Sector leaders react to Gates Foundation’s historic plan to spend down US$200bn
Fri, 16 May 2025
Bill Gates has announced that the Gates Foundation plans to spend its endowment and ‘virtually all’ of his personal wealth totaling US$200 billion in the next 20 years to accelerate its mission of ‘saving and improving lives around the world’. Here, four leaders from the Australian philanthropic sector, Daniel Petre, Audette Exel, Peter Johnstone and Maree Sidey react.
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Smart Collar, the service dog innovation that could ‘save charities millions of dollars’
Dee Rudebeck, Advisor, News and Storytelling
Fri, 16 May 2025
Imagine having a toddler and trying to predict the grades they’ll achieve in high school. This is akin to what animal behavioralists face when assessing which puppies are suitable to be trained as Assistance Dogs. But game-changing new technology, which three Australian charities are helping to develop, could make assessment possible up to a year earlier, creating unprecedented savings.
The Wyatt Trust: How we embedded lived experience into funding practice to change outcomes
Dee Rudebeck, News and Storytelling Advisor, Philanthropy Australia
Fri, 16 May 2025
The Wyatt Trust has released a report on its learnings from the first four years of its journey to embed lived and living experience of financial hardship in its grantmaking, program design and beyond. In this Q&A, CEO Stacey Thomas shares key reflections to inspire and encourage others to explore this work more widely.
What funders need to know about the Centre for Inclusive Employment
Dr Liz Branigan, Director, Knowledge & Practice at Philanthropy Australia
Fri, 16 May 2025
Philanthropy Australia’s Disability Funders Network and the Jobs and Skills Funders Network (JaSFN) are holding a joint session to discuss the work and practice of the recently launched Centre for Inclusive Employment. As work in diversity, equity and inclusion comes under threat around the world, network co-chair Dr Kirsty Nowlan writes that this is a critical time to consider philanthropy’s role in this space.
Calling all leaders! Play it forward or pay it forward!
Fri, 16 May 2025
Philanthropy Australia recently launched the Philanthropy Leadership Summit 2025: Leadership for our times. Thank you to those of you who have already submitted an expression of interest. The Canberra Summit always sells out and we are committed to having a diverse and dynamic audience. We invite you to register your interest, and/or forward on the information to leaders you believe should be in the room.
Shifting practice: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Funders Reporting Survey results
Dee Rudebeck, Advisor, News and Storytelling, Philanthropy Australia
Fri, 2 May 2025
Philanthropy Australia has published findings from Australia's first Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Funders Reporting Survey. The results establish vital benchmark findings – and key challenges for the sector and beyond.
‘Listen, learn and see where we can assist’: international giving at its heart
Sophie Marcard, Director, Marketing and Communications, Philanthropy Australia
Fri, 2 May 2025
Thanks to an introduction by the Australian International Development Network (AIDN), Giving News had a chat with Anna and Darrell Wade. Darrell is Chair and Non-Executive Director of the Intrepid Foundation and co-founded Intrepid Travel. Anna has worked with the Intrepid Foundation for more than 17 years, progressing campaigns on issues including animal welfare, human rights and economic empowerment.
