Professional Services Proposal - CoSai CFO Services to Life Without Debt

Executive Summary

Why CoSai CFO Services is the right partner for this work

Life Without Debt is not a standard charity setup. It combines a Company Limited by Guarantee, an Australian Credit Licence, a two-entity service agreement, ACNC registration, DGR endorsement, Public Benevolent Institution status, and a fundraising campaign that must perform from day one. Getting this right requires someone who understands all of it.

CoSai CFO Services brings specialist experience in charity formation, regulatory compliance, financial strategy, and fundraising infrastructure. We have done this before. Our reference charity, Living Country (livingcountry.com.au), stands as a working example of the standard of financial governance and CFO support we provide, with Professor Deen Sanders OAM (Worimi Giparr), Founder of Think.Know.Do., Co-Chair of the World Economic Forum Global Future Council on Natural Capital, and Director of Living Country Group, as a named referee.

Our standard engagement rate is $350 per hour. For Life Without Debt, we are offering our services at $95 per hour, a reduction of 73%, in recognition of the mission this charity exists to fulfil and our commitment to the people it will serve.

What this proposal covers: A fixed 6-week project to take Life Without Debt from concept to operational launch, including all entity formation, regulatory lodgements (where possible), fundraising campaign infrastructure, the full media and marketing framework, and the complete design and build of the Life Without Debt public website (internet pages) and internal intranet portal. Regulatory approvals from ACNC, ATO and ASIC will run in parallel and typically take 3 to 12 weeks after lodgement. Ongoing CFO support is offered separately at $150 per hour.

Fee Structure

Hourly Rate: Standard vs CoSai Discounted

CoSai CFO Services is offering Life Without Debt a deeply discounted engagement rate in recognition of the charitable mission and in the spirit of the work this organisation will do. The table below shows the standard market rate alongside the discounted rate applied to this proposal.

$350

per hour AUD — standard rate

Market rate for CFO / charity setup services

$95

per hour AUD — CoSai discounted rate

You save $255 per hour — 73% discount

Total project savings: At 51.2 hours of work, the standard fee would be $17,920 AUD. Under this proposal, the total fixed fee is $4,865 AUD, a saving of $13,055 to Life Without Debt. CoSai CFO Services is not registered for GST; no GST is charged on any invoice.

Fee Breakdown by Deliverable

What $4,865 Delivers: Work Breakdown Structure

The total fixed fee of $4,865 AUD covers 51.2 hours of specialist CFO, legal-structure, fundraising-strategy, marketing-campaign, and digital-build work across 6 deliverable areas, including the full design and build of the public website (internet) and internal intranet portal. All work is completed within 6 weeks of commencement.

Deliverable	Hours	Std Rate	Your Rate	Your Fee
D1 - Legal Entity Formation and Structure CoSai prepares the CLG constitution draft (charitable purpose clause, dissolution clause, member guarantee structure, name reservation), two-entity service agreement framework (CLG + Credit Mediation Services Pty Ltd), conflict of interest policy, and member guarantee documentation. Lisa and Laurence Hugo lodge the ASIC Form 201 registration directly as founding directors — no separate solicitor required. ASIC registration fee ($512) is payable directly to ASIC by the founders at cost. 9 hours	$3,150	$350/hr	$95/hr	$855
D2 - ACNC, DGR and PBI Registration Support Preparation of ACNC registration application, responsible persons declarations, charitable purpose statement, DGR Item 1 endorsement application, Public Benevolent Institution application, ATO tax concession charity status, governance documentation package for submission. 10 hours	$3,500	$350/hr	$95/hr	$950
D3 - Financial Systems and Governance Setup Chart of accounts setup, accounting system selection and configuration (Xero recommended), bank account structure advice, financial policies (procurement, expense, delegation of authority), board financial reporting template, budget vs actuals framework, grant acquittal template. 8 hours	$2,800	$350/hr	$95/hr	$760
D4 - Fundraising Strategy and Revenue Model Three-year revenue portfolio design ($470K Y1 / $1.11M Y2 / $2.43M Y3), channel strategy across 7-Room funding architecture (philanthropic grants, corporate, individual giving, government, bequests/major donors, health-sector MOUs, international, plus CMS in-kind), grant pipeline identification and prioritisation (Paul Ramsay, Ian Potter, Sidney Myer, Perpetual), corporate partnership program design, donor pyramid framework, regular giving program structure, EOFY campaign plan. 10 hours	$3,500	$350/hr	$95/hr	$950
D5 - Media, Marketing and Paid Ad Campaign Design Annual campaign calendar, 8-channel paid media strategy (Google Search + Ad Grants, Meta Facebook/Instagram, LinkedIn, email), awareness-to-conversion funnel design per channel, example paid ad creative briefs and copy for client approval, capability statement (4 versions: corporate, grant, healthcare, major donor), Google Ad Grants application preparation. 8 hours	$2,800	$350/hr	$95/hr	$760
D6 - Public Website, Intranet Portal and Digital Infrastructure Design and build of the full Life Without Debt public website (internet pages: index, about, apply, donate) and the complete internal intranet portal (business structure, theory of change, value proposition, funding applications, growth model, media campaign, paid ads, board recruitment, CoSai proposal), fully operational with application intake connected to database, donation form with DGR tax receipt capability, SEO and analytics setup, Google Ad Grants activation, and payment gateway integration briefing. 6.2 hours	$2,170	$350/hr	$95/hr	$590
TOTAL — Fixed Price Project 51.2 hours • CFO • Legal • Fundraising • Website & Intranet build	$17,920	Standard: $350/hr Your rate: $95/hr		$4,865

All fees are in Australian dollars. CoSai CFO Services is not registered for GST; no GST is charged. Government lodgement fees (ASIC $512, ACNC nil) are payable directly by the founders to the relevant authority and are not included in the above total. No separate solicitor is required — Lisa and Laurence Hugo lodge directly as founding directors using CoSai-prepared documentation.

Payment Terms

50% Commencement — 50% Completion

To keep things simple and fair for both parties, this engagement is structured as two equal payments. No milestone billing. No hourly timesheets. One payment to start, one payment when the work is done.

Payment 1 - Commencement Due upon signing and return of this proposal $2,432.50 50% of total project fee, no GST

Payment 2 - Completion Due upon delivery of all 6 deliverables (Week 6) $2,432.50 50% of total project fee, no GST

What "completion" means: All six deliverables are considered complete when the public website is live, the internal intranet documents are finalised, all regulatory applications have been lodged with ASIC and ACNC, and the fundraising and campaign strategy documentation has been delivered and approved by Lisa and Laurence Hugo. Regulatory approval timelines (3 to 12 weeks) are outside our control and do not affect the completion payment trigger.

Payment by direct bank transfer (EFT). Account Name: CoSai | BSB: 032-324 | Account No: 405019. Use invoice reference LWD-2601S0 as payment description. CoSai CFO Services ABN 708 157 881 62 is not registered for GST — no GST is charged. Two tax invoices will be issued: one on commencement ($2,432.50) and one on delivery of all six deliverables ($2,432.50).

Fee Funding Model

How the Fee is Funded — No Bootstrapping Required

The $4,865 CoSai fee does not need to come from the founders' personal funds. It is fully recoverable from the fundraising channels Life Without Debt will activate from the moment of registration. This model is designed so the charity pays its own way from day one.

Fundraising-Funded Setup Model

Revenue from the first three launch activities comfortably covers the commencement fee, the completion fee, and the CoSai ongoing CFO retainer in the first quarter — with substantial surplus remaining for operations and client service delivery.

1

Early Grant Applications

Submitted in Week 3 of the CoSai engagement. Community foundations (Perpetual, Sidney Myer, Ian Potter) offer rapid-turnaround grants of $5,000 to $25,000 to registered charities with demonstrated need.

$5,000 - $25,000

2

Google Ad Grants - Immediate Activation

$10,000/month in free Google Search advertising, activated the week the website goes live. Drives direct applications and donor traffic from day one at zero cost. CoSai sets this up in Week 5.

$10,000/mo in ad value

3

Launch Donation Campaign

A targeted EOFY launch donation campaign across Facebook and email, running within 30 days of go-live. A modest 100 donors at $50 average covers the entire CoSai project fee. Achievable within the first quarter.

100 donors x $50 avg = $5,000

Founder Fee Refund Clause: In the event that fundraising revenue is insufficient to cover the CoSai fee in the first quarter, and the founders have personally advanced the commencement payment, CoSai CFO Services agrees that this advance is treated as a director loan to the charity and is refundable to the founders in full, without interest, from the first subsequent grant or donation income received. This commitment is recorded in the service agreement and the charity's financial records from Day 1.

The full picture: The three-year revenue model (detailed in the Business Structure document) projects $470,000 in Year 1 revenue across the 7-Room funding architecture — sufficient to cover the full Year 1 OPEX of $442,708 (which includes the Board-approved CEO salary of $165,000 and the $60,000 board sitting-fee envelope of $3,000 × 4 meetings × 5 directors) with a $27,292 operating surplus. Revenue grows to $1.11M in Year 2 and $2.43M in Year 3, then on a 10-year trajectory to $100M by Year 10. No founder seed funding is required or assumed. The CoSai setup fee of $4,865 represents approximately 1.0% of Year 1 revenue. The ongoing CFO support of $1,200 to $1,800 per month represents approximately 3–5% of the monthly operational budget in Year 1. This is not a cost — it is a governance investment that unlocks grant funding, DGR donations, and corporate partnerships that require professional financial management as a prerequisite.

Project Timeline

Six-Week Setup Plan and Regulatory Timeline

The six-week project timeline runs in parallel with the regulatory approval process. CoSai CFO Services manages all lodgements. The regulatory authorities (ASIC, ACNC, ATO) operate on their own timelines of 3 to 12 weeks after lodgement.

Week 1

Kick-Off and Legal Entity Formation D1 + D3

Kick-off meeting with Lisa and Laurence Hugo
ASIC company name search and reservation
CLG constitution drafted and reviewed
Founding member and director details confirmed
Service agreement framework (CLG + CMA) drafted
Conflict of interest policy prepared

Week 2

ASIC Registration and Financial Systems D1 + D3

ASIC CLG registration lodged (ACN confirmed)
ABN application submitted to ATO
Xero accounting system configured
Chart of accounts tailored to charity needs
Bank account structure advice provided
Board financial reporting template built

Week 3

ACNC Application and Regulatory Package D2

ACNC registration application completed and lodged
Responsible persons declarations prepared
Charitable purpose statement drafted
DGR Item 1 endorsement application lodged
PBI application documentation prepared
ATO tax concession endorsement application

Week 4

Fundraising Strategy and Campaign Design D4 + D5

Three-year revenue portfolio finalised
Grant pipeline prioritised and calendared
Corporate partnership program designed
Annual campaign calendar built
Paid ad creative briefs and copy delivered
Four capability statement versions finalised

Week 5

Website Build and Digital Infrastructure D6

Public website live (index, about, apply, donate)
Internal intranet pages complete
Application intake form connected to database
Donation form with DGR receipt capability
Google Analytics and tracking installed
Google Ad Grants application prepared

Week 6

Review, Sign-Off and Handover All Deliverables

Final review meeting with Lisa and Laurence
All documents handed over and filed
Ongoing CFO support agreement offered
Regulatory status update provided
First grant applications ready to submit
Completion payment invoiced

Weeks 3-15

Regulatory Approvals Running in Parallel ACNC / ATO / ASIC

ASIC ACN: typically 1 to 2 business days after lodgement
ABN: typically 1 to 28 days after ABR lodgement
ACNC registration: typically 4 to 12 weeks
DGR endorsement: typically 6 to 12 weeks post-ACNC
PBI status: typically 8 to 16 weeks
CoSai CFO Services liaises with all authorities

Ongoing Engagement

Ongoing CFO Support — Post Go-Live

Once the charity is established and operational, Life Without Debt will need ongoing financial governance, bookkeeping, regulatory lodgements, and board reporting. CoSai CFO Services offers these services at a deeply discounted ongoing rate in recognition of the charity's mission and the long-term nature of the relationship we are building.

Standard CFO Support Rate

$350

per hour AUD

Standard market rate for outsourced CFO bookkeeping, financial reporting, and regulatory compliance services for Australian not-for-profit organisations.

CoSai Rate for Life Without Debt

$150

per hour AUD — 57% below standard rate

Everything Life Without Debt needs to stay compliant, financially healthy, and grant-ready. At $150 per hour, this is a mission-aligned rate that reflects CoSai's genuine commitment to the people this charity will serve.

What Ongoing CFO Support Covers

Monthly bookkeeping and bank reconciliation

Quarterly board financial reports (P&L, balance sheet, cashflow)

Annual financial statements preparation and ACNC lodgement

BAS preparation and ATO lodgement (if applicable)

Grant acquittal reporting and financial acquittals

Annual Impact Report financial narrative and data

Budget vs actuals monitoring and variance analysis

Audit preparation support (when required by ACNC)

Payroll processing for Laurence Hugo, Lisa Hugo and future staff

Superannuation compliance and STP reporting

Estimated monthly commitment: A charity at the scale of Life Without Debt in Years 1 to 2 typically requires 8 to 12 hours of CFO support per month. At $150 per hour, this represents a monthly investment of $1,200 to $1,800 — well within the budget modelled in the Business Operating Model document.

Reference and Track Record

A Proven Standard of Work

CoSai CFO Services already provides CFO support to a registered Australian charity. Living Country (livingcountry.com.au) is an operating example of the financial governance, compliance, and strategic CFO support we bring to our charity clients. Professor Deen Sanders OAM is a Director of Living Country Group, a named referee, and available for direct contact via his EA Yvonne Theodolou.

DS

Named Referee & Director, Living Country Group

Professor Deen Sanders OAM

Worimi Giparr · Founder, Think.Know.Do. · Co-Chair, WEF Global Future Council on Natural Capital

Adj. Professor, University of Newcastle Law School · External Special Counsel, Deloitte Access Economics

"I am available to speak directly to the quality of financial governance, CFO leadership, and the standard of compliance and reporting support that CoSai CFO Services provides to Living Country."

[email protected] +61 412 559 588

EA: Yvonne Theodolou — [email protected]

Visit Living Country

Why this matters for Life Without Debt: Grant bodies, major donors, and corporate partners will conduct due diligence on the financial governance and management of any charity they support. Having an established, referee-backed CFO partner from day one demonstrates organisational maturity that most new charities cannot offer. It is a competitive advantage in every funding application you make.

Engagement Terms

Key Terms of This Proposal

Proposal Validity

30 days from date of issue

This proposal is valid until 14 June 2026. After this date, fees may be subject to review.

Scope Variations

Agreed in writing before work commences

Any work outside the six deliverables listed requires a written variation at the discounted rate of $95/hr.

Regulatory Timelines

Outside CoSai's control

ASIC, ACNC and ATO processing times are set by the relevant authority. CoSai CFO Services will liaise, follow up, and escalate where appropriate.

Confidentiality

Mutual and binding

All information shared by Life Without Debt is treated as strictly confidential. CoSai CFO Services will not disclose any details to third parties without written consent.

Intellectual Property

Assigned to Life Without Debt on final payment

All documents, strategies, templates and digital assets created under this engagement become the property of Life Without Debt upon receipt of the completion payment.

GST

Not applicable; CoSai CFO Services is not registered for GST

CoSai CFO Services ABN 708 157 881 62 is not registered for GST. No GST is charged on any invoice issued under this engagement. All fees shown are the total amounts payable.

Item No.	Service Description	Rate	Total
1	D1: Legal Entity Formation and Structure CoSai prepares the CLG constitution draft (charitable purpose clause, dissolution clause, member guarantee structure, name reservation), two-entity service agreement framework (CLG + Credit Mediation Services Pty Ltd), conflict of interest policy, and member guarantee documentation. Lisa and Laurence Hugo lodge the ASIC Form 201 directly as founding directors — no separate solicitor required. ASIC registration fee ($512) payable directly to ASIC by founders at cost. 9 hours @ $95/hr.	$95/hr	$855.00
2	D2: ACNC, DGR and PBI Registration Support ACNC registration application, responsible persons declarations, charitable purpose statement, DGR Item 1 endorsement application, Public Benevolent Institution application, ATO tax concession charity status, governance documentation package. 10 hours @ $95/hr.	$95/hr	$950.00
3	D3: Financial Systems and Governance Setup Chart of accounts, Xero setup and configuration, bank account structure advice, financial policies (procurement, expense, delegation of authority), board financial reporting template, budget vs actuals framework, grant acquittal template. 8 hours @ $95/hr.	$95/hr	$760.00
4	D4: Fundraising Strategy and Revenue Model Three-year revenue portfolio design ($470K Y1 / $1.11M Y2 / $2.43M Y3), 7-Room fundraising strategy (Rooms A–G + CMS in-kind), grant pipeline identification and prioritisation (Paul Ramsay, Ian Potter, Sidney Myer, Perpetual), corporate partnership program design, donor pyramid framework, regular giving program structure, EOFY campaign plan. 10 hours @ $95/hr.	$95/hr	$950.00
5	D5: Media, Marketing and Paid Ad Campaign Design Annual campaign calendar, 8-channel paid media strategy, awareness-to-conversion funnel design, paid ad creative briefs (4 capability statement versions: corporate, grant, healthcare, major donor), Google Ad Grants application. 8 hours @ $95/hr.	$95/hr	$760.00
6	D6: Public Website (Internet) and Intranet Portal: Design and Build Complete design and build of the Life Without Debt public website (internet pages: index.html, about.html, apply.html, donate.html) and full internal intranet portal (structure, theory of change, value proposition, funding applications, growth model, media campaign, paid ads, board recruitment, CoSai proposal and invoice). Includes application intake connected to database, donation form with DGR receipt capability, SEO and analytics setup, Google Ad Grants activation, and payment gateway integration briefing. 6.2 hours @ $95/hr.	$95/hr	$590.00

Professional Services Proposal:
Life Without Debt

Why CoSai CFO Services is the right partner for this work

Hourly Rate: Standard vs CoSai Discounted

What $4,865 Delivers: Work Breakdown Structure

50% Commencement — 50% Completion

How the Fee is Funded — No Bootstrapping Required

Six-Week Setup Plan and Regulatory Timeline

Ongoing CFO Support — Post Go-Live

What Ongoing CFO Support Covers

A Proven Standard of Work

Key Terms of This Proposal

Ready to Accept This Proposal?

Proposal Acceptance and Signature

CoSai CFO Services

Life Without Debt CLG (in formation)

Tax Invoice

Professional Services Proposal:Life Without Debt

Why CoSai CFO Services is the right partner for this work

Hourly Rate: Standard vs CoSai Discounted

What $4,865 Delivers: Work Breakdown Structure

50% Commencement — 50% Completion

How the Fee is Funded — No Bootstrapping Required

Six-Week Setup Plan and Regulatory Timeline

Ongoing CFO Support — Post Go-Live

What Ongoing CFO Support Covers

A Proven Standard of Work

Key Terms of This Proposal

Ready to Accept This Proposal?

Proposal Acceptance and Signature

CoSai CFO Services

Life Without Debt CLG (in formation)

Tax Invoice

Professional Services Proposal:
Life Without Debt