Workplace Giving “Continues to Disappoint”
26 August 2015 at 11:15 am
Workplace giving is struggling to fulfil its potential, according to a report released by independent private wealth advisory firm Koda Capital.
The 2015 Koda Capital Australian Giving Review found participation rates for employers and employees both remain low, “despite this style of regular giving made more attractive by offering matched funding up to a capped level”.
“Workplace giving is widely viewed as an effective way to grow Australian giving, yet despite a concerted effort by employers, providers and philanthropists, it has failed to live up to its promise,” the Review said.
In 2012-13, $28 million was raised through workplace giving, up 3.7 per cent from the previous year’s $27 million.
The number of employees using workplace giving jumped 8.5 per cent and the number of employees offered workplace giving rose 4.1 per cent.
“With only 4.9 per cent of the employees offered workplace giving actually taking it up, the numbers remain disappointingly low, especially when you consider that many employers offer employees gift-matching as a further incentive to participate,” the report said.
New technology platforms that promise to better connect donors and supported charities was flagged as an area that could create improvement.
“One of the challenges of workplace giving is the connection between the recipient charity and giver,” the Review said.
“Historically, for this reason, it has been difficult for charities to engage donors and demonstrate impact.
“For workplace giving to grow, we believe programs must be developed that facilitate much better connectivity and communication between donors and charities.”
The Review found that, overall, growth in deductible giving in Australia is sluggish and the number of givers is not growing.
The Koda Review combines recently released ATO data on Australian giving, with information gathered by Koda from a range of sources in Australia and overseas.
The review has been released ahead of a visit by The Atlantic Philanthropies President and CEO Christopher G. Oechsli, who will host a series of conversations about philanthropy in partnership with Koda.
