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| Fundraising Institute Australia | |
|---|---|
| Name | Fundraising Institute Australia |
| Type | Nonprofit peak body |
| Founded | 1960s |
| Headquarters | Sydney, New South Wales, Australia |
| Region served | Australia |
Fundraising Institute Australia is a national peak body representing professional philanthropy practitioners, charity leaders, and not-for-profit organisations across Australia. It promotes standards in fundraising practice, ethical guidance aligned with codes such as the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission Act 2012, and sector development through training linked to institutions like University of Sydney, Australian National University, and industry partners such as PwC, KPMG Australia, Deloitte Australia, and EY Australia. The Institute interacts with policy processes involving the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission, the Australian Taxation Office, and state bodies such as the New South Wales Office of Liquor, Gaming and Racing.
The organisation traces roots to mid‑20th century Australian voluntary action movements influenced by international bodies such as the Association of Fundraising Professionals, the Institute of Fundraising in the United Kingdom, and the Canadian Association of Gift Planners, developing alongside national campaigns like those run by RSL (Returned and Services League of Australia), St John Ambulance Australia, Royal Flying Doctor Service, Cancer Council Australia and The Salvation Army. Throughout the 1980s and 1990s it responded to shifts in regulation tied to the Charities Act 2013 (United Kingdom) debates and to fundraising controversies involving organisations similar to Red Cross Australia and World Vision Australia, adapting standards in dialogue with regulatory reforms exemplified by the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission. The 2000s saw formalisation of codes and professional accreditation influenced by international benchmarks from Chartered Institute of Fundraising and academic work at Harvard Kennedy School, London School of Economics, and Monash University.
Governance is overseen by a national board composed of elected professionals, including representatives with backgrounds from organisations such as Beyond Blue, Turning Point, Anglicare, UnitingCare, Lifeline Australia, Oxfam Australia, and corporate partners like Bendigo and Adelaide Bank, Macquarie Group, and Westpac. Committees cover ethics, policy, accreditation and events, liaising with peak bodies such as Philanthropy Australia, Australian Council for International Development, and regulatory agencies including the Australian Securities and Investments Commission where fundraising intersects with financial regulation. The Secretariat operates from offices in Sydney and coordinates state chapters in Victoria, Queensland, Western Australia, South Australia, Tasmania, Australian Capital Territory and the Northern Territory.
The Institute delivers accreditation programs, professional standards, and advisory services used by charities like Barnardos Australia, Save the Children Australia, Kids Help Line, The Smith Family, Oxfam, and hospitals such as Royal Children’s Hospital (Melbourne). It issues guidelines on donor stewardship and compliance with tax concessions linked to the Australian Taxation Office rulings, provides templates used by fundraising teams at organisations including Mission Australia, Anglicare Victoria, and Redkite, and publishes sector research in partnership with consultancies like KPMG, PwC, and universities such as University of Melbourne and University of Queensland.
Membership attracts fundraisers, major gifts officers, charity executives and corporate partners drawn from entities including Commonwealth Bank, ANZ, National Australia Bank, Telstra Foundation, Microsoft Australia, Google Australia, and philanthropic foundations such as Myer Foundation, Ian Potter Foundation, Paul Ramsay Foundation and Tim Fairfax Family Foundation. Accreditation pathways mirror professional frameworks employed by Australian Institute of Company Directors and draw on competency standards referenced by Vocational Education and Training providers and higher education partners like Deakin University and RMIT University.
The Institute engages in advocacy on issues affecting giving, tax treatment of donations and regulation of charitable fundraising, submitting to inquiries led by the Senate Select Committee on Charity Fundraising, the Productivity Commission, and the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Corporations and Financial Services. It partners with national bodies including Philanthropy Australia, Australian Council for International Development, Charter Hall Group stakeholders, and legal firms such as King & Wood Mallesons and Clayton Utz to influence policy debates on Deductible Gift Recipient status, corporate philanthropy frameworks, and donor privacy matters interfacing with the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner.
The Institute runs conferences, masterclasses and workshops attended by practitioners from Cancer Council Victoria, Royal Flying Doctor Service of Australia, Fred Hollows Foundation, AIDS Council of New South Wales, World Vision Australia, and corporate CSR teams from BHP, Rio Tinto, Qantas, and Telstra. Flagship events have featured international speakers from the Association of Fundraising Professionals, the Institute of Fundraising (UK), and academics from Columbia University, Stanford University, and University of Oxford, fostering exchanges on digital fundraising, major gifts, legacy giving, and ethics.
The Institute administers awards recognizing excellence in campaigns, innovation and leadership, with recipients drawn from organisations like The Smith Family, Royal Flying Doctor Service, St Vincent de Paul Society, World Vision, and corporate partners such as Commonwealth Bank Foundation and Westpac Foundation. Awards are judged by panels including leaders from Philanthropy Australia, former public servants from the Australian Public Service, legal experts from Allens and journalists from outlets including The Australian Financial Review, The Sydney Morning Herald, and ABC News.
Category:Non-profit organisations based in Australia Category:Philanthropy in Australia