Chuck Feeney: Philanthropic world mourns loss of an extraordinary giving hero
Fri, 13 Oct 2023
The American philanthropist who was called the ultimate example of Giving While Living, Charles ‘Chuck’ Feeney, died this week aged 92. He dedicated his fortune, made from duty free shops, to universities and good causes, giving away $8 billion across five continents, mostly anonymously.
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How Beyond Blue’s ‘Way Back’ program went national
Nick Place
Fri, 6 Oct 2023
The aftercare offered to someone following a suicide attempt was woefully lacking only 10 years ago. Beyond Blue, along with an entire ecosystem of philanthropic support, community members, government and primary health networks tackled the issue in 2014 and developed the Way Back program. Earlier this year, the successful scheme was handed over to federal and state governments to run, with more than $150 million in funding, called Universal Aftercare. Ahead of World Mental Health Day on 10 October, we look at how it all came together.
Reflections about medical research: philanthropy’s role
Mary Chackola, National Engagement Manager for Victoria and Tasmania, Philanthropy Australia
Thu, 28 Sep 2023
This week, Philanthropy Australia hosted a roundtable event with special guest Professor Dame Sarah Gilbert from the University of Oxford. Professor Gilbert is the co-developer of the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine and she spoke about philanthropy’s role in funding medical breakthroughs. Mary Chackola, Philanthropy Australia’s National Engagement Manager for Victoria and Tasmania, reflects on the discussion.
Positive and negative changes to Australia’s social landscape: index
Fri, 22 Sep 2023
A new report from the Scanlon Foundation Research Institute has found noteworthy changes to Australia’s collective wellbeing over the past 15 years.The Australian Cohesion Index 2023 found enhancements in overall health and levels of education, alongside decreases in trust of the federal government and a decline in the sense of national pride and belonging.
Commitment to newborn health
Fri, 22 Sep 2023
Since former US President Bill Clinton founded the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) in 2005, more than 9,000 organisations have launched 3,900 ‘Commitments to Action’ through the community’s unique model. At this week’s CGI meeting in New York, Australia-based Adara Group made an extraordinary Commitment to Action, which it hopes will save more than 7,000 lives. Audette Exel AO, Founder and Chair of Adara Group announced a $16 million (USD10.6 million) commitment to scale its AdaraNewborn health care model across multiple health facilities in Uganda.
Where dreams come to life
Nick Place
Fri, 22 Sep 2023
Melbourne Recital Centre’s Making Waves program offers Year 12 music students the opportunity to have their compositions brought to life by professional musicians on the same stage that has played host to many of the world’s great artists. This creates ‘instant career pathways’ in their minds – none of which would be possible without philanthropy.
Groundbreaking Gender Compass research set to shift the conversation
Fri, 15 Sep 2023
Plan International Australia has undertaken a first-of-its-kind research project, led by Dr Rebecca Huntley, that segments the broad Australian public into six groups based on their attitudes, behaviours and policy preferences in relation to gender equality. Supported by the Trawalla Foundation, it can be used by communicators, advocates and changemakers to meet people where they are, rather than where we think they should be, writes the chair Carol Schwartz AM.
