philanthropyOz Blog

National Compact launched today

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has launched the National Compact between the Australian Government and the Third Sector at Parliament House today.

The Prime Minister, the Hon Jenny Macklin, Minister for Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, Senator the Hon Ursula Stephens, Parliamentary Secretary for Social Inclusion and the Voluntary Sector and Sector leaders signed a canvas representing their commitment to the Compact’s Shared Vision:

…. to work together to improve social, cultural, civic, economic and environmental outcomes, building on the strengths of individuals and communities. This collaboration will contribute to improved community wellbeing and a more inclusive Australian society with better quality of life for all.

To download a copy of the National Compact please visit www.nationalcompact.gov.au.

For further information about the National Compact email nationalcompact@fahcsia.gov.au

Winners of Indigenous Scholarship to Oxford Uni announced

Two students have won the inaugural Charlie Perkins Scholarships, that will see them be the first Indigenous Australians to study at Oxford University.

Paul Gray (Bachelor of Science (Hons.) in Psychology and Bachelor of Arts in Sociology/Aboriginal Studies from the University of Sydney) and Christian Thompson (acclaimed artist and Masters of Fine Art from RMIT in Melbourne) are the inaugural winners of the Charlie Perkins scholarship programme that will send them to study at Oxford University.

The scholarships, covering living expenses, air fares and tuition fees for up to three years, are supported jointly by the Australian Government, through the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations, the British Government and Rio Tinto, with Qantas supporting the program as official airline sponsor.

The scholarships are named in honour of Charlie Perkins, who while playing soccer professionally in the UK, was inspired to return to Australia to undertake university study after competing in a game against Oxford University. He was the first Indigenous Australian man to graduate from university and the first Indigenous head of an Australian Government department.

For more information see Aurora Project website.

Directory of Philanthropy on Sale

As of 10 March 2010, the last-ever print edition of The Australian Directory of Philanthropy 2008/09 is now selling at the reduced price of $40.00 plus postage.

We will no longer be reprinting the hard copy edition, but publishing the Directory online exclusively.

To purchase or find out more please see the Directory page on our website.

Fellowships for disability sector CEOs

Applications are now open for the Harvard Club of Australia — Victoria Nonprofit Fellowships, which enable up to two CEOs of Victorian-based disability sector organizations to attend the week-long Harvard Business School program ‘Strategic Perspectives in Nonprofit Management’, which runs in mid-July each year.

Application materials can be accessed online, at http://www.hcag.org.au/NPFs.htm

Necessitous circumstances funds update

The Australian Taxation Office has updated its information page on Necessitous circumstances funds. Necessitous circumstances funds are tax deductible public funds maintained to provide relief for persons in Australia who are in necessitous circumstances. “Necessitous circumstances” refers specifically to financial necessity rather than being in need generally.

The updated webpage includes a description of the requirements to be endorsed as a necessitous circumstances fund, a checklist and information on deductible gifts.

More information: Necessitous circumstances funds.

Final Productivity Commission Report Available

The Productivity Commission’s final report into the Contribution of the Not-for-Profit Sector has been released and is now available for viewing or download from the Productivity Commission’s website.

The report recommends wide-ranging reforms to remove unncessary burdens and costs faced by the not-for-profit sector as well as to improve its accountability. The recommendations include:

• Establishment of a Registrar for Community and Charitable Purpose Organisations to act as a ‘one-stop shop’ for Commonwealth-based regulation
• Establishment of an Office for Sector Engagement to drive reform and policy development at the Commonwealth level
• Creation of a national measurement framework and a Centre for Community Service Effectiveness to act as a clearinghouse to promote best practice evaluation
• a more coherent endorsement process for tax status, to be administered by the proposed Registrar, and a new definition of charity
• broadening the scope of gift deductibility, promoting planned giving and national harmonisation of fundraising regulation

For more information see the Productivity Commission’s website.

Grants to pursue your philanthropic ambitions

Vodafone is calling on Australians to trade in their day-jobs and get paid to make a difference. The Vodafone Foundation want to give five passionate people a grant to dedicate an entire year to pursue their personal philanthropic ambitions complete with full salary and expense accounts, so are calling for entries in their 2010 World of Difference program.

Candidates are invited to submit their applications at www.vodafone.com.au/worldofdifference. Applicants should include a summary of their nominated charity or not-for-profit organisation, plus details of their own personal goals and aspirations for their chosen charity or cause in 2010.

Entries close on soon - on 7 February 2010.

Children’s Law Awards calling for nominations

Nominations have opened for the 2010 Children’s Law Awards. Organised by the National Children’s Youth and Law Centre and Mallesons Stephen Jaques, the Awards recognise the achievements and commitment of individuals and organisations who advance the legal rights and interests of children and young people in Australia.

The Awards also raise awareness of the legal issues affecting children and young people, for example:

• Are Australian children adequately protected by the justice and welfare systems?
• Why have the numbers of children found to be at risk of abuse or neglect, and children under care and protection orders, risen significantly?
• How can children best participate in legal proceedings and processes affecting their rights?

Nominations are sought in the following Award categories and are open to both individuals and organisations:

• The National Award for Outstanding Legal Representation of the Rights and Interests of Children and Young People;
• The National Award for Outstanding Advocacy in Policy or Law Reform to Advance the Legal Rights and Interests of Children and Young People; and
• The Media Award for Raising Awareness of Important Children’s Legal Rights Issues.

Nominations close on Friday 19th February. The Awards will be presented on Friday 16 April 2010, during National Youth Week. For more information on the awards, or to download a nomination form, visit http://www.ncylc.org.au/

Australia Day honours

Congratulations to our Members who were the recipients of Australia Day 2010 Honours, including:

• Neil Balnaves (Balnaves Foundation)
• Robert Maple-Brown
• Peter Hall (Hunter Hall International)
• Diane Kargas (Capital Region Community Foundation)
• Eda Ritchie (R.E. Ross Trust)

Australian Business register changes

The Australian Business Register’s ABN Lookup website now makes it much easier for ancillary funds (including Public Ancillary Funds, formerly PPFs) to identify whether a particular DGR is an item 1 DGR or an item 2 DGR. Ancillary funds, which are item 2 DGRs, are legally unable to donate to other ancillary funds.

Using the ABN Lookup, you will now see that each entry for a DGR entity lists whether it is an item 1, Item 2 or item 4 DGR.

• Item 1 refers to lists of funds, authorities and institutions such as public hospitals, overseas aid funds and public museums (including entities listed by name).
• Item 2 describes funds set up solely for providing money, property or benefits for item 1 DGRs. The funds that meet the requirements of item 2 are called ancillary funds.
• Item 4 describes the funds, authorities or institutions eligible to receive certain cultural gifts.

Item 1 DGRs, which are eligible recipients for donations from ancillary funds, are identified as follows: (Organisation) is endorsed as a Deductible Gift Recipient from (date). It is covered by item 1 of the table in section 30-15 of the Income Tax Assessment Act 1997.

Ancillary funds are identified with the following descriptor: (Foundation) is endorsed as a Deductible Gift Recipient from (date). It is covered by item 2 of the table in section 30-15 of the Income Tax Assessment Act 1997.