Background
Research on individual and business giving in Australia is not substantial.
4 This project has sought to improve our understanding of giving and has been unique in a number of ways.
This work has generated substantial quantitative data on both the giving of money and volunteering, allowing for a comprehensive exploration of these key factors not previously available through a single survey and data set. A Survey of Business has built upon an earlier Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) (ABS, 2002b) Business Generosity Survey in 2000-01. This has allowed, for the first time, for some trends in business giving to be identified. A Survey of Nonprofit Organisations has provided a unique source of information on how resources for this sector are being used and what might help nonprofit organisations to strengthen their capacity through additional financial and volunteer support.
Research has melded both quantitative and qualitative methods and helped to ensure a powerful and practical outpouring of information for use by public and corporate policy makers, nonprofit organisations and researchers.
The Australian Government Department of Family and Community Services (FaCS), on behalf of the Prime Minister’s Community Business Partnership, has commissioned this research. Giving Australia is a collaboration formed to meet the challenges posed by this research.
This program of research, coordinated by the Australian Council of Social Service (ACOSS), has involved several key activities. Substantial reports for each of the research components will be published in due course, and the findings of these have formed the basis of this report. These activities and the principal research agencies included:
- Individual and Household Survey. This has involved a national household survey, conducted over February and March 2005 and using a 20 minute telephone interview of 6,209 respondents representative of the Australian population. A range of questions on individual and household giving and volunteering was completed. The research team from the University of Technology, Sydney, Centre for Australian Community Organisations and Management (CACOM) has guided survey development and analysis with Roy Morgan Research having undertaken the survey work.
- Business Community Involvement Survey. This national survey secured responses from a representative sample of 2,705 businesses across Australia and collected data on donations, sponsorship and community projects during the 2003-04 year. It was conducted over the period March to May 2005. This survey was undertaken by McNair Ingenuity Research.
- Survey of Nonprofit Organisations and Fundraisers. This survey was undertaken to assess the fundraising and development capacity of nonprofit organisations in Australia, the resources and supports available and their uptake. A total of 481 surveys were completed from a range of nonprofit organisations. This survey was developed by the University of Technology, Sydney CACOM team with support and input from ACOSS and the Fundraising Institute – Australia. CACOM, together with Orfeus Research conducted the analysis of findings from this survey.
- Focus Groups, In-depth Interviews and Expert Panels. As part of this research 34 focus group discussions and 38 in-depth interviews were held across a range of businesses, nonprofit organisations, and individual donors. Towards the end of the project, panels of experts in philanthropy were convened to contribute towards analysis of research findings through an examination/refinement of the themes. These components have been undertaken by the Queensland University of Technology Centre of Philanthropy and Nonprofit Studies (CPNS).
Outline of report
The aim of this report is to summarise findings. In general, the aim of the research has been to examine the state of giving to nonprofit organisations of money and time (volunteering) by individuals, households and businesses in Australia.
In this report, a great deal of data has been omitted in an effort to contain length and give focus to key findings. Following the release of this summary report, full reports on each research component will be available on the website of the Prime Minister’s Community Business Partnership (http://www.partnerships.gov.au).
The key sections of this paper are as follows:
- 2.0 Methodology. Provides a brief summary of key methodological issues, allowing readers to be informed of the strengths and limits of research findings.
- 3.0 The givers. Summarises the characteristics of those that give, both individuals and business.
- 4.0 The recipients of giving. Summarises the patterns of giving to nonprofit recipients as well as the strategies used by nonprofit organisations to enhance their resources through fundraising from individuals and business as well as involvement from volunteers.
- 5.0 Strengthening giving. Summarises findings regarding reasons for giving, planned giving (including bequests and foundations and taxation measures), and discusses approaches applied by nonprofit organisations to secure financial and volunteer support. Findings are discussed regarding resources and issues for strengthening nonprofit organisations.