philanthropyOz Blog

Approvals of new PPFs down in June.

The Assistant Treasurer Senator Nick Sherry has announced the approval of 36 new Prescribed Private Funds (PPFs) in June. While this figure is substantially down on the 147 announced at the same time last year, it is understood the discrepancy was due in part to the prevailing uncertainty around the changes to PPFs. The publication of the new Guidelines for Private Ancillary Funds (PAFs, replacing PPFs), to come into force on October 1 2009, has provided clarification and reaffirmed confidence in the Government’s support for philanthropy. Given this, and the improved economic outlook, we can expect to see an increase in number of PAFs set up this financial year.

Download the Assistant Treasurer’s press release.
Read more about the Guidelines for Private Ancillary Funds.

Major Atlantic Philanthropies donations in Australia

The Atlantic Philanthropies, founded by Charles ‘Chuck’ Feeney, has announced major donations totalling A$102.5M to three Australian institutions - Brisbane’s Translational Research Institute, located at the Princess Alexandra Hospital ($50M), Queensland Institute of Medical Research ($27.5M), and Queensland University of Technology ($25M).

Reported in the ‘Australian Financial Review’ yesterday, 28 July 2009 (Link available for AFR subscribers only), The Atlantic Philanthropies has been working with federal and state governments to secure matched funding, resulting in a remarkable public-private partnership.

With this new grant, The Altantic Philanthropies has donated in excess of $500M to Australian institutions, mainly in Queensland and Victoria, going largely to medical research.

The Altantic Philanthropies are committed to spending down their entire endowment by 2020, granting approximately US$350M per annum till 2016. They fund in ageing; children & youth; population health; and reconciliation & human rights - in the following countries: Australia, Bermuda, Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland, South Africa, the United States and Viet Nam.

Projects Pool launched

A new knowledge sharing service for Philanthropy Australia full Members will be launched today in Sydney. The Projects Pool offers a convenient, discreet and secure way to share project recommendations among our full Members.

The Projects Pool is a reservoir of recommended projects for which non-profits are currently seeking funding. Each project listed has been recommended by a Philanthropy Australia full Member; usually a project for which a Member has received an application, and assessed, but cannot fund and would like to recommend to other funders.

Using the Projects Pool Members can:

• Recommend projects for funding, perhaps that they themselves were unable to fund; and
• Seek out projects which come recommended by other Members, having had some initial due diligence undertaken.

Members can access the Projects Pool from the Philanthropy Australia homepage (menu on the left, under Grantmaker Tools) or click on this link
www.philanthropy.org.au/projects.
A username and password are required to log in.

We look forward to seeing our Members contribute projects, and are ready to help where we can. Contact Louise Arkles on l.arkles@philanthropy.org.au or (03) 9620 0200

Australian Community Foundations Forum 2009

Registrations for the much anticipated Australian Community Foundations Forum are flowing in. The Forum will take place from Wednesday 12 to Friday 14 August in Mount Gambier, and registrations close on Friday 31st July.

This is a great opportunity for all those in the Community Foundation field - board members and staff, volunteers and advisors, and those considering establishing a community foundation - to find out what’s happening across Australia and internationally.

For more information go to the Forum 2009 page on the Community Foundations Gateway.

New Events

 A few networking opportunities have popped up around Melbourne, and a great opportunity in the Homelessness Forum, organised by the Lord Mayor’s Charitable Foundation. The Sustainable Development Conference may be of particular interest in regard to indigenous communities and sustainable mining.

• Women & Management Dinner (12 August, Melbourne)
• AuSAE National Third Sector Leaders Symposium (19 October, Melbourne)
• Homelessness Forum (26 October, Melbourne)
• SD09 Sustainable Development Conference (26-30 October, South Australia)
• ThirdSector Women’s Networking Lunch (16 March 2010, Melbourne)

For more information please see the Events Calendar.

Australian Report on Managing in a Downturn released

PricewaterhouseCoopers, the Fundraising Institute Australia and the Centre for Social Impact have just released ‘Managing in a Downturn’, the report of a survey into the impact of the global financial crisis on Australian not-for-profit organisations. The survey was conducted in April and May 2009 and draws upon a similar survey conducted in the UK last year (reported previously). It focuses on the impact of the downturn in the past six months and the anticipated future impact over the next year.

Among the highlighted findings are that three-fifths of survey respondents reported a decrease in their income over the past six months, and almost one third had experienced a drop of more than 10%. Two-thirds of respondents expected a further drop over the next year. In response to their deteriorating economic expectations, a third of respondents had already implemented some cost reductions and more expect to do so in future. Smaller organisations are suffering more than larger ones, which tend to have larger cash reserves.

The full report is available for download from the Centre for Social Impact website.

Foundation giving trends in USA; assets down but giving up

New research released by the US-based Foundation Center shows that while American foundations’ assets decreased by an estimated 21.9% between 2007 and 2008, overall foundation giving has increased by an estimated 2.8%.

However, inflation-adjusted foundation giving in the US is expected to decline in 2009 due to the continuing effects of the global financial crisis. The Foundation Center believes that the effects on gtiving prompted by this decline in assets may be mitigated by current measures being taken by some foundations, including temporary increases in payout rates to combat the crisis.

Download the highlights paper from the Foundation Center’s website: http://foundationcenter.org/gainknowledge/research/pdf/fy2009_highlights.pdf.

New Position Vacant

The National Museum of Australia are seeking a Sponsorship Coordinator to help secure and service funding for their wide range of programs, exhibitions and activities.

Applications close Thursday 30 July.

For more information please see the Positions Vacant page.

New Events

 As well as new meeting dates for our Members, we’re keeping track of some important events on the world stage:

• The Future of Aged Care Services - A Looming Crisis? Includes an address by The Hon Justine Elliott MP, Minister for Ageing (4 August, Melbourne)
• ACT Dinner Debate - Economics, Statistics and Evidence-based Policy Making (19 August, ACT)
• 2009 Australian National Carbon Conference (28 August, Brisbane)
• Social Infrastructure: Project delivery and public demand (28 August, Melbourne)
• Disability Affinity Group Meeting (9 September, Melbourne, Members Only)
• Artsupport Indigenous Arts Expo (11 November, Melbourne, Members Only - Following Indigenous Affinity Group meeting)
• COP15 - United Nations Climate Change Conference (7-18 December, Denmark)

For more information please see the Events Calendar.

New Events

 A few new events to ponder over the weekend:

• Research Australia Adelaide Members & Supporters Briefing – Guest Speaker Prof Mike Brooks (27 July, Adelaide)
• Ageing Futures Affinity Group Meeting (23 September, Melbourne, Members Only)
• Asia Pacific Breakthrough: The Women, Faith and Development Summit to End Global Poverty (2-3 December, Melbourne)

For more information please see the Events Calendar.