Millions give, but philanthropists say there’s plenty of room to raise more

The three-day Philanthropy Australia Conference 2026, on 8–10 September, marks the organisation's 50th anniversary under the theme “Mobilising generosity. Shaping the future.”

Community Directors is attending and will be producing a series of reports and a philanthropy-themed newsletter following the event.

The wide-ranging program addresses many of the country’s biggest issues through a philanthropic lens, tackling the rise of artificial intelligence, the battle to maintain trust amid growing polarisation, the need for climate action, the value of community-led change, First Nations view on generosity, and the responsibilities that come with wealth and influence.

Headline speakers from the global line-up include Dex Hunter-Torricke, the founder of the Center for Tomorrow and a former adviser to leaders at SpaceX, Meta, Google and the United Nations; Joshua Amponsem, Ghanaian climate leader; and Trista Harris, US philanthropic futurist. Also appearing are Tim Dixon, a UK expert in social cohesion; Dr Kyle Turner, a Wiradjuri epidemiologist and AI researcher; and David Janetzki, the Queensland treasurer.

Philanthropy Australia chief executive Maree Sidey said the event seeks to build a stronger culture of giving.

“Australia doesn’t have a shortage of generous people,” she said. “The bigger question is how we make generosity more visible, more connected to community and more deeply embedded in our culture. Building a more generous nation is not simply about increasing donations, it’s about strengthening the conditions that encourage people to contribute, participate and care.”

Sidey’s case rests partly on recent research that shows that Australians are less generous than the country's wealth would suggest.

Donor Insights, published by the international Charities Aid Foundation (CAF), found that 56 per cent of Australians donated to charity in 2025, yet on average gave just 0.8 per cent of their income, less than the global average (one per cent), and half what Africans give (1.6 per cent).

Overall, two-thirds of Australians were involved in giving, when volunteering and helping strangers were included.

Sidey said the global study showed that greater generosity was closely linked to higher levels of community connection.

“The evidence tells us that people give more when they feel connected, trust the organisations creating change and see generosity as something that is valued,” Sidey said.

“At a time when Australia is grappling with profound technological, environmental and social change, we should be asking what role generosity can play in shaping the kind of country we want to become. The conference is an opportunity to bring together people from across sectors to consider how we build a stronger culture of giving.”

Sidey will moderate a conference panel that will closely examine global and local giving trends, drawing on the CAF data.

The conference is also expected to address many of themes that will be of great interest to not-for-profits and charities, including the shifting balance of giving away from direct donations and towards structured giving, the need for reforms of the tax settings affecting donations, and the complicated power dynamics at play between funders and recipients.

The conference will be held at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre.

More information

philanthropyaustraliaconference.com.au