philanthropyOz Blog

Philanthropy Australia’s Annual Report & AGM

Philanthropy Australia’s 2007 Annual Report is now available. Members will receive the Report in the mail early next week, along with notice of the Annual General Meeting. The AGM will be held in Melbourne on April 24.

• Download the 2007 Annual Report
• Go to the Events Calendar

Accessibility on the Philanthropy Australia Website

The Philanthropy Australia Website was upgraded late last week to ensure it complies with accessibility guidelines established by the World Wide Web Consortium (WC3). The Victorian Government’s Accessibility Toolkit was also consulted during the process of ensuring accessibility.

Accessibility guidelines exist to ensure that websites are accessible to as many people as possible, including those with varying degrees of ability and available technologies. This includes (for example) people with vision impairment and people with slow internet connection speeds.

At Philanthropy Australia we recognise that this issue is an significant one when it comes to supporting the community. In some cases, web accessibility may be as important as (for example) wheelchair accessibility, in particular for those who are accessing information online from remote communities.

The final stages of the accessibility upgrade are still taking place, and we hope to roll out these accessibility standards over the rest of our online services in the near future. You can view the complete Website Accessibility Statement by clicking on the link in the footer on any page of the Philanthropy Australia Website.

New events, position vacant

Position Vacant: The R E Ross Trust Grants and Programs Officer (Melbourne)

Events: The Margaret Lawrence Bequest National Lecture: A fresh perspective on arts philanthropy (being held across Australia, April-June)

Event: Community Foundations Forum 2008 (14-15 August, Canberra)

Website Updates

Position Vacant: Community Development Fund Co-ordinator, Telstra Foundation (Melbourne)

New Event: Philanthropy Australia and Research Australia Forum (Sydney), 29th April

Executive education in philanthropy and social investment

Swinburne University’s Asia-Pacific Centre for Philanthropy and Social Investment has announced that its successful executive education workshops dealing with key elements of philanthropy and social investment are running as short courses in 2008. The workshops will draw on the Centre’s pioneering Masters Program and offer a comprehensive overview of the field and rich opportunities for collegial networking. Guest speakers will include outstanding and highly regarded presenters from the philanthropic, corporate and community sectors.

All workshops will take place in Melbourne (and may be held at a later date in Sydney). The Centre will also offer a separate program of workshops on fundraising, details and dates of which will be advised shortly.

Visit www.swinburne.edu.au/business/philanthropy for workshop themes & dates, or see the Events Calendar.

New report: “Good Times and Philanthropy: Giving by Australia’s Affluent”

This report draws upon the latest research to examine giving trends by affluent individuals in Australia and how these compare with overseas counterparts.

Written by Dr Wendy Scaife and Dr Kim Madden, it was produced by The Australian Centre for Philanthropy and Nonprofit Studies at QUT. It was commissioned by The Petre Foundation and launched by Social Ventures Australia earlier this week.

Find out more and download the report via the PhilanthropyWiki.

Website Updates

New on the Events Calendar: Early Intervention Affinity Group Meeting, Melbourne, Thursday 10th April, 3.00 - 5.00pm

New Position Vacant: Advancement Researcher, University of Melbourne

Gina Anderson in Charter

Philanthropy Australia’s CEO, Gina Anderson, wrote a piece for the Institute of Chartered Accountants’ February edition of Charter Magazine. You can download it on our Media page:

Accounting for community benefit
A consistent financial reporting regime specifically for community benefit entities will result in a more transparent, accountable and effective charitable sector.

Events & Media

Philanthropy Australia in the Media:

Charities fight proposal to raise trustee companies’ fees
Sydney Morning Herald p.19 (BusinessDay), 25/02/08
This article on trustee company fees for charitable trusts discusses Philanthropy Australia’s advocacy in the area and quotes Gina Anderson.

Events Calendar:

Philanthropy Australia Indigenous Affinity Group - Melbourne - first meeting for 2008 (Members Only)
26th March 2008, Melbourne.

Philanthropy Australia Arts Affinity Group - Melbourne - first meeting for 2008 (Members Only)
3rd April 2008, Melbourne

The How and Why of Philanthropic Giving: Helping Your Clients to do Good
1st April 2008, Melbourne

Connecting Up 2008: Online and Off to the Future of Nonprofits
19th-20th May 2008, Brisbane