Thoughts of school holidays, days at the beach and a few days off work are natural accompaniments to summer. But, for many (if not all) of us, December also carries with it a sense of foreboding as we move further into bushfire season. Already this year we have seen major fires and, tragically, loss of life. The impact of a bushfire extends far beyond the fire-ground, creating a long lasting legacy that affects every aspect of community life. Community foundations can play a vital role in a community’s recovery from the impact of disaster. As locally owned and embedded organisations which are there for the ‘long- haul’, they are likely to be there when other services, funding or support has diminished. They are part of the fabric of a community and can serve as a community anchor during times of crisis. Whilst they are well placed to respond quickly and effectively to disaster, the pro-active community foundation model is also particularly well suited to creating a resilient future, harnessing local resources and empowering communities from within.
As I write this, my thoughts are with the citizens of South Australia. Foundation Barossa has established a Bushfire Recovery Appeal to assist those affected by the recent bushfires in the Barossa Valley. The funds raised will be utilised to support local people and organisations in the short, medium and long term recovery of the region. Click here for more information or to make a donation to the Appeal
It’s been a busy and productive year for ACP and, as this will be our last RallyRound for 2015, I’d like to take this opportunity to wish you a happy and safe Christmas and New Year.
Kate Buxton, December 2015
Online Fundraising
Whilst nothing new, online donations are becoming an increasingly important part of the global fund-raising landscape; a trend driven, in part, by the growing sophistication and use of mobile devices, our reliance on ‘apps’ to connect with, well pretty much everything in our lives and the rise of crowd-funding. In the USA, online giving grew by by 8.9% in 2014; that’s on top of a 13.5% year-over-year growth in 2013. Interestingly, small nonprofits (less than US$1m total annual fund raising) grew online donations more than large or medium-sized organizations (source 2014 Charitable Giving Report, blackbaud). Yet, in Australia only 13 per cent of nfps receive online donations and only one per cent receive mobile donations (source Westpac 2013 Community Confidence Report). It’s clear there is enormous potential in our region, and if organisation’s aren’t doing it already, they probably need to start thinking about online options. A quick straw poll of ACP members reveals that many of you are already using platforms such as GiveEasy, Everydayhero, Mycause, GiveNow or Salesforce integrated apps like Cause I Can. If you are thinking about joining those already using online fundraising, it’s vital to do your due diligence. The Australian Government’s Department of Communication and the Arts has some useful advise and the Prime Minister’s Community Business Partnership’s Culture and Platforms to Maximise Giving Working Group is exploring how to make giving simpler and more accessible for existing donors and to attract new donors, including a younger generation – the working group’s web page includes a number of links.
Is your community foundation successfully using online donations? Leave a comment on the Forum section of our Facebook page.

Advocacy and collaboration identified as top priorities in sector survey
Pro Bono Australia’s 2015 State of the Not-for-Profit Sector Survey highlights the role of advocacy, collaboration and government funding as top priorities. Strong support was expressed for the ACNC with 4 out of 5 of the 1100+ respondents recognizing its importance to a thriving nfp sector. Respondents also identified initiatives supporting the continued growth of community foundations as one of a number of key sector priorities for the government.
So, what would/should an initiative for the community foundation sector look like? One critical component would be to address the overly complex regulatory environment in which community foundations operate. Currently limited to funding DGR 1 charities from our Public Ancillary Funds, community foundations are unnecessarily hamstrung, often forced to overlook local non DGR charities that are doing great local work; the requirements limiting our ability to build sustainability and resilience in the communities we serve. A DGR 1 category created specifically for community foundations would not only address this issue, but overcome another barrier community foundations face by enabling Private Ancillary Funds to distribute to community foundations’ Public Ancillary Funds and their community based projects and programs. The government has evidenced its support of philanthropy through, for example, its commitment to the Prime Minister’s Community Business Partnership and, has listened to the strong case made for a change to the regulatory environment; we hope that this next much needed step can now be taken.
Movers and Shakers
Bass Coast Community Foundation and Geelong Community Foundation are fare-welling their respective Executive Officer’s, Kate Dwyer and Andrew Lawson.
Kate Dwyer became the Executive Officer of the BCCF early in 2010 helping them raise $100,000 for the Victorian State Government Challenge Grant and raising the profile of the foundation and community philanthropy in South East Victoria.
Andrew Lawson has made an enormous contribution to the Community Foundation movement in Australia. He joined the GCF in 1999, assisting in their formation. In 2002 he served as Development Officer for Community Foundations in Australia as part of a Task Force that comprising FRRR, Community Foundations of Australasia and Philanthropy Australia. In 2015 Andrew was elected to the Board of Australian Community Philanthropy.
Sarah Davies is onboard as the new of CEO Philanthropy Australia. Many of you will know Sarah from her previous role as CEO at Australian Communities Foundation. Prior to joining PA, Sarah served as CEO at the Reach Foundation
FRRR has announced the appointment of Natalie Egleton as CEO. Natalie has an impressive background in the not-for-profit space and is well known to most of us from her former role as Program Manager and as manager of FRRR’s medium to long-term natural disaster recovery programs.
Photos clockwise from top left: Sarah Davies, Kate Dwyer, Andrew Lawson, Natalie Egleton
Resource Roundup – New GRANTCRAFT Guide
GRANTCRAFT has launched a new guide; Funding Indigenous Peoples: Strategies for Support, looks at how a diverse range of funders collaborate with and bring support to indigenous communities around the world and explores how grantmakers work with indigenous peoples, the approaches they take, and the practices they find effective.
Know of a resource or tool that we should include in RallyRound? Let us know. Resources identified in previous RallyRounds are available from the ACP website
Community and Philanthropy Partnerships Week
Community and Philanthropy Partnerships Week kicks off on Monday, 7th December. Community organisations around the country will be holding events to celebrate the wonderful things that happen when community and philanthropy come together. Share your community foundation’s celebration on the ACP and CPPW Facebook pages and use the #CPPWeek hashtag on all your social media.
ACP Member’s Zone
Themed Teleconference Program 2016
ACP will be holding a series of themed teleconferences over the course of 2016 kicking off with the topic of bequests early next year. We’ll be emailing dates and further details for our first session early next year.
Stand Like Stone
Congratulations to Stand Like Stone who have been awarded the Community Group Award at the Brand South Australia Regional Awards in recognition of their achievements and contribution to regional South Australia.
Changes to the Membership Subscription Fee
We will be consulting with our members on a proposal to change the membership subscription fee commencing with a detailed briefing paper to be circulated in January. You need will to be a financial member of ACP to participate in the consultation process – online membership renewal forms and payment details are available on the ACP website.
Got something you think we should include in our next RallyRound? Email me kate.buxton@australiancommunityphilanthropy.org.au and add us to the distribution list for your foundation’s newsletter.