built a range of tools to help you visualise how your 5% could make a difference.
We recommend that donors donate 5% of their 'net' income. The best way of doing this is by donating 5% from each paycheck you receive, and 5% from any tax return paid to you.
However, you don’t have to stop there! You can donate more than this amount if you wish. Also, all donations are tax deductible in Australia.
In short: it’s about maximising the social impact of money over the long-term. Click here to hear more about our model.
We allow everyone who donates to the Five Percent Foundation to tell us how they would like the Foundation to donate the profits of our investments. We then redirect the profits to the charities we support.
Want to support a charity we do not currently distribute to? We’re always open to considering new charities who align with our values. You can suggest a charity by contacting us.
Yes! We're a charity ourselves, and while we adjust the investment ‘profits’ each year to account for inflation, we otherwise donate 100% of the profits. Click here to learn more about our model and why we adjust for inflation.
We partner up with some of the most effective charities, who have proven track records of achieving positive social impact.
These charities have stringent reporting procedures which ensure funds raised are being put to good use. We are also exploring technology and reporting techniques to ensure that you will have full transparency and can track where your hard-earned dollars end up.
We recognise that circumstances change, which is why you’re able to pause your donations at any time. When you’re back on your feet, we’d love to have you back!
However, to achieve the greatest impact, we recommend that you continue donating if you can.
