Public edition #11 | 27 June 2025

No images? Click here 

The power of Five Bucks: founder Brianna Kerr on 'going small to go big'

Five Bucks – a community where members chip in $5 a week – is all about how small change can have a big impact. Giving News meets the founder of this collective giving initiative as the community distributes its first $62,000. In this Q&A, Brianna Kerr shares fascinating insights on the democratisation of giving in action – and what’s in store for year two.

Sydney Women’s Fund emergency domestic violence appeal was ‘saving lives’ in weeks

Sometimes there’s only a window of a few hours to get locks changed and save a woman’s life. Weave Youth & Community Services, a Sydney not-for-profit that works at the ‘pointy end’ of keeping women and children safe from domestic violence, has a trusted team of trauma-informed tradies on call to do the job. The work is funded in part from an emergency appeal by the Sydney Women’s Fund that was in Weave’s hands within weeks.

Canberra Foundations Collaborative boosts social projects with $1.94m in grants

As more Canberrans turn to community services for support, a local philanthropic collective has joined forces for the fourth year to deliver a $1.94 million boost to 71 vital community projects across the region. The 2025 Canberra Foundations Collaborative grant round, led by Snow Foundation, Hands Across Canberra and John James Foundation, will support 67 grassroots and systems-focused organisations.

Leaders on … leadership for our times

With the Philanthropy Leadership Summit 2025 rapidly approaching, Giving News is contacting speakers and leaders for their thoughts on the topic of 'leadership for our times'. Each day we see more global and local news that confirms the urgent need for a robust discussion about leadership in a time of polycrisis. So, what do leaders think?

Blended finance explained with Transition Accelerator guidebooks

The Trawalla Group’s Transition Accelerator seeks to expand the scope for profitable investment in climate solutions. It has created a number of guidebooks on blended finance, which is unlocking new investment into impact solutions but is still an emerging field of jargon and unfamiliar structures. The materials offer step-by-step learning to quickly build confidence and cut through the complexity.

Australian Communities Foundation launches the Good Giving Toolkit

Developed with insights from decades of grantmaking at Australian Communities Foundation, this interactive Toolkit is designed to help people who give explore their philanthropic goals and develop a framework for effective giving. Packed with contemporary insights and 17 practical worksheets, it’s a great starting point for meaningful conversations and long-term planning.

We would like to acknowledge and thank our partners for their generous support. Click here to learn more about our partners.

Contact us

For Giving News:

[email protected]

Or contact us for any other queries.

Philanthropy Australia acknowledges the Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the first inhabitants of the nation and the traditional custodians of the lands where we live, learn and work. We pay our respects to Elders past and present.