In times of crisis, Australians step up. Communities rally. Businesses contribute. Families dig deep. We are one of the wealthiest nations in the world, yet we give a smaller proportion of our income to charity than many comparable economies.
The challenge is as wealth increases proportional giving often declines. If we all gave the same percentage of our income — regardless of wealth — our giving culture would look very different.
With women poised to inherit approximately 65% of Australia’s $5.4 trillion intergenerational wealth transfer in the next decade – the largest intergenerational wealth transfer in our history – we must question how we unlock both the willingness and the capability to give at scale.
The timing matters. Community need is increasing while government budgets are under sustained pressure. Large systems absorb significant public investment, leaving smaller organisations operating in tighter conditions and competing for limited resources.
If we want philanthropy to play a more meaningful role, it must become more efficient — reaching the right people with the right message at the right time.
From my experience as Chair of UNICEF Australia, I’ve observed that most financial support does not come from the very wealthy. It comes from ordinary Australians giving modest amounts regularly. Around 80 per cent of funding is driven by people who simply want to help.
Independent research released recently by the She Gives campaign, which explored women’s giving for the first time in Australia, highlights something I have seen firsthand across business, universities, and my own giving journey: women are deeply committed to making a difference. Many already shape charitable decisions within their families and networks. More are stepping into significant economic influence.
Australia’s philanthropic structures were not deliberately designed for today’s economic reality, where women are increasingly business owners, investors and inheritors of significant wealth. Nor were they designed with collaborative, relational giving models in mind.
The opportunity before us is not to persuade women to give more. It is to modernise the system around them so it better reflects how they choose to engage.
Too often, philanthropy is approached transactionally. Organisations broadcast generic requests. Donors are treated as funding sources rather than motivated partners. Financial advice focuses on tax efficiency and succession planning, with philanthropy often reduced to establishing a structure and moving on.
Giving is not only financial. It is also about time, skills, networks and leadership. Ninety per cent of women engaged in philanthropic networks have volunteered in the past year. Women consistently say they want to see impact, meet the people involved and understand what is changing. Tax incentives rank far lower than purpose and trust.
In my experience, the most powerful philanthropic moments occur when donors connect directly with outcomes. At QUT, for example, we bring together scholarship supporters with students whose lives have been changed by that support. That connection deepens commitment in a way very little else could.
Yet some well-intentioned structural advice can unintentionally distance donors from impact. Advisers often recommend establishing boards, foundations and governance layers. These can be important, but they also risk blocking donors from the engagement that motivates them.
If the goal is to grow giving, our systems must be designed around human motivation rather than compliance alone.
The financial advisory sector has a pivotal role here. Many advisers have not been trained to integrate philanthropy into holistic wealth conversations. When I recently spoke to a room of advisers, many were intrigued by the idea that philanthropy could be a deeper, more strategic conversation with clients — particularly women.
Philanthropy, beyond setting up a private ancillary fund, has rarely been core business. She Gives’ research reveals that women are more influenced by peers than by advisers when it comes to structured giving. That represents both a gap and an opportunity.
Advisers who broaden their approach — building capability in impact strategy and facilitating meaningful engagement — can strengthen client relationships while helping unlock billions in potential community investment.
We need to modernise Australia philanthropy in order to grow giving. The She Gives report, launched by Governor-General Sam Mostyn AC, highlights a clear path forward: build capability across the ecosystem, expand collective giving models and ensure women’s leadership in philanthropy is visible and valued.
Collective models are particularly powerful. Connection builds confidence. Confidence builds scale. We have seen this repeatedly, from community foundations to giving circles to corporate philanthropy networks.
If we are serious about doubling giving in Australia, we must address both willingness and capability. The willingness is already there. The capability — across advisory systems, nonprofit engagement and sector culture — must now catch up.
Women are ready to lead in shaping the next era of philanthropy. The question is whether our structures are ready to support them.
