Include a Charity Week 2025

Plant a seed today, change the world tomorrow.

Include a Charity Week encourages Australians to leave charitable gifts in their will to ‘Change the World Tomorrow’

This September, hundreds of charities, including Glaucoma Australia are coming together for Include a Charity Week – a national campaign that encourages Australians to consider leaving a gift in their Will to the causes they care about most.

This year’s theme, “Plant a Tree Today, Change the World Tomorrow,” is a powerful representation for legacy giving. When you plant a tree, you don’t do it for today. You do it for tomorrow – for the lives it might touch, the shade it could offer, the future it quietly shapes. A gift in your Will works the same way.

Spearheaded by Fundraising Institute Australia (FIA), Include a Charity Week is part of a global movement to raise awareness about bequests and their incredible potential to transform communities, lives, and the planet. Taking place from 1– 8 September 2025, the campaign brings together more than 100 Australian charities spanning sectors including health, education, the arts, animal welfare, humanitarian aid, and environmental protection.

Helen Beeby, Campaign Director for Include a Charity, says: “We often think of a Will as a way to take care of the people we love. But it’s also an opportunity to leave a mark – a legacy that reflects your values and beliefs. Including a gift in your will is a commitment to the longevity of causes you care about: be it curing diseases, supporting the arts, helping animals, defending the vulnerable or protecting our environment.” 

“Like a tree planted today, your gift can grow into something truly transformative. It’s an investment in humankind, a stake in our collective long-term future. Loved ones should come first in your Will, but the money you leave to charity is an investment in a kinder, more inclusive tomorrow,” said Helen. 

Bequests are often the largest donation a person will ever make – and the impact is profound. Over the last decade, charitable gifts in Wills in Australia has significantly increased, currently contributing about $1.6 billion of fundraising revenue annually. 

A 2024 benchmarking study by More Strategic, conducted with Include a Charity member organisations, reported a 5.5% increase in bequest income in FY2023, with gifts in Wills now accounting for 24% of overall fundraising revenue for charities. 

The Australian government wants to double philanthropic giving by 2030 and increasing gifts in Wills could play a significant role in achieving that goal.

Include a Charity Week is a moment to pause, reflect, and plan for the future – not just our own, but that of our communities and the planet.

Glaucoma Australia’s Fundraising Manager Betty Zeritis says: “We are so grateful to our kind-hearted supporters who share our vision of eliminating glaucoma by deciding to leave a gift in their Will to Glaucoma Australia. This will allow us to deliver our education and support services well into the future and find a cure for this insidious eye disease which impacts so many lives” 

If you are considering leaving a gift in your Will to Glaucoma Australia, you can reach out to our Fundraising Manager for a confidential conversation on 1800 500 880 or via email at betty@glaucoma.org.au

You can also request a free information pack by filling out this quick and easy form.

About Include a Charity

Include a Charity is a social change initiative of the Fundraising Institute Australia, supported by almost 100 charities across the country. Its mission is to increase the number of Australians who leave a gift in their Will and to normalise bequest giving as a powerful way to shape the future. Participating charities span a wide range of causes, from medical research and the arts to animal protection, humanitarian work, and environmental conservation.