philanthropyOz Blog

New edition of ‘Australian Philanthropy’ Journal - Education

Supporting Education: The Vital Ingredient is the theme of our latest issue of Australian Philanthropy, issue 70 Spring 2008.

“Human history becomes more and more a race between education and catastrophe.” Nearly ninety years after HG Wells wrote these words, they remain lamentably relevant. Education is one of the most beneficial investments that individuals can make in themselves and that society can make in its people. Pre-schools, primary and secondary schools, alternative schools and community-based education centres, TAFE and adult education providers – all can be agents for individual transformation, increasing social cohesion and community capacity-building. Yet even in our prosperous country, education systems and standards are failing to live up to their potential.

This issue of Australian Philanthropy explores philanthropic support for education: how can philanthropy strengthen public education, when most donors can’t fund government schools? What initiatives are leading the way in supporting Indigenous or remote students? And what cross-sectoral benefits – economic, social, community - accrue from higher retention rates? This 70th issue of Australian Philanthropy is devoted to philanthropy and education.

• 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.

National Australia Bank launches $5 million annual education awards program

National Australia Bank Group (NAB) has announced an education awards program open to every primary and secondary school in Australia, with $5 million available in awards funding every year.

Schools First, the biggest corporate sponsored education initiative in Australia, has been developed by NAB in partnership with Australia Cares, The Foundation for Young Australians and the Australian Council for Educational Research. It aims to promote excellence in the area by providing significant incentives for schools to build and strengthen partnerships with their communities.

To support the awards program, Schools First will also facilitate a national series of workshops to help schools and communities learn about how to build and strengthen partnerships, as well as developing a central knowledge bank of resources for all schools and communities to draw on.

The initiative is based on research which shows that effective school-community partnerships can result in improved student outcomes, including greater student engagement, improved attendance and retention, better academic performance, increased skills and improved transitions into the workforce, further education or training.

For more information see the Schools First website, www.schoolsfirst.edu.au.

Vale Ben Bodna AM

Philanthropy Australia is deeply saddened to report the passing of long time Council member and Life Member, Ben Bodna AM. Ben will be well-known to many members as Trustee of the Jack Brockhoff Foundation and Chairman of Foundation Boroondara, as well as through his work as President and then Vice-President of Philanthropy Australia.

In previous roles Ben Bodna was Director-General of Community Welfare Services Victoria, Deputy-Secretary of the Law Department of Victoria, first Public Advocate for the State of Victoria, and former President of Unicef Australia. He had a long involvement with many community organisations including the People Together Project, the Purple Sage Project, and Camcare, and a strong interest in disability and in improving the justice system. In 1984 he received VCOSS’ Special Award for Community Service. He was awarded an AM for community service in 1992, and in 1996 the Victorian Council for Civil Liberties recognised him for “outstanding commitment to the promotion of human rights and freedom”.

In his time at Philanthropy Australia Ben was inaugural chair of the Disability Affinity Group and a strong advocate for the development of community foundations. Notable for his gentleness and thoughtfulness, he will be greatly missed. Philanthropy Australia extends condolences to Kay and family.

New PPFs & Philanthropy website launched at Conference today

This is a live blog post made from the Philanthropy Australia Conference, Passion & Purpose, currently underway in Sydney.

In his Opening Plenary speech this morning at the Philanthropy Australia Conference, President of Philanthropy Australia, Bruce Bonyhady, officially announced Philanthropy Australia’s new Prescribed Private Funds website: PPFs & Philanthropy.

Maintained and hosted by Philanthropy Australia, the PPF website is a hub for those interested in Prescribed Private Funds – including the question of whether to establish one or not. It offers legal and structural information about PPFs, issues and debates relating to philanthropy, case studies and interviews with PPF founders and trustees.

There is also have a PPF News section with news, legislative developments and other timely information of value to PPF staff and trustees as well as to wealth advisors and others interested in developments to do with this relatively young and dynamic trust structure.

Visit PPFs & Philanthropy now by going to: http://ppf.philanthropy.org.au

The Future of Australian Philanthropy: New Uncertainties and Opportunities

This is a live blog post made from the Philanthropy Australia Conference, Passion & Purpose, currently underway in Sydney.

The Future of Australian Philanthropy: New Uncertainties and Opportunities

Opening Plenary by Bruce Bonyhady
16 October, 2008

This presentation was made by Bruce Bonyhady, President, Philanthropy Australia and Chairman, ANZ Trustees Limited to the Philanthropy Australia Conference, Passion & Purpose, 16 - 17 October, 2008. I would like to thank Vanessa Meachen and Gina Anderson for their very helpful contributions to this speech; any errors and omissions are mine.

Continue reading The Future of Australian Philanthropy: New Uncertainties and Opportunities…

Anti-Poverty Week launched with $8 million grant

Premier John Brumby launched Anti-Poverty Week on Friday with an $8 million grant to help not-for-profit businesses get up and running in Victoria.

A new $8 million agency will be set up in partnership with a private family trust to support community enterprises which help provide job training and work opportunities for people. The private contributors have chosen to remain anonymous. Known as the Social Traders, the partnership is collaboration between the Victorian Government and a private philanthropic family trust, which will each contribute $4 million over four years to the agency. It will be run by a consortium of cross sector organisations with extensive experience in community and social enterprise development

In addition, the Brumby Government has also allocated $3 million dollars in grants to help kick-start new community enterprises and support existing enterprises.

Anti-Poverty Week is convened in partnership between Melbourne Citymission and Hanover Welfare Services . For more information, visit www.antipovertyweek.org.au

Philanthropy Australia Conference this week

Philanthropy Australia’s Conference, Passion & Purpose, is being held in Sydney this Thursday & Friday.

Registration is still open: see the program and register online at www.philanthropy.org.au/conference

Philanthropy Australia staff will be live blogging some of the sessions at this event, keep an eye out on the philanthropyOz Blog for updates this Thursday & Friday.

NAB - $100 million to microenterprise

NAB launched their award winning Microenterprise Loans pilot 18 months ago. Since then 110 applicants have been supported with unsecured, not-for-profit business loans of between $500 and $20,000.

NAB has announced that they are now providing $100 million in loan capital to support micro-businesses in Australia. This investment, at its full capacity, will make Australia a microenterprise world-leader in the developed world. At a more grassroots level, it will provide not-for-profit loans to fund Australians with a sound business plan but little or no avenues to access business credit. NAB will also be looking to build additional partnerships with community and government organisations to help deliver the increased scale of this loan product.

Visit www.nab.com.au/community for more information.

Business for Millennium Development Summit

Australian businesses are being called upon to extend their core business into developing countries in a bid to eradicate poverty and meet the United Nations’ Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) at the Business for Millennium Development Summit in Melbourne on Friday October 24 2008.

The Millennium Development Goals were developed by the United Nations (UN) in 2001 to provide a framework for the elimination of the major issues facing those living in extreme poverty, with targets set for each goal to be reached by 2015.

The Business for Millennium Development Summit 2008 will bring together business leaders to consider opportunities they can apply their core business skills in commercially viable forms to alleviate poverty in the Asia Pacific region and beyond. Businesses attending the Summit will discuss ways in which they can adapt their businesses to new, developing markets, seek advice on creating new opportunities by aligning themselves with the MDGs and learn from companies which have already begun business with the poor in developing nations.

B4MD was established in May 2007 to encourage awareness amongst Australian businesses of the MDGs and to align their businesses to support achieving these goals. According to the International Business Leadership Forum and the World Business Council for Sustainable Development, without the contribution of the business community, it is unlikely the MDGs will be achieved by 2015.

The MDGs are also endorsed by the Federal Government. The Australian Prime Minister, the Hon. Kevin Rudd MP, will attend the United Nations Millennium Development Summit in New York on 25 September, as well as the B4MD Melbourne Summit next month.

For more information about the B4MD Summit, visit www.b4md.com.au.

PricewaterhouseCoopers Transparency Awards - 2008/09 Registrations Open

PricewaterhouseCoopers has collaborated with the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia and the Centre for Social Impact to launch the 2008/09 PwC Transparency Awards, which aim to support the improvement of transparency and quality of reporting in the not-for-profit sector.

The PricewaterhouseCoopers Transparency Awards give not-for-profit organisations a valuable opportunity to prove that they take the issue of transparency and quality of reporting seriously.

To be a part of these Awards and receive individual feedback on how to improve your organisation’s reporting, register online at www.pwc.com/au/transparencyawards by 5pm Friday 7 November 2008.