Leave a gift in your Will

Open Medicine Foundation Australia funds biomedical research into ME/CFS and Long COVID, working to accelerate the path to diagnostics and treatments.

That work runs on funding cycles. Grants end, and what happens next depends on the next round.

A gift in your Will has no end date. It’s the kind of funding that keeps a team together between grants and lets a promising result be followed rather than shelved. It supports the collaborative approach to systems research that our global network is built on, including the Melbourne ME/CFS Collaboration at the University of Melbourne, led by Dr Chris Armstrong.

One percent is enough

People sometimes assume a gift in a Will means choosing between their family and a cause they care about. It doesn’t.

After your loved ones are provided for, even 1% of what remains can support research for years.

There’s no minimum. It costs you nothing today, and you can change your mind at any time.

Where would you like to start?

What your solicitor needs

Your solicitor will need two things.

Please use the full legal name and ABN. This identifies the Foundation without ambiguity, even if our trading name changes over time.

Open Medicine Foundation Australia is a registered charity with the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission.

Write your Will free with EveryWill

OMF Australia partners with EveryWill so you can write a legal Will online at no cost, with free and unlimited updates for life. It takes around ten minutes.

Including a gift to OMF Australia is optional. Writing the Will is free either way.

Write your free Will

Suggested wording

The wording below is a guide. Your solicitor can advise which type of gift suits your circumstances and can adapt any clause to fit the rest of your Will.

1. A specific gift

2. The whole of the residuary estate

Your residuary estate is what remains after debts, expenses and any specific gifts have been paid.

3. A percentage of the residuary estate

4. A gift of real property

A gift of a particular property or asset may fail if you no longer own it at the date of your death. For this reason, many people choose to leave a percentage of their residuary estate instead.

5. A gift of shares or other assets

Publicly listed shares:

Private company shares:

Artwork or collectibles:

Other assets, such as managed investments or valuable collections, can also be gifted. Your solicitor can advise on the most appropriate wording.

Future-proofing your gift

So your gift can always be honoured, we suggest including this provision:

Download the suggested wording (PDF)

Restricted or unrestricted

Many supporters leave an unrestricted gift, which lets the Foundation direct funds to the areas of greatest need at the time and respond to new scientific opportunities as they arise. If no purpose is specified, the gift will be applied wherever it can make the most difference.

If you have a particular area of research or care in mind, we welcome a conversation before your Will is finalised. That helps us honour your intentions while keeping enough flexibility to apply your gift where it can do the most as circumstances change.

The Healthy Futures Society

The Healthy Futures Society recognises supporters who have chosen to include OMF Australia in their Will.

Members share a commitment to advancing medical research and supporting a healthier future for people affected by ME/CFS and Long COVID. Recognition can be public or entirely private, whichever you prefer.

If you’ve already included us

Please tell us. There’s no obligation and it changes nothing about your Will.

Knowing lets us thank you properly, welcome you to the Healthy Futures Society if you would like that, and plan research funding with more confidence. What you tell us is held in confidence and is never published without your agreement.

Talk to us

If you are considering a gift and would like to discuss it confidentially, we would be glad to hear from you. No obligation, and no pressure.

Tax

Your solicitor or financial adviser can advise on the tax treatment of a gift in your Will.

Common questions

Do I need to rewrite my Will?

Usually not. If you already have a Will, your solicitor can add a gift with a short amendment called a codicil.

How much should I leave?

There’s no minimum. Many supporters leave a percentage of what remains after their family is provided for. Even 1% can support research for years.

Can I change my mind?

Yes. A gift in your Will has no effect during your lifetime and you can change it whenever you like.

Do I have to tell you?

No, but we hope you will. It lets us thank you and plan research funding with more confidence.

What are OMF Australia’s legal details?

Open Medicine Foundation Australia Limited, ABN 81 635 273 415.