Looking for the latest sector news? Catch up on what’s happening across the world of funding, philanthropy, and research with the latest updates from Team SG’s busy research team.
The research team at Strategic Grants spend hundreds of hours each month reviewing newsletters, funder sites, LinkedIn and many other resources to find funding and grants to update in our Grants Expertise Management System (GEMS), ensuring our clients have a strong pipeline of funding prospects that align with their funding priorities.
We also share relevant articles with the rest of Team SG as our commitment to keeping up-to-date with what’s happening across the sector here at home in Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand, and across the globe.
Here’s a round-up of what we’ve been reading lately, in our latest sector news blog.
Latest sector news
NAB Foundation launches $50 million Impact Investment Fund with affordable housing in focus
At Strategic Grants we follow industry and sector trends and one that is trending is Impact Investing. NAB Foundation has established a new Impact Investing Fund (IIF) designed to increase its positive social and environmental impact, as part of its $170 million total corpus. This is a growing area that the for-purpose sector needs to keep informed and up to date on as to a possible income or funding source.
Read more: https://news.nab.com.au/news/nab-foundation-impact-investment-fund/
All good things come to an end: Emerging strategic patterns of Sunset Foundations
This is a research piece that implemented a multiple-case study approach to analyse an international sample of 11 sunset foundations. This is in contrast to endowment funds that are set up to exist, potentially, forever. The idea is that having a limited organisational life span allows for greater impact.
2025 Environment and climate change giving trends
An analysis of International, Australian and Australian Environmental Grantmakers Network giving trends in relation to the environment and climate change. Combined, Australian Private Ancillary Funds (PAFs) and Public Ancillary Fund (PuAFs) donations to environment now represent less than 4% of broader giving, dropping from the previous year’s figure of 5%. AEGN members gave at least $247 million to climate and environment in FY2023/24, with almost 1/3 increasing their giving to climate and environment from the previous year.
Read more: https://www.aegn.org.au/environmental-giving-trends-2025
Trusted insights | The evolution of philanthropy (podcast)
Private Wealth Partner at Minter Ellison in New Zealand, Aimee Mitchell is joined by Head of Philanthropic Services at Forsyth Barr, Simon Bowden, to discuss the evolving landscape of philanthropy.
Read more / listen: https://www.minterellison.co.nz/insights/the-evolution-of-philanthropy
$5.4 trillion wealth transfer poses deep questions on legacy
The topic of wealth transfer will be around for quite some time as the sector poses questions around how funds could be invested, donated or used. Fuelled by decades of rising property prices and investment gains, this unprecedented shift is prompting many Australians to rethink the question of legacy: What do I truly want to leave behind?
Read more: https://www.firstlinks.com.au/5-4-trillion-dollar-wealth-transfer-poses-deep-questions-on-legacy
Second global summit shows collaborative funds are on the rise, says Mannifera EO
Around the world, collaborative funds are increasingly being recognised as effective and efficient ways to move resources to where they need to be. This article has Mannifera EO Harriet McCallum sharing her learnings from the second Global Summit of Collaborative Funds. A couple of key points include: Collaborative funds are overwhelmingly led by women (75%), and more likely to be led by people who are black, First Nations or people of colour (64%); New funders are increasingly starting their philanthropy by giving through collaborative funds, they see them as lean, efficient operations compared to foundations, that can give quickly, thoughtfully and at scale in line with a clear strategy.
Spending Stories: Moving from perpetuity to purpose
At The Center for Effective Philanthropy, they have invited contributors representing a cross-section of philanthropy to examine some of the common ‘myths’ by which philanthropy operates. In this blog they have written about four concepts in philanthropy: Perpetuity; Spend Down; A Drop in the Bucket; and A Spending Story for These Times.
Read more: https://cep.org/blog/spending-stories-moving-from-perpetuity-to-purpose
Upcoming sector professional development events & opportunities
19 May – 6 June 2025 Benefolk Income Summit, supported by Strategic Grants
More information and tickets: https://events.humanitix.com/benefolk-income-summit-2025 Use code SG30 for 30% off your ticket price!
4 July 2025 Fundraiser Appreciation Day (Australia)
This day is an opportunity for organisations, colleagues, leadership, volunteers, and other important actors within the For Purpose sector to say thank you for the important work fundraisers do. This unique day is purely about showing appreciation for the people and the profession – not a chance to debrief on the previous fiscal year or goal setting for the year ahead – and this website is here to support your celebrations with ideas, actions, and assets to help you make the day meaningful for your staff.
Find out more: https://www.fundraiserday.com.au/
Strategic Grants has the most comprehensive funding data and funding insights in Australia and NZ collated since 2009—a sustainable and ever-growing resource that can help inform and enable collaboration and decision making to improve community outcomes for all. Find out more about GEMS (Grants Expertise Management System) here.