In December 2021, as part of the Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook 2021-22, the Government announced it would establish a new deductible gift recipient (DGR) category for pastoral care funds.

The new category is designed to attract philanthropic donations to support an increase of pastoral care and similar well-being services to students in Australian primary and secondary schools. Services delivered by chaplains and pastoral care workers supported under the National School Chaplaincy Program are intended to be eligible under the new DGR category. However, the proposed DGR category is not limited to these pastoral care services, recognising that there are other similar well-being services being provided to students in schools.

The proposed DGR category would operating in a similar way to school building funds.

Government Treasury is seeking feedback on the design of the new category. Responses are able to be submitted up until the 29^th April 2022. Further information is available here: https://treasury.gov.au/consultation/c2022-252330