philanthropyOz Blog

2007 - SME Community Business Partnerships

In 2006 Western Australian Community Foundation and Western Australian Council for Social Service commissioned Synovate to undertake both focus group and quantitative survey research with small to medium enterprises (SMEs) to explore their understanding of, and interest in, the concept of community business partnerships. The research, funded by Lotterywest, explored how SMEs in WA currently engage in partnerships with community organisations, and identified barriers and opportunities to foster further relationships between the community sector and small business.

The research has found that community support by small to medium enterprises in WA is high, with 74% of businessses claiming to currently support community-based organisations in some form. The level of support is higher in regional centres than in the metropolitan area, where there appears to be a strong focus on contributing to the local community.

The social areas that currently attract the highest levels of support in WA from SMEs include the areas of children or youth, disability and education causes, where businesses feel that they are contributing to “socially healthy” communities. Support that SMEs provide in these areas usually comes in the form of a financial donation, with a typical donation being approximately 1% of annual turnover.

Further information can be found via the press release of the findings, or you can download the entire document on WACF’s website.

» 2007 - SME Community Business Partnerships on the PhilanthropyWiki

Report on Philanthropy in the ACT available

A review of philanthropy in the Australian Capital Territory is now available online. The report, commissioned by the ACT Department of Disability, Housing & Community Services, details the nature and extent of philanthropic giving in the ACT, with the aim of identifying its adequacy, trends, impediments and opportunities for growth. Philanthropy Australia was consulted as part of the research of this report, as were several of our Members. The ACT Government’s response to the report is also available.

This review of ACT philanthropy is one of very few state and territory based studies in Australia - as far as we can ascertain, the only other is the Queensland Community Foundation’s 2005 review Philanthropy’s Future in the Smart State.

Download A Review of Philanthropy in the Australian Capital Territory directly from the DHCS website here.

Trustee Handbook launch & workshops

We are pleased to announce the upcoming release of the Trustee Handbook: Roles and Duties of Trustees of Charitable Trusts and Foundations in Australia, published by Philanthropy Australia and supported by the Westpac Foundation.

The Trustee Handbook provides an easy-to-understand, plain language guide to what trustees should do and also what they must do, without offering legal advice. It is an ideal base for new trustees and foundation staff; useful to those providing advice on setting up foundations and trusts; and an excellent reference document and aide memoire to those already familiar with its subject. Created in consultation with our Members, this Trustee Handbook is an essential document for PPFs, Community Foundations, Family Foundations, Charitable Trusts and Ancillary Funds.

The Trustee Handbook will be launched in Sydney and Brisbane in July. Philanthropy Australia will also be running workshops for trustees to attend in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane. Dates, cost and further information can be found on the Trustee Workshops page on our website.

The Handbook will be available for free electronic download following its launch.

The Nation & Beyond: The New Philanthropy - Alfred Deakin lectures 2008

On June 12 in Melbourne a crowd gathered to hear Rupert Myer AM and Sir Gus Nossal AC CBE, among others, speak on ‘The New Philanthropy’, as part of the Alfred Deakin Lectures. In an insightful and inspiring speech, Mr Myer challenged the audience to think carefully about the language of philanthropy - for him the term ‘giving back’ smacks of something taken or obligation, neither reflecting true philanthropy which derives from generosity of spirit.

You can read his paper on the PhilanthropyWiki.

New reports on the PhilanthropyWiki

‘Our Children, Our Future - Achieving Improved Primary and Secondary Education Outcomes for Indigenous Students’

A new report was launched recently, published by the AMP Foundation, Effective Philanthropy and Social Ventures Australia, offering an overview of philanthropic investment opportunities and approaches to improving outcomes for Indigenous students.

The report ‘Our Children, Our Future - Achieving Improved Primary and Secondary Education Outcomes for Indigenous Students’ provides an overview of current Indigenous education challenges and outcomes, and the impact these have on Indigenous students’ opportunities to access post-secondary qualifications and employment. It identifies the key underlying factors that contribute to this state of affairs, including the social, community and home contexts in which students participate, and their own personal life experience.

The authors, Louise Doyle and Regina Hill, provide a framework for making philanthropic investments that will produce sustainable outcomes, identifying 8 interventions. Case studies for each intervention category are provided, along with key success factors to assist philanthropic investors to assess the effectiveness of individual intervention programs.

Acting wikily: how networks are changing social change

For those wanting to understand how new technologies are contributing to social change efforts, ‘Acting wikily: how networks are changing social change’ is a great place to start. This article explores how new technologies are changing the way we communicate and connect, with particular emphasis on the what this might mean for not-for-profit organisations and philanthropic foundations.

Such fundamental practices as how groups get formed and work gets done are changing, as social media (also called Web 2.0) technologies offer “new networked ways of behaving - ways of acting wikily - that are characterized by principles of openness, transparency, decentralized decision-making, and distributed action.”

The authors question what impact this might have on social change movements and philanthropy, now that organisations are no longer the only way to organise effort; effectiveness is no longer equated with longevity but with mobilization; and the power balance between experts and amateurs is shifting.

On a reassuring note, human elements still matter, with trust and authentic relationships being essential elements of successful online networking.

Indigenous Governance Awards - Celebrating Indigenous Governance

Reconciliation Australia have published Celebrating Indigenous Governance, a publication based on the applications from the 2005 Indigenous Government Awards.

The Indigenous Governance Awards were created by Reconciliation Australia in partnership with BHP Billiton to identify, celebrate and promote effective Indigenous governance. The national awards highlight success in Indigenous Australia - strong leadership, good management, effective partnerships and brave, creative thinking.

The first two years of the awards (2005 and 2006) drew 104 applications, with a total of $50,000 awarded to organisations to continue building and developing good governance. The achievements of the applicants, finalists and winners in previous years were widely reported in the Indigenous and mainstream media.

The publication, Celebrating Indigenous Governance - Success stories of the Indigenous Governance Awards is available for free download from the IGA website.

Click here to find out more about the Awards.

Is Philanthropy Relevant? Survey of Professional Advisers in Australia

Dr Kym Madden of The Australian Centre for Philanthropy & Nonprofit Studies at Queensland University of Technology is conducting a third survey of attitudes and behaviours of professional advisers (private bankers, financial planners/advisers, lawyers, CPAs) regarding raising the topic of philanthropy with their clients, and constraints from doing so.

Findings will be available free-of-charge from the CPNS website, and will provide the advisory sector with insights into the constraints limiting access to quality advice about philanthropy and the resources most desired by those expanding services in this area.

If you are a financial adviser or planner, private banker, accountant or lawyer then you are eligible to completely this survey. You can find it online here:
http://survey.bus.qut.edu.au/index.php?sid=99

The survey will be open until July 14, 2008.

Mission Australia’s 2008 Survey of Australia’s Young People

Mission Australia has launched its 7th annual survey of Young Australians aged 11 to 24 years. The survey looks at what young people value, what concerns them, where they go for advice and support and who they admire. A report of the survey findings will be released late in 2008.

The survey closes on Fri 27 June. The survey can be completed on line at www.missionaustralia.com.au/youthsurvey or hard copies are available from hampshirea@missionaustralia.com.au

You can find the results of the 2007 Youth Survey here.

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.

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.