120 events, the 400th edition of Philanthropy Weekly and a sold-out Canberra summit – what a year!

It’s time for members to renew with Philanthropy Australia, so we thought it a good time to reflect on the membership year just past.

Kim Harland, Director of National Membership at Philanthropy Australia said that there were many highlights.

“Arguably the stand-out event was the sold-out Philanthropy Meets Parliament Summit in Canberra in October 2023,” said Kim.

“The good news is that if you missed out on attending the Summit, you can view the sessions on our online member portal the Better Giving Hub.”

We also supported progress towards more and better giving in Australia through more than 120 events and peer network meetings. These included sessions on tips for navigating a range of issues including cultural diversity and philanthropy, participatory grantmaking, disasters and philanthropy, burnout, cyber security and much more.

“On the advocacy side, we progressed the voice of philanthropy in Australia by consulting widely with members and providing detailed submissions to the Productivity Commission’s Inquiry into Philanthropy,” said Kim.

“Our weekly e-bulletin Philanthropy Weekly celebrated its 400^th edition back in late 2023. It has developed substantially since its first issue with new sections and sector resources!

“We are also delighted to be engaging with professional advisers – an important linchpin in our sector. The PA team developed a new CPD-accredited suite of resources for professional advisers that encourage conversations and created awareness of philanthropic giving structures.”

Our network for next generation philanthropists (New Gen) went from strength to strength, with an undoubted highlight being the study tour to New York City, where they met with global philanthropic and impact investing leaders.

What’s coming up in the next membership year?

There are many things to look forward to in the 2024/25 membership year, so please mark your calendars!

• The 2024 Australian Philanthropy Awards Showcase being held on Tuesday 16 April, in Sydney.
• Further engagement by PA and our members with the Productivity Commission after the release of their final report to government as part of their Inquiry into Philanthropy – set to be published on 11 May.
• A special online session about Problem Solving Through Philanthropy with Jim Bildner (CEO of the Richard Kaplan Foundation) on 15 May.
• Our national conference: For the Love of Humanity: Impact with Humility running from 5 – 7 August in Adelaide. This will be the first time our conference will be held outside Melbourne or Sydney and the program is looking exciting. Masterclasses will be held on 5 August, with the conference itself running on 6 and 7 August.
• An International Study Tour for funders in November to the United Kingdom.
• A four-part webinar series about diversity in philanthropy for funders and fund-seekers. This series will be held from May to November online.
• A range of peer network sessions for funder members in a mixture of formats – both online and in person.
• Plus… local state-based gatherings and events for both funders and not-for-profit members.

For members at the Connected level with our ‘digital only’ membership, many webinars and peer network presentations are recorded and can be watched via our member portal, the Better Giving Hub. If you’d like to attend events you can upgrade at any time by emailing us here.

Philanthropy Australia looks forward to sharing more details as they are confirmed. Visit our What’s on page to see upcoming events and some ‘save the dates’.

Members of Philanthropy Australia will have received an invoice to renew their membership.

If you are not yet a member and you’d like to join us for some (or all) of the coming activities and benefits, please visit our membership page or contact us at [email protected],