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Together, we created momentum for positive social impact in FY20.

Equity Trustees launches our third Annual Giving Review  figures 1200px


In December 2020, Equity Trustees released a report containing containing a breakdown of the $91 million of philanthropic granting and bequests facilitated by Equity Trustees in the 2020 financial year.

The challenge 2020 has presented on a national and global level has taught us many things.  To fulfil its potential in contributing to lasting, positive change, philanthropy must be focussed, informed and committed. This is more evident than ever, as the Australian community faces significant social and environmental challenges ahead.

Carol Schwartz AO, Equity Trustees’ recently appointed Chair, said: “The for-purpose sector needed immediate support to keep the lights on and to keep vital services going, while also needing to work towards the resilience of the sector in the long term. This year, that meant being faster, more flexible and more innovative than ever before in our funding – adapting ourselves to what our partners told us they needed to support the community through these tough times.”

We prioritised the continuation of funding to the for-purpose sector as critical, which is why we took the decision to create a one-off crisis funding round in May 2020. 

This made almost $3 million worth of one-off untied grants to for-purpose organisations available. These organisations urgently needed assistance to pivot their services online with technology or needing basic support to help them cope with increased demand for food, housing and other pandemic-related challenges. Discretion as trustee allowed us to quickly and efficiently make these funds available in the crisis. 

It’s in our DNA as a trustee to take a long view – but understandably this year, some of our focus on measuring and mapping the impact of the philanthropic funding we are responsible for had to take a back seat while we moved to redirect resources to help those immediately in need. But we’ve still made much progress on our long-term targets. 

The Annual Giving Review refers to our blueprint for responsible stewardship in the philanthropic sector and measures impact in four key focus areas:

1. Children and young people
2. Ageing and aged care
3. Medical research and health
4. Animals and environment

The Review also sets out the insights we’ve learned around the importance of having a funding approach that supports collaboration, the empowerment of beneficiaries, the ability to invest back into the sector’s capacity and the need to fund impact through innovation at every possible opportunity.

Some examples of the initiatives supported in FY20 and detailed in our Giving Review include:

• Rapid response grants to communities affected by the bushfires and COVID-19 pandemic
• Collaborations to strengthen the conservation and climate change movement
• Projects designed to empower Indigenous organisations
• Funding collaboration around key reform in the out of home care sector
• Catalysing a campaign aimed at fighting ageism in Australia, and
• Backing leading Medical researchers.

Read the 2020 Annual Giving Review, including stories about some of our Active Philanthropists

You can also view the recording of our webinars held in December, providing insights into the projects and the data to the for-purpose sector, here.

If you would like to receive a hard copy version of the Review, please reach out to your Relationship Manager.