FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions

Here you will find the most frequently asked questions about donating to Médecins Sans Frontières Australia.

Donating to Médecins Sans Frontières

Who donates to Médecins Sans Frontières?

Our funds are raised through private contributors - the vast majority are people like you. Private support is essential to our ability to operate independently and to respond at a moment's notice to the most urgent emergencies, often in countries and regions that are otherwise forgotten. Read more about why some people choose to give. It’s also possible for corporations to provide support.

How does my contribution to Médecins Sans Frontières help?

As an independent organisation that relies solely on our donors for funding, your support is absolutely crucial to Médecins Sans Frontières’ ability to provide medical assistance to millions of people throughout the world. Whether our teams are assisting casualties of war, people in danger from deadly epidemics or natural disasters, victims of sexual violence or patients excluded from health care; the funding we receive from our donors helps us stay flexible, responsive and ready to act swiftly in times of crisis. Read more here

In what ways can I donate to Medecins Sans Frontieres?
Is my donation tax-deductible?

Yes. Médecins Sans Frontières is endorsed by the Australian Tax Office as a Deductible Gift Recipient organisation. All donations made in Australia to Médecins Sans Frontières Australia over $2 are tax deductible.

Will I receive a tax receipt for my donation?

Yes you will. For a one-off donation you will receive an instant receipt via email. For monthly gifts, tax receipts are sent annually, towards the end of July. Please keep your address details updated so we can ensure you receive your tax receipt.

How can I change my regular donation amount?
There are a number of ways you can change or stop your regular donation. 
 
You can:
  • call our office on +61 2 8570 2600,
  • send an email to our office at [email protected], or
  • post your details and request to our office:
 
Médecins Sans Frontières Australia
PO Box 847
Broadway 2007 NSW
Australia
 
Please provide your full name and address details so we can identify you, and preferably with your supporter number. Please allow 14 days notice for any changes to take affect.
 
Can I donate to a specific country or project?

We appreciate that some of our supporters may have a particular interest in a country or program in which we work. While in some (rare) circumstances it is possible to have your gift directed toward a specific program or country where we are currently working, we ask that you contribute unrestricted funding. By not restricting your contribution for a specific emergency or project, you will enable us to allocate our resources more efficiently and where the need is greatest.

Can I donate supplies as an in-kind donation?

Médecins Sans Frontières is unable to accept donations of supplies. Because the key to saving lives in an emergency is speed, it is our practice to have prepared, specialised, and uniform kits and other materials that are ready to go in the event of an emergency. Médecins Sans Frontières does all of the purchasing for these kits in advance and therefore cannot accept in-kind gifts such as medical equipment, drugs, food, or other materials for its operations.

How do I increase my donation?

There are a number of ways you can increase your regular donation. You can call our office on 1300 13 60 61; send an e-mail to our office at [email protected] with the details of how much you would like to increase it by; Or post the details with the new amount to our office address - PO Box 847, Broadway NSW 2007.

Can I make my donation as a tribute in honour or memory of someone?

In lieu of flowers, you can arrange to honour a friend or loved one with a memorial gift to Médecins Sans Frontières. You can either set up a memorial fund in memory of a friend or loved one, or make a donation in memory of someone special. Please visit the Giving in Memory page to find out how.

Can my wedding or birthday guests donate to Médecins Sans Frontières in lieu of gifts?

Yes they can! It is a very kind and meaningful way for you to support and raise awareness of our work and we appreciate your selfless action. See our detailed information on how to organise celebration gifts for Médecins Sans Frontières.

How can I find out my supporter number?

Please refer to your mailings to find your supporter number. You can also call our office on 1300 13 60 61 or you can send an e-mail to our office address [email protected] and ask us for your supporter number. You will need to provide identifying information so we can find your number for you.

About Médecins Sans Frontières

Does Medecins Sans Frontieres have any religious or political affiliations?

No, Médecins Sans Frontières does not have any religious or political affiliations. We carry out our work and assist those in need regardless of race, religion, gender or political affiliation. We remain completely independent so that we have greater freedom to go where we are needed and to speak out about the suffering and injustice we see in the course of our work.

Does Médecins Sans Frontières provide Workplace Giving gifts?

Yes, Médecins Sans Frontières encourages and supports Workplace Giving gifts from many companies. Please refer to the Workplace Giving section of this website for more information on corporate support.

Will Médecins Sans Frontières accept a matching gift from my company?

Yes, Médecins Sans Frontières encourages and supports matched gifts from many companies. Please refer to Matching Gifts section of this website for more information on corporate support.

Can I hold a fundraising event for Médecins Sans Frontières?

Yes you can! Thank you for your interest in organising a fundraising event for Médecins Sans Frontières. Fundraising events are a fun and interesting way for you to support and raise awareness of our work and we appreciate your efforts on our behalf. See our detailed information on how to organise a fundraiser for Médecins Sans Frontières.

Can I use the Médecins Sans Frontières logo?
Médecins Sans Frontières understandably has very strict guidelines about the use of our name and logo. We are often asked for the use of our name or logo in publications or in association with other organisations and each request needs to be approved on a case by case basis.
 
With this in mind please contact Médecins Sans Frontières with the details of your suggestion and how you intend to use the Médecins Sans Frontières name and logo. Call us on 1300 13 60 61, email our office at - office(at)sydney.msf.org or write to us at PO Box 847, Broadway NSW 2007. 
Can I buy a Médecins Sans Frontières t-shirt or any other merchandise?

We regret that we are not able to give out or sell Médecins Sans Frontières  t-shirts to people who are not directly involved with our organisation. Médecins Sans Frontières t-shirts are the uniform of our staff in the field and clearly identify the wearer in this context as a humanitarian aid worker. Understandably this means we unfortunately cannot give or sell our t-shirts to supporters. Médecins Sans Frontières Australia does not currently sell any other merchandise or items. 

Privacy and communications

Is Médecins Sans Frontières privacy compliant?

Yes we are. Please see our privacy policy.

Is the Médecins Sans Frontières online donations site secure?

The online donations area of the Médecins Sans Frontières Australia website is fully secure. This area of the site can be identified by the page’s address which begins with "https". All these pages are encrypted using SSL before transmission.

Can I choose the amount of mail and email I receive?

Please call our office if you would like to discuss how often you receive the newsletter or other information we send out from time to time.