We are committed to helping local groups save their cherished music venues.
The foundation model has been specifically designed so that other local groups can join us to continue to save venues. The model allows groups to leverage the structure, non-profit objects and charitable registration of the foundation, as well as our resources, support, network and community, while maintaining a local board of trustees to maintain local control and direct oversight of their venue.
More specifically, our structure and model have the following benefits:
- The venue is controlled by a local board of trustees (retaining grassroots, community-based control);
- The venue property is held for the local community in the registered charitable foundation, ensuring permanent ownership for the community, proper charitable oversight and regulatory compliance;
- Donations to purchase the venue are tax deductible via the charitable foundation;
- A representative from each local board of trustees holds a position in the charitable foundation, facilitating collaboration and support between the network of boards of trustees, and allowing for group decision making at the foundation level;
- Local groups intending to save a venue benefit from the support and expertise of the foundation and venues, and our community of supporters;
- The model accommodates and facilitates saving a venue over-time. Venues are able to be purchased via a mix of community donations and philanthropic/for-purpose investment, via a unit trust. This means that one or more major investors, who wish to support the project, can own units in the unit trust that holds the venue, alongside the community. Therefore, if immediate fundraising is insufficient, it can be bridged via investment, and those additional units can then be bought-back over time from the investor, from venue proceeds and ongoing fundraising, on pre-agreed terms which are consistent with the philanthropic nature of the project;
- This is a legally and structurally robust model.
We are a grassroots movement. Rather than centralised control, such as a single foundation controlling multiple venues directly, or relying on dominant commercial partners, our model has been designed to maintain grassroots, community control of venues while providing broader collective support across a network of venues. It also ensures proper non-profit oversight and protection, with each board of trustees also represented in the overall foundation board.
We have gained relevant expertise and experience through the Save The Tote campaign, and have a growing network of supporters, which we can contribute to further projects. We want to partner with you to save Australian live music venues.
If you are serious about saving your local venue and can generate local community support, then please contact us.
