Philanthropy Australia
Philanthropy Australia is Australia's peak national body for philanthropy, a not-for-profit membership association founded in 1976 that convenes, educates, and advocates for family foundations, corporate giving programs, for-purpose organisations, and individual philanthropists through tiered memberships, peer networks, the annual conference, and the Better Giving Hub.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1976
- HeadquartersMelbourne, Australia
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Philanthropy Australia does
Philanthropy Australia is the peak national body for philanthropy in Australia, founded in 1976 and operating as a not-for-profit incorporated association headquartered in Melbourne. It serves as a membership-based intermediary that convenes, educates, and advocates for the Australian philanthropy sector, with a membership community spanning family foundations, corporate philanthropic programs, for-purpose organisations, individual philanthropists, and social enterprises. The organization runs a tiered membership program (CONNECT at $700, ENGAGE at $1,700 individual / $3,500 organization, and IMPACT at $7,500, all plus GST and billed annually) that grants access to peer networks, professional development, sector intelligence, and events.
Its service portfolio is anchored by the Better Giving Hub (an online resource platform), Australia's largest philanthropy annual conference (1,000+ attendees), The Giving Academy (professional development delivered with the Centre for Social Impact), grantmaking resources including Foundation Maps Australia, structured peer networks (Family Foundations, Corporate Philanthropy, First Nations Funders, Social Enterprise Funders, New Gen), the Australian Philanthropy Awards, and the Giving News e-newsletter. The organization operates from five offices across Melbourne, Sydney, Adelaide, Perth and Brisbane with regional engagement directors covering every Australian state and territory.
The business model is subscription-driven (annual membership fees) supplemented by conference and event registration revenue, professional development program fees, and funded research partnerships (e.g., Minderoo Foundation, 5Point Foundation, Australian Communities Foundation supported the Giving Together report). It is not a technology platform: its core capability is convening power and sector leadership, with the stated 2026 strategic goal of doubling structured giving in Australia from AUD $2.5 billion to AUD $5 billion by 2030. The organization is privately governed by its members through a Board of Directors and has no external investors, parent company, or subsidiaries.
Philanthropy Australia firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Philanthropy Australia
- Legal name
- Philanthropy Australia Inc.
- Website
- https://philanthropy.org.au
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1976
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Philanthropy Australia is Australia's peak national body for philanthropy, a not-for-profit membership association founded in 1976 that convenes, educates, and advocates for family foundations, corporate giving programs, for-purpose organisations, and individual philanthropists through tiered memberships, peer networks, the annual conference, and the Better Giving Hub.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Philanthropy Australia industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Philanthropy Association Services
- NAICS
- Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Grantmaking and Giving Services (8132), Civic and Social Organizations (813410)
- SIC
- Services-Social Services (8300)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Public Charities & Grantmaking Intermediaries (BPAGAKAE)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Family Offices & Philanthropic Advisors (Grantmaking) (BPAGAKAD), Philanthropy & Foundations Advisory (Donor-Advised Funds, Endowments) (FSAAABAH)
Keywords
Where Philanthropy Australia is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Melbourne
- HQ country
- Australia
- HQ region
- Oceania
Offices5 records
Markets served
Philanthropy Australia business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Membership Fees: Annual membership fees at four tiers ranging from $700 to $7,500 + GST annually. Membership provides access to resources, networks, events, professional development, and sector intelligence.
- Conference and Event Revenue: Revenue from conference registrations, professional development programs, masterclasses, and field trips. Conference attracts over 1,000 attendees with ticket sales being a significant revenue stream.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | CONNECT membership for individuals wanting to stay informed on philanthropy trends |
| Subscription | Annual | ENGAGE Individual membership for professionals seeking networking and professional development |
| Subscription | Annual | ENGAGE Organisation membership for teams and organizations |
| Subscription | Annual | IMPACT membership for leaders shaping the philanthropy ecosystem |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels9 records
Philanthropy Australia product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Philanthropy Australia operates as Australia's national peak body for philanthropy, providing tiered membership, professional development, peer networks, an annual conference, online resources via the Better Giving Hub, and policy advocacy for funders, family foundations, corporate philanthropy programs, and individual philanthropists. The organization convenes the sector, builds capabilities through education, and advocates for enabling policy settings to grow structured giving in Australia.
Product overview
Philanthropy Australia operates as a peak national body for philanthropy, offering a portfolio of programs, resources, and services rather than a unified software product. The core offerings include the Better Giving Hub (online resource platform), annual Conference events, The Giving Academy professional development (delivered with Centre for Social Impact), Grantmaking Resources including Foundation Maps Australia, and tiered Membership programs (CONNECT, ENGAGE, IMPACT). Supporting offerings include Peer Networks, the Structured Giving Tool, publications like Inspiring Stories of Giving, the Australian Philanthropy Awards, and the Giving News e-newsletter. These services work together to support, connect, and grow the philanthropy ecosystem in Australia.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Giving News: Digital newsletter formerly known as Philanthropy Weekly, includes sector news, views, opportunities and resources.
- Better Giving Hub
- The Giving Academy
- New Generation of Giving Network (New Gen Network)
- Foundations Group for Impact Investing (FGII)
Products and services
- Membership Program (CONNECT, ENGAGE, IMPACT) Tiered annual membership program for individual philanthropists, family foundations, corporations, and for-purpose organisations. Provides access to peer networks, professional development, resources, events, and sector intelligence. Memberships range from $700 to $7,500 + GST annually.
- Philanthropy Australia Conference Australia's largest annual philanthropy conference bringing together funders, changemakers, and innovators. The 2026 conference runs 8-10 September 2026 in Brisbane and features plenaries, breakout sessions, networking, and professional development opportunities.
- The Giving Academy: Effective Giving Professional development short courses delivered in partnership with the Centre for Social Impact to advance Australian philanthropy. Provides practical learnings for philanthropists and grantmakers on strategic and thoughtful giving with lasting impact.
- Better Giving Hub Online resource platform providing tools, knowledge, and guidance for philanthropists to manage and enhance their giving practices. Functions as a central knowledge hub for the philanthropy sector.
- Structured Giving Tool Interactive online diagnostic tool that helps professional advisers and individuals explore philanthropic giving structures through multiple-choice questions, recommending suitable giving options in 2-10 minutes.
Quantifiable outcome
- 55 collective giving groups engaging over 11,000 participants
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Philanthropy Australia
Customer profileNamed customers7 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Philanthropy Australia technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Philanthropy Australia partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Community Foundations AustraliacorePhilanthropy Australia has a special partnership with Community Foundations Australia to support and grow Australian community foundations. The organisations collaborate on shared goals of strengthening place-based philanthropy across Australia.
- Rockefeller Philanthropy AdvisorscoreCollaborated with Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors to develop and launch Strategy 2033 and the State of Philanthropy Insights Series across Australia.
- Centre for Social ImpactcorePartnered with the Centre for Social Impact to deliver The Giving Academy professional development program for philanthropists and grantmakers.
- Atlassian FoundationcoreHost of FGII Market Information Day Q3 in Sydney. Atlassian Foundation supports impact investing activities and social enterprise sector through hosting Market Information Days.
- Australian Communities FoundationcoreCEO Andrew Binns wrote a commentary on Strategy 2033, expressing commitment to help activate the strategy. Represents a key partner in the philanthropy ecosystem.
- Charities Aid FoundationminorSource of World Giving Report 2026 data cited in PA's analysis of Australian generosity and giving patterns.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Philanthropy Australia competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- National Center for Family Philanthropy: US nonprofit dedicated to supporting family foundations and family philanthropists with education, networks and resources; closely comparable to PA's Family Foundations peer network and resources.
- Candid: US-based information provider (formed from Foundation Center and GuideStar) serving the philanthropy sector with data, research and learning resources — comparable as a knowledge/infrastructure provider to PA's Better Giving Hub.
- Charities Aid Foundation: International charity that supports giving, philanthropy research and workplace giving, and source of the World Giving Report cited by PA — operates in adjacent giving-services and research territory.
- Council on Foundations: US national membership association for foundations and philanthropic entities, offering conferences, peer networks, policy advocacy and resources — directly analogous to Philanthropy Australia's role in Australia.
- The Center for Effective Philanthropy: US nonprofit providing research, consulting and tools to help foundations and funders improve effectiveness — overlaps with PA's knowledge, research and capability-building role.
- Philanthropy Europe Association (formerly European Foundation Centre): Europe-wide membership association for public-benefit foundations, with conferences, advocacy and peer networks — the European counterpart to Philanthropy Australia's peak-body model.
- Community Foundations Australia: Australian peak body for community foundations; PA's strategic partner for place-based philanthropy, serving a closely overlapping segment of the Australian funding ecosystem.
- Association of Charitable Foundations: UK membership body for grantmaking foundations and philanthropy-supporting organizations; operates a similar convening, policy advocacy and member services model to Philanthropy Australia.
Regional players
- Imagine Canada: Canadian national sector organization for charities and nonprofits with convening, research and advocacy functions — a comparable national peak body for a different geography.
- Philanthropy NZ: National peak body for philanthropy and grantmaking in New Zealand; runs comparable membership, advocacy and events programs for a neighbouring but separate market.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Philanthropy Australia social profiles
Digital presencePhilanthropy Australia financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Philanthropy Australia leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles15 records
Philanthropy Australia funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Philanthropy Australia M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Philanthropy Australia
What does Philanthropy Australia do?
Philanthropy Australia operates as Australia's national peak body for philanthropy, providing tiered membership, professional development, peer networks, an annual conference, online resources via the Better Giving Hub, and policy advocacy for funders, family foundations, corporate philanthropy programs, and individual philanthropists. The organization convenes the sector, builds capabilities through education, and advocates for enabling policy settings to grow structured giving in Australia.
Is Philanthropy Australia a public or private company?
Philanthropy Australia is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Philanthropy Australia founded?
Philanthropy Australia was founded in 1976. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Philanthropy Australia based?
Philanthropy Australia is headquartered in Melbourne, Australia, in the Oceania region.
How does Philanthropy Australia make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Membership Fees are the primary driver. The others are conference and Event Revenue.
Who are Philanthropy Australia's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are National Center for Family Philanthropy, Candid, Charities Aid Foundation, Council on Foundations, The Center for Effective Philanthropy, Philanthropy Europe Association (formerly European Foundation Centre), Community Foundations Australia and Association of Charitable Foundations. Regional players are Imagine Canada and Philanthropy NZ.
Does Philanthropy Australia have an API?
No public API is recorded for Philanthropy Australia.
What industry is Philanthropy Australia in?
Philanthropy Australia's product category is Philanthropy Association Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAKAE, Public Charities & Grantmaking Intermediaries, with a secondary code of BPAGAKAD, Family Offices & Philanthropic Advisors (Grantmaking). Its NAICS code is 81321 and its SIC code is 8300.