News and stories

News and stories

Philanthropy Leadership Summit 2025 – draft program released!

Dee Rudebeck, Advisor, News and Storytelling Fri, 30 May 2025

Amid much anticipation and registrations filling fast, Philanthropy Australia is excited to announce the first round of program highlights for its Leadership Summit 2025. They include keynote speaker, the international author and ‘polycrisis’ expert Professor Thomas Homer-Dixon, Australian social commentator Dr Rebecca Huntley, highly regarded MCs from the Australian sector, stimulating lightning talks and much more.

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News and stories

Sector leaders react to Gates Foundation’s historic plan to spend down US$200bn

Fri, 16 May 2025

Bill Gates has announced that the Gates Foundation plans to spend its endowment and ‘virtually all’ of his personal wealth totaling US$200 billion in the next 20 years to accelerate its mission of ‘saving and improving lives around the world’. Here, four leaders from the Australian philanthropic sector, Daniel Petre, Audette Exel, Peter Johnstone and Maree Sidey react.

News and stories

The Wyatt Trust: How we embedded lived experience into funding practice to change outcomes

Dee Rudebeck, News and Storytelling Advisor, Philanthropy Australia Fri, 16 May 2025

The Wyatt Trust has released a report on its learnings from the first four years of its journey to embed lived and living experience of financial hardship in its grantmaking, program design and beyond. In this Q&A, CEO Stacey Thomas shares key reflections to inspire and encourage others to explore this work more widely.

News and stories

Shifting practice: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Funders Reporting Survey results

Dee Rudebeck, Advisor, News and Storytelling, Philanthropy Australia Fri, 2 May 2025

Philanthropy Australia has published findings from Australia's first Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Funders Reporting Survey. The results establish vital benchmark findings – and key challenges for the sector and beyond.

News and stories

Second global summit shows collaborative funds are on the rise, says Mannifera EO

Harriet McCallum, Executive Office, Mannifera Thu, 17 Apr 2025

Around the world, collaborative funds are increasingly being recognised as effective and efficient ways to move resources to where they need to be. Their growth has warranted international gatherings to understand and develop this way of doing philanthropy. Mannifera EO Harriet McCallum recently attended the second Global Summit of Collaborative Funds in San Francisco. She shares her learnings.

News and stories

50+ stories for 50 years

Philanthropy Australia Fri, 21 Mar 2025

This year marks Philanthropy Australia’s 50th anniversary! For five decades, our community has championed philanthropy, driving positive change across Australia. As an organisation, we have continued to grow, evolve, and thrive thanks to you—our members, both past and present.

News and stories

“Philanthropy does not achieve change in and of itself.”

Fiona Atkinson, F&P (Fundraising and Philanthropy) magazine #104 – Autumn 2025 Fri, 21 Mar 2025

In June 2024, Maree Sidey became CEO of Philanthropy Australia. F&P’s Fiona Atkinson asks what philanthropy means for her, for fundraisers and for Australia. Maree Sidey thinks the word ‘philanthropist’ can feel out of reach. “I don’t think most Australians like it or relate to it, including many Philanthropy Australia members,” says the CEO of Philanthropy Australia. Maree prefers the term ‘generous Australians’. “It’s much more accessible,” she says.

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