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
Giving fund reforms
In Australia the Treasury was seeking feedback and consultation on the following topic: “Giving fund reforms: distribution rate and smoothing (Australia).”
As there are over 3,500 funds with over $15B in assets and distribute over $1B every year, this consultation has been a hot topic in the sector.
From the treasury, they outlined what they were hoping to achieve from this consultation. Changes will:
- align the annual distribution rate between public and private giving funds;
- increase the annual distribution rate;
- allow funds to smooth distributions across years;
- rename ancillary funds to giving funds in the tax law.
Read more: https://consult.treasury.gov.au/c2025-667008
Philanthropy Australia encouraged those in the sector, and who are part of an Ancillary Fund to add their voice to the consultation and advised against cherry-picking.
Barwon Investment Partners discuss the link between minimum distribution rates, long-term growth and the risks involved with these investments strategies.
An article by Paul Ronalds from Save the Children Global Ventures discusses the concept of how funds can be invested through impact investing with charitable organisations where social returns can be as high as $13 for each $1 invested.
Other topics we have been following
With a strong connection to giving, there has been a focus on women in philanthropy. Australian Investing in Women have a series of interviews with those involved with increasing charitable giving to women and girls, both in Australia and across the world. This episode is with Georgina Byron AM (CEO Snow Foundation/Chair of Syd Women’s Fund).
And from New Zealand, Eleanor Cater from Community Foundations of Aotearoa NZ discusses the “great wealth transfer” in New Zealand where it will see $1.2 trillion in earnings, property, and other financial assets changing hands as the older generation passes on.
Read more: https://www.thepost.co.nz/business/360769512/women-set-take-wheel-philanthropy
With the Public Trust discussing how Inheritances are estimated to grow from around the $27 billion passed in 2024, to $1.6 trillion by 2050. (Source: The Bequest Report 2025). Currently, only 1.3% of inheritances will be allocated to charities, below the levels seen in the US and UK. Women “willanthropists” lead the way: Female will-makers consistently donate more than their male counterparts. In 2024, younger females aged 18-35 showed a notable increase in giving compared to previous years.
Following on with the topic of Intergenerational Wealth Transfer, it has now been noted that fund managers are adding staff whose job it is to help investors work out what to do with their wealth when they die. Craigs Investment Partners recently appointed a director of philanthropy and intergenerational wealth, and Forsyth Barr’s head of philanthropic services, Simon Bowden, has been in the role for a year-and-a-half.
Read more: https://www.stuff.co.nz/money/360769816/helping-wealthiest-generation-history-give-money-away
From the release of the Australian Tech Giving Report, there have been discussions around how this sector has been instrumental into reshaping philanthropy.
‘Nobody needs $1b’: Wave of tech money to reshape philanthropy.
Tech elite embrace philanthropy on their terms.
Read more: https://www.communitydirectors.com.au/articles/tech-elite-embrace-philanthropy-on-their-terms
Continuing on with my love for data, the following two reports were released recently.
Australian Charities Report 11th Edition. Charity revenue reaching a record high of $222 billion – a rise of 10.7%.
Read more: https://www.acnc.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/2025-06/ACNC%20Australian%20Charities%20Report%20-%2011th%20edition.pdf
Ancillary Funds 2022-2023
In total, as at 30 June 2023, there were 3,641 ancillary funds, with combined net assets of $15.37 billion. They received $3.18 billion in donations in the 2022–23 year and distributed $1.29 billion in grants.
Read more: https://eprints.qut.edu.au/258637/1/ACPNS_Current_Issues_Information_Sheet_July_2025_2.pdf
And in news from around the world
In Discussion: ‘Partnering for Progress,’ a New Report on European Philanthropy is an article that sings the same tune as Strategic Grants by saying “Grantees want what they have always wanted — stronger, more intentional relationships, simpler application and reporting processes, more flexible funding, and support that goes beyond the grant.”
Read more: https://cep.org/blog/in-discussion-partnering-for-progress-a-new-report-on-european-philanthropy
Upcoming sector professional development events & opportunities
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29 August – 17 September Benefolk Workplace Wellbeing Summit 2025
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12 August – 19 August Grant-seeking Best Practice with Strategic Grants
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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.