philanthropyOz Blog

Queen’s Birthday Honours recipients

Philanthropy Australia offers warm congratulations to the following members and associates who were honoured in the 2012 Queen’s Birthday Honours:

Mary Crooks, Executive Officer, The Victorian Women’s Trust (AO)

Simon McKeon, Australian of the Year, former World Vision board member (AO)

Emeritus Professor Robert Officer, Board member, Colonial Foundation (AM)

Kristen Stegley, Life Member through the Stegley Foundation (OAM)

Public Ancillary Funds Trustee Handbook launched

Philanthropy Australia is pleased to launch a new free downloadable Handbook for trustees of Public Ancillary Funds (PuAFs). Not only is this guide useful for existing PuAFs, but also to those who are considering establishing a PuAF or have involvement with them as a partner or grant-seeker.

In the light of recent legislative changes and the new Guidelines for Public Ancillary Funds, this Handbook will be a particularly useful guide to the new requirements. It comments on what is now required of trustees of PuAFs, and where the trustee is a company the directors thereof, under the Guidelines and at law. It is not a legal document but a “plain English” introductory guide to the role and duties of the trustee and trustee directors.

Download the Public Ancillary Funds Trustee Handbook online.

Conference 2012 Update: New Keynote Speakers & Early Bird Closing Soon

New Keynote Speakers

Our conference draft program has been updated, including new keynotes, speakers and facilitators. We’re pleased to announce our three new keynote speakers below:

Luther M Ragin, Jr.

Luther M. Ragin, Jr. is the Chief Executive Officer of the Global Impact Investing Network (GIIN), a nonprofit organization dedicated to increasing the scale and effectiveness of impact investing. The GIIN builds critical infrastructure and supports activities, education, and research that help accelerate the development of more robust impact investing industry.

» Read more about Luther

Steve Killelea AM

Steve Killelea is Founder and Executive Chairman of the Institute for Economics and Peace, an accomplished entrepreneur in high technology business development and at the forefront of philanthropic activities focused on sustainable development and peace. After successfully building two international software companies, Steve decided to dedicate most of his time and fortune to sustainable development and peace.

» Read more about Steve

Allan English

A major supporter of micro finance programs in developing countries with Opportunity International, Allan’s philanthropic goal is to fund 1 million people out of poverty in India. The English Family Foundation is also involved in supporting local projects, and Allan was awarded Queensland Community Philanthropist of the Year in 2012.

» Read more about Allan

Early Bird Member rates closing soon

If you’re a Member of Philanthropy Australia and you haven’t yet registered to attend the conference, we suggest you do so soon to take advantage of the early bird saving of $200 for Full and Associate Members before 10 July!

If you’re not a Member, we urge you to register as soon as possible as the conference capacity is limited to 300 delegates and seats are filling quickly.

» More info on registration

New Seminar Series: How Australia Gives

Philanthropy Australia is delighted to announce the first in a new series of seminars, How Australia Gives, in which we draw together leading examples of philanthropic endeavour. We will highlight the many and varied examples of How Australia Gives to inspire donors and encourage not-for-profits.

The first seminar is Granting By Trustee Companies - Traditionalists And Trailblazers.

Trustee companies have been a part of the Australian philanthropic landscape since 1878. Traditionally involved with the execution of estates and bequests trustee companies are now more actively involved with living donors particularly through the establishment of private ancillary funds (PAFs) and public ancillary funds (PuAFs).

This seminar will bring together presenters from four of Australia’s leading trustee companies to discuss the philosophy and processes behind their grant-making strategies.

Charitable trusts provide a vital and perpetual source of funding for NFPs. Between them ANZ Trustees, Equity Trustees, Perpetual Trustees and The Trust Company manage almost 1300 charitable trusts consisting of $3 billion in funds under management and distributing over $160 million in discretionary funds each year.

In this How Australia Gives seminar, four major trends in philanthropy will form the backdrop:

1. Exploring new models of financing for not-for-profits: how will charitable foundations participate, and how will this change the charitable sector?
2. Increased giving trends measured over the long term, including structured giving, are leading to the emergence of a larger, more fragmented and complex philanthropic sector: what does this mean for not-for-profits and advisors?
3. How is the trend toward ‘giving while living’ changing the relationships between donors and charities, and donors with their foundations and advisors?
4. The increasing demands in philanthropic governance: transparency; the emergence of social return on investment and social impact measures; and calls for accountability in philanthropy.

Speakers:

• Teresa Zolnierkiewicz, ANZ Trustees
• Andrew Thomas, Perpetual
• Tabitha Lovett, Equity Trustees
• Simon Lewis, The Trust Company
• Dr Deborah Seifert, Philanthropy Australia
• Rikki Andrews, Philanthropy Australia

For more information including a schedule for the session and speaker bios, see How Australia Gives on our website.

ACNC Commissioner announced

Assistant Treasurer David Bradbury announced today that the Government will nominate Susan Pascoe AM for Inaugural Commissioner of the Australian Charities and Not-for-Profits Commission (ACNC). Susan Pascoe is currently the Interim Commissioner of the ACNC Implementation Taskforce.

More information is on the Assistant Treasurer’s Press Release.