Australians are charitable by nature

The late Professor Fred Hollows once said that “caring about other people is what being a human is all about”. Fred also said he had “great faith in the humanitarian nature of the Average Australian”.

Fred’s confidence is supported by the data. According to a 2017 study by the Australian Charities and Not-for-Profits Commission (ACNC) most Australians are charitable, with nine in 10 Australians – that’s 91%  – claiming to have had some involvement with a charity in the past year, including donating time, money or goods.

We have also seen displays of incredible generosity in times of terrible disasters, such as the Indian Ocean Tsunami and, more recently the Australian bushfires, which led to an enormous outpouring of support – more than $500 million generously donated.

 

How do people typically choose their charity?

According to the study, the main reasons people donate are their personal perception on how worthy or important a cause is, a ‘feel-good’ factor, and a duty to help those less fortunate.

The driving factors behind people choosing a specific charity came down to “perception of importance, trust, and reputation”.

The Australian Charity Reputation Index (RepTrak®) surveys Australians to measure the overall reputation of the country’s 40 largest charities and ranks them using a scoring system that includes measures of trust, admiration, respect and overall esteem.

The measurement also includes a range of dimensions such as Services, Innovation, Workplace, Citizenship, Governance, Leadership and Cost Management. 

In 2019, The Fred Hollows Foundation was proud to once again rank in the top five, along with : CareFlight;  Royal Flying Doctor Service of Australia; Guide Dogs; and CanTeen.

 

What other factors can I consider when choosing a charity?

Consider the following four factors when deciding which charity you’d like to support:

1. Values

Choose a charity whose values align with yours. For instance, at The Fred Hollows Foundation, one of our core values is integrity. This means we aim to be honest and transparent in everything we do.

2. Impact

 Does the charity deliver on stated objectives and have they delivered in the past?

Is it clear how donations are used?

3. Administration costs

It is important to remember that it costs money to run a charity and that the Not- for- Profit sector is one of largest employers in Australia. More than half of all charities have paid staff. The Not-for-Profit sector is one of largest employers in Australia.

 

But you have to ask yourself, how high is the charity’s administration cost? This determines how much goes to the actual cause and ‘helping people’ and how much goes towards the running of the charity.

4. Transparency

The charity should have accessible and thorough annual reports.

· It should have a strong financial model for efficient running.

·There should be clear role delegations of all employees and board members.

·There should be clear policies in place to prevent wrongdoing, such as corruption.

 

What other research can I do?  

There are a number of resources available to you if you are looking to research which causes are most worthy of your donation.  

Check out the ACNC, its role is to regulate and monitor Australian charities. They also provide in-depth research and are a platform for you to raise concerns about a charity.

Another source to assist your choice is renowned philosopher Peter Singer’s book ‘The Life you can save’ which highlights the importance of giving back and gives you tools to navigate choosing a charity to support.

Probono makes it easy to start your journey to choose a charity that aligns with your values via their ‘search by category’ tool-helping you choose a social mission that speaks to you. You can also explore volunteering and job opportunities if you want to give back in a non-monetary way. 

The good cause co is an independent and unbiased source of charity reviews, that investigates and determines what makes high-quality charity. They offer advice to individuals, businesses and philanthropists alike. Founded by Jessica Bowman, she’s also the founding director of Social Impact Measurement Network Australia (SIMNA).

 

How can I research the worthiness of The Fred Hollows Foundation?

If you are considering giving to The Fred Hollows Foundation, you can research The Foundation’s impact by reading the resources listed below. 

The Fred Hollows Foundation is one of Australia's Top 5 most reputable charities according to the 2019 Charity Reputation Index study.

At The Foundation, for every $1 donated, 76% goes directly towards eye health programs, 6% is necessary for admin costs, and 18% goes towards fundraising efforts which allow us to help even more people.

The Fred Hollows Foundation is one of only two Australian charities recommended in philosopher Peter Singer’s book, The Life You Can Save, which provides an overview of the most impactful charities in the world: www.thelifeyoucansave.org    

The Fred Hollows Foundation’s values are: Integrity, Empowerment, Action and Collaboration.

You can read our 2019-2023 Strategy for more on what each of these values means. 

The Foundation’s Annual Reports provide a detailed overview of our income and expenditure, and are publicly available here: https://www.hollows.org/au/annual-reports

The Foundation’s policies, which keep people safe and prevent wrongdoing, are publicly available here: https://www.hollows.org/au/safeguarding-and-policies

 

Interested in getting involved with The Fred Hollows Foundation?

• Check out our careers section for current opportunities
• Learn about volunteering at The Fred Hollows Foundation
• Read Our Supporter Promise to find out more about our commitment to the cause

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Alisa Vartuli - The Fred Hollows Foundation

Alisa is a Communications Coordinator for The Fred Hollows Foundation. She enjoys working for a social mission that aligns with her values. Everyday, she has the opportunity to communicate and live these values of integrity, empowerment, collaboration and action.