philanthropyOz Blog

New consulting service for the not-for-profit sector launches in Australia

Social Ventures Australia (SVA) officially launched a new strategic consulting practice for the not-for-profit sector on 29th April 2008. Designed to help both not-for-profits and their funders clarify direction, measure performance and improve capacity, SVA Consulting - a partnership between Macquarie Group Foundation and SVA - is the first of its kind in Australia. The SVA Consulting model, while developed in and for the Australian market, has strong links to specialist not-for-profit in the U.S., Bridgespan.

SVA Consulting Executive Director, Duncan Peppercorn is confident the demand exists for a consulting service dedicated to helping not-for-profits achieve their next stage of growth and long-term sustainability. Equally, the new venture is expected to be well received by investors - including foundations, philanthropists and governments – seeking analysis and evaluation to help guide their philanthropic activities.

For more information, see www.socialventures.com.au/content/SVA_Consulting

New Events, Positions Vacant

New Events:

• Fundraising Workshop Series for Board Members, CEOs and Senior Executives of Nonprofit Organisations (May-November, Melbourne)
  1: Contemporary Fundraising: Opportunities and Challenges
  2: Preparing your Organisation for a Major Appeal
  3: People, Power and Fundraising
  4: Partnerships and Fundraising
• Pathways to a home for people with a mental illness - Bruce Woodcock Memorial Lecture (22 May, Melbourne)
• The Early Years: From Reasearch to Policy to Practice Seminar - Working in Partnership with Indigenous Communities (26th May, Melbourne)

New Positions Vacant:

• Personal Assistant/Bookkeeper/Foundation Administrator - The Thomas Foundation (Noosa, QLD)
• PR & Communications Manager - Foundation for National Parks & Wildlife (Sydney)

Mapping Social Cohesion report

Funded by the Scanlon Foundation, this report details the results of a major longitudinal survey on social cohesion in Australia. It provides insights into community attitudes to immigration, multiculturalism and social cohesion, based on findings from national and local surveys.

The report covers topics such as Australians’ attitudes to immigration and multicultural society, levels of discrimination, how happy we are, how much we feel a sense of belonging and how much we trust in politicians, institutions and other people.

Find out more about the report or download it via the PhilanthropyWiki.

Positions Vacant & SVA Workshops

New Positions Vacant:

• Philanthropy Development Manager - Research Australia (Melbourne)
• Philanthropy Executive - Sydney Theatre Company (Sydney)
• Executive Officer - State Library of Victoria Foundation (Melbourne)

New Events: Social Ventures Australia Workshops Program - 2008

SVA workshops are designed for leaders and managers of non-profit organisations of any size or focus area. This includes program and project managers as well as those managing fundraising, finance, operations and marketing and communications functions.

This year’s workshops are:

• Planning and Evaluation Workshop
• Organisation Building & Growth Workshop
• Financial Management Workshop
• Funding Strategy
• Board Development

They are being held in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane throughout May - September.

Go to the Events Calendar for more information.

End of financial year - donation options

With the end of financial year approaching, we have received many enquiries from people wishing to make a tax deductible donation before the end of June. Here are answers to the most frequently asked questions.

Q: Where can I find some tax-deductible charities to donate to?
A: Associate Members of Philanthropy Australia who may be suitable donees are listed on our Getting Involved » Giving to Charity page. OurCommunity, Pro Bono Australia, and OzCharity all also have listings of organisations which are seeking donations, some with online donation facilities.

Q: Where do I start if I want to set up a foundation before the end of financial year?
A: If you’re looking to establish a Prescribed Private Fund, it’s probably already too late to get Treasury and ATO approval in time to make a tax deductible donation before the end of this financial year. However, it is not too late to establish a managed account (also known as sub-fund) with your local Community Foundation or with an ‘umbrella’ foundation managed by a Trustee Company or wealth manager.

For more information on the different options see A Guide to Giving for Australians. See also our list of Service Providers at for professional advisors who assist with establishing foundations.

Q: How much of a deduction can I get?
A: See the ATO’s page on tax deductible donations for more information.

Q: Can I donate property or goods?
A: See the ATO’s page on tax deductible donations for more information.

Q: Does a PPF need to have a separate trust deed? Who can the trustees be?
A: See the PPF section of the ATO’s website for PPF guidelines, and also see PhilanthropyWiki’s PPF section.

New on the Philanthropy Australia Website

New Position Vacant:

• Grants Manager, Victoria Law Foundation

New Events:

• Disability Affinity Group (Melbourne, Members Only) - 23rd April
• Philanthropy and Government in Partnership with Place (Melbourne) - 29th April
• Strong Foundations… Strong Future: Aboriginal Health Research Conference 2008 (Sydney) - 29th-30th April
• The Maimonides Society - take the temperature of Al Gore’s Climate Project (Melbourne) - 30th April
• Great Minds Review (Sydney, Members Only) - 6th May
• Climate Change: An American Funder’s Experience. Morning Tea with Ted Smith, Executive Director of the USA Kendall Foundation. (Melbourne) - 6th May
• Corporate Foundation Network Meeting (Sydney, Members Only) - 13th May
• Indigenous Affinity Group Meeting (Sydney, Members Only) - 15th May
• Early Intervention Affinity Group Meeting (Sydney, Members Only) - 22nd May
• Climate Change: the State and Federal Political Context, Lunchtime Seminar with John Thwaites (Melbourne) - 27th May
• Early Intervention Affinity Group (Melbourne, Members Only) - 29th May
• Loddon Mallee Aboriginal Reference Group panel - Indigenous Affinity Group (Echuca, Members Only) - 4th June
• Invasive Species -Threatening Australia’s Biodiversity and Landscapes (Lunchtime Seminar, Melbourne) - 10th June
• Arts Affinity Group (Melbourne, Members Only) - 12th June
• Grants 101: Professional Grant Proposal Writing Workshop (Sydney) - 23rd-25th June
• Making a Difference: Social Inclusion for New and Emerging Communities (Adelaide) - 26th-27th June
• Anti-Poverty Week 2008 (National) - 12th-18th October

New on the PhilanthropyWiki:

• The SEIFA (Socio-Economic Indexes for Areas) tables, produced by the ABS, provides a detailed data set comparing the relative social and economic conditions of cities, towns and suburbs across Australia as well as accompanying explanatory material and analysis.
• Developing Grantmaker Principles and Standards - presentation by Chris Andersen
• Prime Minister’s Community Business Partnership - Many of the PMCBP’s publications are now available via FAHCSIA.

Other News:

• The Foundation for Rural and Regional Renewal is part of a story on ABC Landline on Sunday 20 April at 12.00pm. It’s the story on the winner of the Drought not Out partnership FRRR had with the ABC.

AMP Foundation Community Report

The AMP Foundation have recently published their 2007 Community Report.

The Community Report acknowledges the achievements of AMP’s community partners as well as the community contribution of AMP employees and financial planners.

Last year, the AMP Foundation invested more than $6 million in the Australian and New Zealand communities in the areas of Community Involvement and Capacity Building.

Under Capacity Building, the AMP Foundation invested in non-profit organisations that focus on youth and on non-profit organisations that work to enhance the sustainability of the sector.

Under Community Involvement, AMP’s employees and financial planners volunteered their time and skills to help a number of non-profit organisations.

Click here to read the report online.

Upcoming media - JJJ

I will be interviewed for JJJ’s ‘Sunday Night Safran‘ program to air on Sunday 20 April at 9 PM. I’ve been asked to speak about philanthropy and religious issues. It should be interesting!

Members and friends who would like to hear the show can find the frequency for JJJ in their area onJJJ’s website. The program will also be available as a podcast at a later date.

New Members of Philanthropy Australia

Philanthropy Australia would like to warmly welcome the following new Members who have joined us in the past quarter:

Full Members

• The Balnaves Foundation
• B & R Bonyhady
• E. Mahlab
• South West Community Foundation
• C. Thorn
• D. Ward

Associates

• Brisbane City Council
• Country Education Foundation of Australia
• Daystar Foundation
• Effective Philanthropy
• Grosvenor Financial Services
• M. Hayward
• Legal Services Board
• Research Australia Philanthropy
• Royal Botanic Gardens Sydney
• Senses Foundation

New edition of ‘Australian Philanthropy’ Journal - Climate Change

Climate Change: Environmental and Social Impacts and What Philanthropy Can Do to Help is the theme of our latest issue of Australian Philanthropy, issue 68 Autumn 2008.

The threat presented by climate change to the world as we know it has more dimensions than simply the environmental. This issue of Australian Philanthropy seeks to understand why, to date, the philanthropic sector has been reluctant to commit much funding to addressing climate change and how that tide may be turning. We showcase outstanding Australian projects which seek to identify and minimise the environmental and social impacts of climate change, and explore what the philanthropic sector is undertaking on a global scale to address the issue. Our feature interviewee is Mark Wootton from Poola Foundation who funded the establishment of The Climate Institute.

• Read selected articles online or browse the full contents list on the PhilanthropyWiki; or
• Find out more about Australian Philanthropy on the Philanthropy Australia Website.