NFP Predictions for 2016

Australia’s social sector leaders are optimistic heading into 2016, saying that this year presents many opportunities for positive change.

While 2015 was a tumultuous one for the the Not for Profit sector, this year is expected, once again, to be full of surprises.

CEO of the Community Council for Australia (CCA), David Crosbie, said charities and Not for Profits should spend much of 2016 advocating to all sides of politics ahead of the upcoming federal election, which Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has said will likely be held in September or October.

“Election years are always interesting. A Federal election is a time for governments and potential governments to lay out an agenda for their next term in office,” Crosbie said.

“Election years provide a critical opportunity to ensure key issues in our sector are part of the national policy discussions leading into the election.

“Influencing the national policy agenda will not be easy over the coming year as many industries and sectors increase their investment in political advocacy at this stage of the election cycle.

“Given recent changes and the increasing pressures within our sector, CCA advocacy and the advocacy of the broader sector is now more important than ever before.”

Crosbie, who led the debate around the need for hundreds of Australian charities to merge or close down last year, said he would be pushing for potential governments to consider a range of issues.

“CCA will be seeking to ensure issues such as regulation of the sector, red tape, new sources of capital, more consistent and workable government relations, charitable status and advocacy, fairer measures of impact and effectiveness, leadership and sector development, workforces, fundraising and philanthropy will all be on the table for discussion,” he said.

Philanthropy Australia CEO Sarah Davies said 2016 promised to be another exciting year for giving in Australia.

Davies said on the policy front, expectations were building that there would be some “big wins” coming out of the Prime Minister’s Community Business Partnership, with 2016 being the partnership’s second year in existence.

She said the partnership did a lot of work examining policy ideas and proposals during 2015.

Davies said Australia would also see a push towards better research around philanthropy.

“We’re also going to see growing pressure and demand for more and better data on philanthropic activities in Australia – both to drive impact, improve collaboration and to deliver on transparency expectations,” Davies said.

“Diversifying philanthropic assets will continue to be a focus, as we explore ways to increase our kit bag of options on how to best deploy scarce philanthropic assets.

“Linked with this will be a continued spotlight on opportunities to reduce duplication of resources and effort, which is a discussion happening across the broader Not for Profit sector.”

In his most recent column for Pro Bono Australia News, digital consultancy expert Tony Lee said 2016 would be the “year of engagement” for Not for Profits seeking to connect and reconnect with their prospects, supporters and advocates.

Lee said developing a complete view of each donor’s journey meant that more Not for Profits would “seek a greater opportunity to work with direct-response marketing automation techniques that enable even greater personalisation at each stage of the journey on a mass scale”.