Sustained Culture of Giving - Givewell Report
13 June 2002 at 1:06 pm
Australia has a new sustained culture of giving according to an interim 2002 statistical report from Givewell.
The first release of charity funding statistics for the 2000-2001 financial year demonstrates that charities experienced sustained income growth over the last five years at levels which outstrip inflation, economic growth and wages growth.
Givewell’s 2002 Interim Report has surveyed the financial statements of 198 Australian charities including Mission Australia, the Salvation Army, World Vision, Brotherhood of Saint Laurence and Worldwide Fund for Nature as well as a representative sample of mid-range and smaller charities.
Research Analyst Cate Smith says the total combined income for all these charities was $2.1 billion – an increase of $228m or 12% over the income for the same sample in the previous year.
Smith says while the increases seen in 2001 were down on some of the accelerated increase which Givewell reported in the late 90’s, they suggest that Australians’ support for the charitable sector is well established and on-going.
She says this support is evident from consistent growth in fundraising, government funding and other income, including fees for service, commercial income and investment income.
The key findings include:
15% increase in fundraising income
14% increase in government contributions
5% increase in net Assets
3% increase in investments
Cate Smith says the report shows that 78 percent of organisations reported income increases.
Givewell has been collecting data on the charitable sector since 1997. Smith says the surveys have consistently shown increases in all key components of income.
She says the 2001 figures are particularly interesting because they relate to a year in which many were concerned about the impact of the implementation of the GST and the Sydney 2000 Olympics on public and corporate giving.
She says it seems that only a major recession like that of the early 90’s would impact on Australian’s willingness to support charities. Even then, there is no data available to tell what happened to charitable giving during that period.
The full report on the 2000-2001 charitable giving will be released in October when the results of some 500 charities will be assessed.
For more information on Givewell you can visit their website at www.givewell.com.au.
