The ASF is the only body in Australia where donations to sport are tax deductible and in 2015-2016 raised a record $32 million.

However football, which is the highest participation sport in the country, only raised $612,847 and ranked a lowly 10th.

By registering through the ASF any donation that is made allows the donor to get a tax deduction.

Walker believes local football clubs should avoid organising sausage sizzles, chocolate drives and meat raffles and instead take advantage of the benefits of registering with the ASF.

“What we are about is helping people who love their sport to contribute to the well-being of that sport in tax deductible donations,” he said

“If you look at football it’s got massive issues at the grass roots level. There are not enough pitches, they aren’t maintained well enough and there aren’t enough facilities.

“So, there is a massive need for improvement to allow the one million plus footballers who love playing football to play football.  

In 2015 only 20 out of the more than 2000 football clubs around Australia were registered to raise funds with the ASF.

In the case of A-League clubs, only Sydney FC and Melbourne Victory have registered fundraising projects with the Sports Foundation and that only happened recently.

Currently AFL top the list, with Golf third and Rugby Union fourth and Walker said football can learn from what the other codes are doing.

 “Even though AFL is the best resourced sport and it’s got the biggest TV deal they raised $8.5 million dollars through us in tax deductible donations in 2015-2016,” he said.

“That was for things like high performance centres, better equipment and facilities and Indigenous youth programs pathways.

“All 18 AFL clubs fundraise through us and their members pay big membership fees to be a member of their club and they are also prepared to donate $25 or $50 dollars extra provided they believe in the cause.”

Walker said a successful fundraising strategy includes the club telling its own story on what it needs money for, what difference it’s going to make and what impact the extra funding will create.

“There was a football club in Queensland that on registration day asked all of its players and their families to do one of two things,” he said.

“To either donate three hours of their time to mark the lines, put up the corner flags and goals on a Sunday morning or, to donate $50 dollars to help buy the youth team playing and training kits as well as bibs and balls - and every one of those parents donated $50.

“They got a tax donation through us and it only cost $25-$30 and the club got thousands of extra dollars to fund their football team.

“We all make donations to charity. We do that because we believe in the cause and we want to make the world a better place.

“But many people don’t know that you can donate to your local football club and get a tax deduction in the same way you do with World Vision.”

With the June 30 end to the Financial Year only weeks away, donors who make a tax-deductible donation to a registered football project can claim this amount as part of their 2016-17 tax return.

A list of football projects can be found at www.asf.org.au/our-projects