philanthropyOz Blog

New PAFs Trustee Handbook launched

With the commencement of the new regulatory regime governing Private Ancillary Funds (PAFs) effective 1 October 2009, Philanthropy Australia has created a booklet which will serve as a handbook for all PAFs.

Announced by the Assistant Treasurer, Senator the Hon. Nick Sherry, the Private Ancillary Funds Trustee Handbook was well received at its launch on 10 November in Melbourne.

• Download the Private Ancillary Funds Trustee Handbook (PDF)

• Download the official media release (PDF)

• Read the Assistant Treasurer, Senator the Hon. Nick Sherry’s speech from the launch

• Download author David Ward’s speech from the launch (PDF)

• See details on the new PAF Governance Workshops coming up in November

• More details available on the PhilanthropyWiki

New information released for private ancillary funds

The Tax Office has released a suite of new information products to assist organisations seeking deductible gift recipient (DGR) status under the new category for private ancillary funds (PAFs), effective from 1 October 2009. Existing prescribed private funds (PPFs) became PAFs on this date.

This includes a private ancillary funds website that provides information about the new category and the requirements for endorsement. The transitional arrangements for PPFs are also discussed. The webpage provides links to the other products for PAFs, including:

• the PAF model deed
• updated instructions for endorsement as a deductible gift recipient
• the PAF schedule
• the agreement to comply with the PAF guidelines
• the revocation of agreement to comply with the PAF guidelines, and
• the PAF guidelines, which are located on the Federal Register of Legislative Instruments.

The Tax Office is in the process of developing a Frequently Asked Questions webpage to answer questions about PAFs. If your questions are not answered in the above products, the ATO encourages you to email them your questions for possible inclusion in the FAQ.

Email your question by 6 November 2009 to npc-publications@ato.gov.au, putting ‘Private ancillary funds - frequently asked questions’ in the subject line.

We are moving!

We will be closing our Melbourne office at 12.00pm on Friday 11 September, and will reopen at 9.00am on Tuesday 15 September.

Our new address is: Level 2, 55 Collins Street, Melbourne VIC 3000

As our website servers will be moving with us, Philanthropy Australia’s online services - the website, The Australian Directory of Philanthropy, the PhilanthropyOz Blog, and the Philanthropy Wiki - will also be unavailable from noon Friday, 11 September. We anticipate that the online services will have resumed by Monday 14 September.

During this time, please address urgent enquiries to our Sydney office - Louise Burton or Annie Scoufis (02) 9223 0155.

New Projects Pool launched for Members

Philanthropy Australia is delighted to announced that our Projects Pool is now live!

Designed as a tool for our Full Members to share information about projects, the Project 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 one which a Member has received an application for, and assessed as outstanding, but cannot themselves fund.

Using the Projects Pool Members can:

• Recommend projects for funding
• Seek out projects which come recommended by other funders, having had initial due diligence undertaken.

The Projects Pool offers a convenient, discreet and secure way for our Members to share project recommendations.

To access the Projects Pool go to our homepage and click on the link under Membership, or go direct to www.philanthropy.org.au/projects.

We are looking forward to filling the Pool with great projects, furthering collaboration and growing philanthropy.

Trustee Workshop is now The Governance of Charitable Foundations Seminar

To reduce the confusion over the Trustee Workshop, we have renamed it to The Governance of Charitable Foundations Seminar.

We were finding that although the target workshop audience were interested in Governance matters, there was the impression these workshops were for Trustees only. We have not reduced the focus on Trustees role and duties, though we hope to encourage a wider audience within trusts and foundations to these seminars, including Trustees themselves. All materials (the Trustee Handbook),  speakers and content remain the same as previously.

If you are interested in attending, please take a look at the Governance of Charitable Foundations Seminar page.

If you have already registered for a coming Trustee Workshop, your registration is still valid and you will receive further information on the name change.

If you have any questions regarding the seminar, please feel free to call us on 03 9620 0200 or email workshops@philanthropy.org.au.

Govt. announce new body for not-for-profit sector

In a media release on Wednesday 28 January, the Rudd Government announced that it will appoint the Community Response Taskforce to advise on responses to hardships caused by the economic downturn.

The announcement follows a meeting between the Acting Prime Minister, Julia Gillard, and the Parliamentary Secretary for Social Inclusion and the Voluntary Sector, Senator Ursula Stephens, with not-for-profit sector leaders to discuss the impact of the economic downturn on Australians.

The Taskforce will also focus on priorities for regulatory reform to enable not-for-profit organisations to focus on helping vulnerable Australians rather than expending valuable resources on managing red-tape.

The Taskforce is to hold its first meeting in late February or early March. The group will also seek a meeting with Infrastructure Minister Anthony Albanese to discuss how not-for-profit organisations can contribute to nation building initiatives that reduce hardship.

“Strong non profit organisations build cohesion and fairness in our community in good times and bad. The Rudd Government remains committed to a compact which builds a strong and effective partnership with this sector that works most closely with Australians suffering disadvantage, marginalisation and those who may find themselves in economic hardship for the first time.”

“The Community Response Taskforce will provide a direct line of contact between Australians doing it tough and the Rudd Government. The invaluable perspectives and advice the Taskforce will provide will enable us to implement effective responses to minimise hardship and rebuild the community strength of our nation,” said Senator Stephens.

The media release can be found at the Ministers’ Media Centre

Final PPF Submission Now Available

Philanthropy Australia’s final submission in response to the Treasury discussion paper ‘Improving the Integrity of Prescribed Private Funds’ is now available: click here to download the PDF file.

Much of your feedback and comments have been included in our final submission. Thank you for taking the time to contact us on this issue.

The lodgement date for submissions to Treasury is next Wednesday 14 January. We urge our members who would like to contribute their own views to Treasury to do so without delay!

For details and more information, see the Treasury paper on http://www.treasury.gov.au/contentitem.asp?NavId=002&ContentID=1444

New edition of ‘Australian Philanthropy’ Journal - Women and Philanthropy

Women and Philanthropy: Giving by and for Women and Girls is the theme of our latest issue of Australian Philanthropy, issue 71 Summer 2008.

In this issue we look at the growth in numbers and influence of philanthropic women. In the changing landscape of women’s wealth, now often earned rather than inherited, what motivations and concerns drive their giving choices?

On the other side of the equation, in communities in the developing world, where financial assistance is given to the women of the village, food reaches the table, the children get to school and the whole community benefits. This issue also explores value of supporting women and girls as a way to strengthen society.

• 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.

Members and Journal Subscribers will receive their copy of this edition in the mail early next week.

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.

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