Givewell Charity Awards

Givewell has announced its Good Giving Guide Charity Awards departing from its usual annual corporate awards.

The winners are:
Best Practice Not for Profit: The Fred Hollows Foundation
Best Community Project: Welfare Rights Centre (SA) Inc. – Housing Legal Clinic (HLC)
Best Communications Program: Lifeline Australia – ‘Help a Mate’ Suicide Prevention Campaign

Now in their fifth year, the Givewell Charity Awards have previously been presented in association with Ethical Investor’s Australian Sustainability Awards.

This year they departed from the corporate awards to join forces with The Good Giving Guide. The Good Giving Guide, published by Penguin Group (Australia).

The publication is described as the first book of its kind to inspire readers to give, or give more, to Not for Profit organisations and charities. It includes practical tips on individual giving, setting up trusts, business giving and corporate volunteering, along with in-depth analysis of one hundred Australian charities.

Written by Lyn Amy and Mary Pearce, with fundraising and financial information supplied by Givewell, the premise of the in-depth guide is that more people would give if they had more information about the charities and how best to support them.

The Guide was launched in Melbourne along with the Charity Award Winners.

Givewell Executive Director Michael Walsh says the process for each award involved the compilation of a detailed report on each candidate which was supplemented by interviews with CEOs from the short-listed charities and a peer review by members of the Givewell team.

Here’s a breakdown of the finalists and winners:

Best Practice Not for Profit
WINNER – The Fred Hollows Foundation
Australian Wildlife Conservancy
Leukaemia Foundation of Australia
Royal Flying Doctor Service of Australia (South Eastern Section)
The Smith Family

Best Community Project
WINNER – Welfare Rights Centre (SA) Inc. – Housing Legal Clinic (HLC)
Foundation for National Parks & Wildlife – Golden Paw Award
Najidah Association Inc. – Head High; Young People Living Beyond Suicide
Sanctuary Refugee Foundation Inc. – Travel Loan Fund
Unity of First people of Australia (UFPA) Ltd – Diabetes Management and Care Program

Best Communications Program
WINNER – Lifeline Australia – ‘Help a Mate’ Suicide Prevention Campaign
Accessible Arts – Accessible Cinema
Australian Conservation Foundation – Climate Change Action Kit Campaign
Mission Australia – TV Campaign
RSPCA VIC – RSPCA Drought Animal Aid (DAAA) Emergency Appeal
Schizophrenia Research Institute – Australian Schizophrenia Research Bank (ASRB)

For more information about the awards and the new publication go to www.givewell.com.au