It’s a natural reflex to want to support our own communities. For many Australian philanthropists “charity begins at home” is the starting point for their giving intentions.

But there is a growing sense of urgency, particularly since the Covid-19 pandemic began, for Australians to support our overseas neighbours.  

 

The pandemic has shaped the way philanthropists give around the world and has triggered a huge rise in donations for developing countries who have suffered the most devastating impact.

 

International giving opens new doors for Australians to have a significant supportive impact in Asia, where more than 200 million people still live on less than $2 per day. According to the World Bank, the pandemic has undone years of progress to eliminate poverty in the Asia Pacific and threatens to force between 119 to 124 million people to join the worldwide group of “Covid-induced new poor”.  

 

Recent reforms now allow Australians to make tax-deductible donations internationally. By investing your philanthropy overseas,  gifts of any amount can go much further, by enabling more services and lifesaving solutions to more people in need. 

 

International giving is unfamiliar terrain for many philanthropists but many opportunities exist to spread a commitment to a local cause or issue to a global context and there are many local Australian organisations that can help make the link.

 

Give2Asia Australia Limited is an example. It is a non-profit organisation making it easier for Australian philanthropists to support their favorite causes – but overseas. As a connector with expertise across Asia, they specialise in international grantmaking and help donors maximise impact. 

 

Since 2001, Give2Asia has helped international donors connect them to vetted non-profits. They do the work of partnering with local organisations who understand the problems on the ground and help steer funding safely across international borders.
 

In the past two decades, Give2Asia’s network has delivered over US$420 million in grants to nearly 2000 charities in the Asia region working to solve the region’s most pressing problems, including in education, health, social services, livelihood, the environment, disaster response, and the ongoing COVID crisis.  

 

To learn more about how you can support nonprofits and charities in Asia and the Pacific, visit Give2Asia.

Equity Trustees is working with Give2Asia on behalf of a number of families, to facilitate donations to organisations within the Give2Asia endorsed network.