PM Calls for New Ideas in Philanthropy

The Prime Minister through his Community Business Partnership group is keen to hear from the Australian community about new ideas for encouraging philanthropy.

The group is calling for public submissions offering new ideas, strategies and mechanisms for increasing philanthropy in Australia – in particular, in the area of philanthropic support for innovation in industry and business.

The Prime Minister’s Community Business Partnership (the Partnership) is a group of prominent Australians from the business and community sectors, which the Prime Minister established in 1999 and which he chairs.

The Partnership advises the Prime Minister on ways to encourage, promote and recognise activities in which business and the community can work together to make Australia’s communities stronger and more resilient. One of these activities is philanthropy.

The group has already developed several taxation measures, to encourage and facilitate philanthropy by business, individuals and families, which have been accepted and implemented by the Commonwealth Government.

Submissions should be typed if possible and provide, in as much detail as practicable, a new idea or proposal for a strategy or a mechanism for increasing the level of philanthropy in Australia.

Ideas for a new mechanism or tool for increasing philanthropy might range from a simple suggestion – for example that charities print a notice on the back of their donation receipts reminding taxpayers that they can claim a deduction, which could then also be donated to the charity; to a thoroughly developed, detailed proposal for a sophisticated system for electronic donations.

Philanthropic assistance for innovation includes supporting such activities as volunteer mentoring of young entrepreneurs, raising awareness of innovation (for example, the value of research and development in science and technology) and sharing networks to provide small investors with access to the expertise of specialists in their field. It also includes ways of increasing philanthropic support for research and development in industry, higher education, science and technology.

While such endeavour has the potential for wide ranging and long term benefits for the community, research has shown that this particular area of philanthropy is not widely recognised by prospective donors and receives relatively little support.

Submissions should be either posted to:

The Prime Minister’s Community Business Partnership
C/o The PMCBP Secretariat
Box 7788
Canberra Mail Centre
ACT 2610

Or e-mailed to the Prime Minister’s Community Business Partnership at:
cbp.inbox@facs.gov.au.

The closing date for receipt of submissions is Friday 15 August 2003.

If you would like an electronic application/submission form in Word Format just send us an e-mail to probono@probonoaustralia.com.au.