Gauging the Confidence of the Not for Profit Sector

The headlines might suggest tough times in the Not for Profit sector – belt tightening, significant welfare reform, regulatory change and more – but what is the sector’s confidence level and expectations for the future? A new national survey is about to find out.

Pro Bono Australia is undertaking a survey to gauge the state of the Not for Profit sector – 12 months on from its breakthrough pre-election survey in 2013.

In 2013 Pro Bono Australia, with the assistance of the Community Council for Australia and Net Balance, conducted a survey to gauge the Not for Profit sector’s views and future outlook prior to the 2013 Federal Election.

“Twelve months later, we are doing it again to see how things have changed in terms of regulation, impact and expectations for the next twelve months,” Pro Bono Australia Founder Karen Mahlab said.

“Our survey asks many of the same questions and will provide a needed evidence-base for how the sector sees current events, reform and what the sector wants to see for the future.

“Our 2013 survey had 1500 respondents and gained widespread coverage in the general community and within the halls of Government and we’d like your voice to be loud and clear once again.

“It’s important that our sector continues to have a strong voice about important sector issues. Much has happened during the first 12 months of the current Federal Government.

“We had a clear idea of what the sector wanted for itself through the pre-election survey done in August 2013. It’s time to take the sector’s pulse again on those major issues,” Mahlab said.

The CEO of the Community Council for Australia, David Crosbie said “the survey is critical to informing our community, governments, our stakeholders and colleagues about how we in the sector are traveling, what our needs are, and what must change if we are to better serve our communities”.  

“The value of this kind of information cannot be overstated.  There is currently a real vacuum in the public and political discourse about the needs of our sector,” he said.

The 2013 pre-election survey found that Australian Not for Profits believed overwhelmingly that the reduction in Government red tape and compliance costs have been the most important initiatives in developing the sector over the past three years.

The sector also believed engaging with business and capacity building were high priorities for the next Government after the election.

Almost 60 per cent of those who took part have worked in the NFP sector for more than 10 years.

Overall, survey respondents stated that most of the initiatives introduced over the past three years were important for the sector and the organisations they are associated with.

Respondents reported a strong preference for the then newly established charity regulator, the Australian Charities and Not-for-profit Commission (ACNC), when compared to the Australian Tax Office (ATO).

The survey found that the establishment of the ACNC was important (81 per cent) along with the Office of the Not for Profit Sector (73 per cent).

Regulation by the ACNC was the most supported preference for the type of regulatory framework (44 per cent), while only a small proportion of respondents supported regulation by the Australian Tax Office (6 per cent).

The results of the new survey will inform a Press Club Event to be held in Canberra later this year with some of the nations leaders.

Take the survey HERE. The survey will be open until Tuesday 26th August.