Insider guides to the SA Giving Week and Greater Sydney Giving Week

Next week marks an exciting moment for generosity in Australia, with inaugural Giving Weeks taking place in South Australia and in Greater Sydney from 4–8 May. Together, they reflect a growing movement to invite more people into local giving systems.

SA Giving Week has been developed as a statewide celebration of generosity in all its forms. Brought to life by SA Philanthropy Network (CEO Kay Burton), Foundation SA (CEO Sophie Doyle) and Philanthropy Australia’s Jodi Farley, Creative Australia and other philanthropic leaders. It will convene everyday givers, community organisations, funders, businesses and advisers to explore how giving shows up across our lives, and how it can be nurtured and sustained over time.

Jodi Farley, Director of Engagement SA/NT, sees Giving Week as an opportunity to broaden who feels included in philanthropy.

“Everyone has a role to play in the giving ecosystem. It’s not just about formal philanthropy. It’s about recognising the many ways people give, whether that’s time, skills, leadership, advocacy or financial support,” Jodi said.

“The aim is that more people see themselves as givers, feel invited into the conversation, and carry new ideas and connections forward long after the SA Giving Week ends.”

South Australians can engage in the week through conversations, learning opportunities and events that span structured philanthropy, volunteering, giving circles and acts of kindness. Highlights include the SA Giving Week Philanthropy Showcase on Friday 8 May, and Philanthropy Australia’s State of Philanthropy Forum, headlined by Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors’ Heathy Grady, on Thursday 7 May.

At the same time, the Sydney Community Foundation (SCF) will host the first Greater Sydney Giving Week, supported by local partners including Philanthropy Australia.

For Bella Conyngham, Director of Engagement NSW, the week represents a deliberate effort to grow a stronger, more visible culture of local giving, nurtured by Loredana Fyffe and the SCF team.

“This is about building something lasting – a culture where giving is part of how we live and where people feel genuinely connected to the organisations and communities creating change in their own backyard.”

The Greater Sydney program brings together donors, advisers, community organisations and civic leaders for a series of events, site visits and conversations. These include charity site visits with community partners, a session demystifying structured giving and legacies, and a roundtable co-hosted by Philanthropy Australia focused on gender equity and long‑term change off the back of Women Deliver.

While each Giving Week reflects the character and priorities of its local community, together they point to a shared national direction for philanthropy. One that values place‑based giving, stronger relationships and a broader understanding of generosity.

To learn more or get involved: