On February 4, 2016, the Australian Centre for Philanthropy and Nonprofit Studies (“ACPNS”) at the Queensland University of Technology (“QUT”) in Brisbane, Australia, published a webpage for the Giving Australia 2015-2016 Project (the “Project”). The Project, led by ACPNS, is carried out in conjunction with the Centre for Social Impact at Swinburne University of Technology and the Centre for Corporate Public Affairs and is the largest ever study concerning philanthropic behaviour conducted to better understand how, why and how much Australians give to charity. The Project has received $1.7 million in funding and will operate through to September 30, 2016, with the end goal of developing new policies and ideas to assist organizations and communities across Australia.
The Project will involve the collection of data from individuals, charities, philanthropists and businesses in order to identify any potential barriers and opportunities to make giving and volunteerism more accessible to Australians, and raise awareness and increase education about the needs of non-profit organizations. The Project has formed research partnerships with a variety of research centres and actors in the non-profit sector. Recent publications from participants in the Project may be found in a separate tab on its website.
The Project is part of the Australian Prime Minister’s Community Business Partnership, whose mandate is to advise the Australian government on practical strategies that encourage philanthropic giving, volunteering and investment in Australia. The Project invites anyone interested in participating in its research to apply in the “Participate in Our Research” tab of its website.