Philanthropy Australia
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Philanthropy Australia is a non-profit membership organisation that promotes giving and represents those that give to the community.
As the Australian national peak body for philanthropy, Philanthropy Australia offers representation, networking, services and information to members and others in the non-profit sector, carrying out its mission to promote philanthropy.
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History
On December 1, 1977, The Australian Association of Philanthropy was established. Its creation was spurred on by two seminars in 1971 and 1975 sponsored by The Myer Foundation and The Ian Potter Foundation, with figureheads Pat Feilman (Executive Secretary of The Ian Potter Foundation 1964-2001) and Meriel Wilmot (Executive Officer of The Myer Foundation 1961-1982) leading the drive and subsequently coming to be known as “The Godmothers” of the AAP.
According to Ms Feilman, “The Association rose out of disappointment that there was little interaction between philanthropic trusts… So many trusts were buried within trustee companies.” At the time, three or four trusts were meeting on a regular basis, considering applications, and Ms Wilmot felt that this was very beneficial, leading to more “professional philanthropy”.
The aim to “increase the level of professionalism” in philanthropy is one Ms Feilman felt a key role of the Association. In 1989 Ms Wilmot was discussing the tendency of Australian philanthropic trusts and foundations to “play their cards extremely close to their chests… They all wanted to do their own thing, believing they knew exactly how it was done.” One of the solutions to this, Ms Wilmot said, was to encourage these organisations to “look at philanthropy as a profession as well as an industry”.
In addition to these goals to encourage philanthropic giving to become more pro-active and professional, the main reason cited for the establishment of the Association was for trusts to support each other and share knowledge garnered through experiences in “the difficult art of giving”. It was also recognised that the community itself would benefit from cooperation between philanthropic trusts.
In 1972, a group of different philanthropic trusts was called together (inspired by the “relative isolation in which the Potter staff worked”), and about 25 people came.
By 1980, membership of the Australian Association of Philanthropy had grown to 47 organisations.
A part-time secretariat for the Association was set up in 1988, moving to full-time in 1996.
In 1997, The Australian Association of Philanthropy was renamed to the more streamlined Philanthropy Australia.
Between 1997 and 2007, the number of staff at Philanthropy Australia has grown to 10, and our permanent presence expanded to Sydney. Our number of memberships are approaching 300 organisations, businesses and individuals.
While the mission and values of the organisation – to promote and encourage effective giving – essentially remain the same, the implementation of information and communications technologies and the increasing profile of philanthropy have resulted in Philanthropy Australia becoming a dynamic, responsive, influential and growing association.
Governance
Achievements
Advocacy
Philanthropy Australia has since 1998 been represented on the Prime Minister's Community Business Partnership, and its Taxation Sub Committee. Some of the changes Philanthropy Australia has been involved with include:
- Changes to Minor Benefits Measure (2006)
- Taxation Laws Amendment Act no. 2 (2000)
- Excess Imputation Credits (2000)
- GST Exemption (2000)
- Environmental Tax Concessions (2001)