Mission Australia was established as one national charitable organisation in the late 90s and was officially launched in 2000. However, its antecedent organisations - charities, such as the Brisbane City Mission, from which Mission Australia evolved - were established more than 100 years ago. For example, Brisbane City Mission was founded in 1859, Sydney City Mission in 1862 - so Mission Australia has a heritage that extends almost 150 years into the past.

Mission Australia is a national charity - we only carry out activities in Australia and only conduct fundraising for services which operate here. However, recently Mission Australia established another organisation, Mission International, to provide guidance, advice and support to small like-minded charities in the Asia-Pacific region.

Mission Australia’s philosophy behind establishing Mission International and expanding its work beyond Australia can be summed up in two points:

• it is part of the organisation’s natural evolution from separate city missions, to national welfare organisation, to an international welfare body; and
• national borders are no longer significant barriers for welfare organisations in a rapidly growing global economy.
  

Just as Mission Australia evolved from six distinct City Missions (Sydney, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide, Wollongong, Hunter) into one national organisation, it is now moving onto the next stage of its development.

Mission Australia gets its donations from a range of sources. Primarily, donations come from individuals who give to us because they have confidence in, and approve of, our work and wish to support it.

Another major source of donations are businesses - both large and small. Mission Australia has many corporate partners which give financial support to us as a part of a broad, multi-dimensional relationship which also involves sharing knowledge, staff volunteering, etc.

Trusts and foundations are another source of donations to Mission Australia. Often people set up a trust, a financial arrangement whereby a donor, either during their life or after they've passed away, establishes a regular gift with its ultimate beneficiary being charity. Foundations are philanthropic organisations, set up by either individuals or institutions with the purpose of distributing grants to support causes in line with the goals of the foundation.

People also make 'bequests' to Mission Australia in their Will. So, after they pass away, a sum of money will come to Mission Australia as per their direction.

www.missionaustralia.com.au