philanthropyOz Blog

Media from across the web

Here are a few articles that were dropped into our inbox this week. If people were interested enough to point them out, then we figure you’ll be interested enough for us to share them around:

• Compass: Women Of Power And Influence
  Featuring Jill Reichstein, head of The Reichstein Foundation.
• What a U.N. Partnership with Big Business Could Accomplish
  An article from The Harvard Business School (USA).
• Reliance on contracts puts charities at risk
  From The Guardian (UK), a piece on conflict between charity & government in the UK.
• Ticket to telemarket torture
  An Australian piece on ‘aggressive’ telemarketing undertaken by some charity fundraisers.

Australian International Documentary Conference: Documentary Australia initiative

This was forwarded to us by the The Caledonia Foundation, one of our Members. Gina Anderson, our CEO, attended the AIDC and overall, we’re very excited at the potential this initiative holds.

…philanthropic funding already goes to the environment and the arts, health, education, indigenous issues and social welfare - all areas of great interest to documentary, areas where many of the issues that filmmakers address are found. In the US philanthropic funding is a well-known supporter of documentary production, but in Australia it’s new ground.

Continue reading Australian International Documentary Conference: Documentary Australia initiative…

News & Podcast

Education Foundation to Feature on National TV

“The Education Foundation has been given an exciting opportunity to promote our work on national television. Network Ten’s “9am with David and Kim” program will air an interview with the Foundation’s CEO, Adam Smith, this morning (Wednesday 28 February) around 10.10am.

Adam will talk with the program’s hosts, David Reyne and Kim Watkins, about Education Foundation’s various programs, in particular Back To School Day and Opportunity Scholarships. One of Education Foundation’s Opportunity Scholarship recipients, Rechelle Shuttleworth from Eaglehawk Secondary College, will also join Adam and share her story on how the funding enabled her to pursue her interest in Music (Choir & Violin).

Feel free to tune your TV to Network 10 at 10.10am.”

QUT Podcast - Informing the Australian Nonprofit Sector
“This podcast series discusses key nonprofit issues of the day including recent research, legislation and policy. Programs are 10-20 minutes in length. In 2007, programs are posted monthly on the first business day of each month.”
Now listed on our Papers & Reports page.

New Event Listing

• CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY 2007
  2 May, 2007; Sydney
  Don’t miss this opportunity to gain practical knowledge on how to align CSR with your business goals to transform your organisation into an optimally responsible, sustainable and profitable business!
  Go to the Events Calendar for more info.

1 New Paper

All’s quiet on the Philanthropy Australia Website front, this week! We have one new paper in our Research & Information section:

• Responding to the Victorian bushfires - 31/01/07

  In late January a small group of Philanthropy Australia Members came together in Melbourne in an informal meeting to discuss the ramification of the significant Victorian bushfires, to learn about the Victorian Government’s recovery efforts and to discuss a possible role for the philanthropic sector.

  Whilst the fires had been widespread, they had primarily occurred in Crown Land so there hadn’t been a significant amount of private property lost through them. However, the members who participated in the meeting understood that such natural disasters (past, present and future) have the potential for significant long-term impact on local communities, flora and fauna and as such they were interested to come together to discuss the ramifications of the fires and the potential for creating greater links with government to develop a more coordinated approach to supporting affected communities.

  Download Summary Notes - ‘Responding to the Victorian Bushfires’

Don’t forget, we also have a Topical Issues page on Bushfires.

Gardiner Foundation funding to double in 2007

This press release came into our inbox this morning from the Gardiner Foundation:

Continue reading Gardiner Foundation funding to double in 2007…

Celebrating 30 Years: Issue 4

Looking From the Past to the Future

Continue reading Celebrating 30 Years: Issue 4…

Position Vacant at Philanthropy Australia

Manager, Membership NSW

We are seeking a self motivated individual who is passionate about the role of philanthropy in the community and who is vitally interested in the ways and means philanthropists can make a difference. The focus of this role is on client relationships and membership services. The role of Membership Manager is wide-ranging and includes representation and recruitment. It is based in Sydney overseeing NSW and Queensland and reporting to the CEO.

Applications close February 28, 2007. Click here for more details.

New News Items & Climate Change Resources

New News Item:

• CEO Diary - February 2007 (Members Only)
  This month in Philanthropy Australia’s CEO Diary, Gina Anderson talks about our IT developments, submissions to the Board of Taxation, Philanthropy Australia staffing changes, and upcoming international conferences.

Climate Change resources:

• Climate change puts spotlight on Garrett, Turnbull (7.30 Report, ABC TV, 07/02)
  A debate between Malcolm Turnbull (Federal Minister for the Environment and Water Resources) and Peter Garrett (Shadow Minister for Climate Change, Environment & Heritage, Arts) on climate change.
  You can read the transcript here.
• Environmental Review of 2006
  Source: World Resources Institute
  How did the environment fare in 2006? 10 underreported stories.
  Read all stories.
• Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Report: Implications for Australia
  On February 2nd, 2007 the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) will release a summary report on the science of climate change. This report will be the most authoritative assessment of climate change undertaken by world’s scientists in the last five years.
  IPCC Fact Sheet (PDF)

EFC releases Principles of Good Practice

At the end of 2006 the European Foundation Centre (EFC) Board approved the revised EFC ‘Principles of Good Practice’. These principles constitute a shared vision of good practices and a general recommendation to reinforce good practice, openness and transparency in the European foundation and independent funding community. The EFC encourages its members to publish their adherence to the principles on their website and to discuss and review their implementation with their board and staff.

The EFC Principles now encompasses seven concise ‘Principles of Good Practice’ based on an identified set of core values that every foundation in Europe should aspire to embrace. They address the following areas:

• Compliance
• Governance
• Informed policies, operations and support programmes
• Stewardship: management and finance
• Disclosure and communication
• Monitoring and evaluation
• Cooperation

What do you think of the concept of ‘Principles of Good Practice’ for the Australian philanthropy sector? Would the EFC Principles be transferable, and do you see any value in us going down this path?

To read more about the EFC Priniciples read the Communique.