Giving and Identity: Why affluent Australians give – or don't – to community causes

The trend to affluence in Australia is noteworthy. There are more Australian millionaires than ever before and the rate at which Australians are joining this group is one of the fastest in the world, with average assets held now worth US$4.1m, nudging the world's average of US$4.8m (Merrill Lynch and Capgemini 2005). This is positive news for the community sector because the Giving Australia household survey indicates that Australia's affluent are more likely give to community causes than those on lower incomes and are more likely to give more (PMCBP 2005). This trend is reflected in analyses of tax deductions claimed for charitable giving (McGregor‐Lowndes and Marsden 2006). This paper presents the findings of qualitative research conducted as part of the Giving Australia project describing why affluent donors give – or don't – to community causes. Findings from eight focus groups and eight in‐depth interviews with affluent individuals suggest that giving by the affluent at lower levels may be linked to a sense of identity and responsibility within social groups, as well as the perceived worthiness of both the cause and recipient organisations. In contrast, major donor behaviour appeared to be linked to passion and personal commitment to social change. A range of barriers were also indicated such as a need for privacy and concerns about the capacity of community organisations. Overall, the study's findings add to the understanding of giving behaviour by the affluent in Australia and confirm US findings that motivations for affluent donors are complex (for example, Boris 1987; Prince and File 1994; Schervish 2005; Johnson 2005).     

Giving and Identity: Why affluent Australians give – or don't – to community causes

The trend to affluence in Australia is noteworthy. There are more Australian millionaires than ever before and the rate at which Australians are joining this group is one of the fastest in the world, with average assets held now worth US$4.1m, nudging the world's average of US$4.8m (Merrill Lynch and Capgemini 2005). This is positive news for the community sector because the Giving Australia household survey indicates that Australia's affluent are more likely give to community causes than those on lower incomes and are more likely to give more (PMCBP 2005). This trend is reflected in analyses of tax deductions claimed for charitable giving (McGregor‐Lowndes and Marsden 2006). This paper presents the findings of qualitative research conducted as part of the Giving Australia project describing why affluent donors give – or don't – to community causes. Findings from eight focus groups and eight in‐depth interviews with affluent individuals suggest that giving by the affluent at lower levels may be linked to a sense of identity and responsibility within social groups, as well as the perceived worthiness of both the cause and recipient organisations. In contrast, major donor behaviour appeared to be linked to passion and personal commitment to social change. A range of barriers were also indicated such as a need for privacy and concerns about the capacity of community organisations. Overall, the study's findings add to the understanding of giving behaviour by the affluent in Australia and confirm US findings that motivations for affluent donors are complex (for example, Boris 1987; Prince and File 1994; Schervish 2005; Johnson 2005).     

Challenges in Indigenous philanthropy: Reporting Australian grantmakers' perspectives

This article explores views of Australian grantmakers philanthropists who give to Indigenous causes. It reports on a qualitative study undertaken as part of the Giving Australia research to elicit if and how giving to Indigenous causes differs from philanthropy to other areas. This paper builds on the scant literature, particularly reporting exploratory research results on Australian grantmaking issues, critical funding needs, and recommendations for fostering Indigenous nonprofit funding. Indigenous groups are challenged in understanding how foundations work and, conversely, foundations do not always appreciate the need for their inputs to complement traditional cultures (EGA 2006). The study found that small grants can play a key role, as could enticing and supporting new grantmakers, co‐funding, engaging Indigenous representatives in the decision making, and dispelling misconceptions of the area.     

Researching Giving and Volunteering in Australia

The giving of time and money, mainly to private nonprofit organisations is not trivial, but in Australia has been little studied. This article introduces a special issue of the Australian Journal of Social Issues which draws on data collected in the largest study of giving and volunteering conducted in Australia hitherto. It seeks to establish terminological guidelines and reviews past Australian research on giving and volunteering, arguing that there has been a disproportionate interest in volunteering. It seeks to put to rest some common myths about giving and explores whether the increase in giving and volunteering can be attributed to government policy. It concludes by introducing the other papers in the collection.     

我国公益创投发展的基本模式、意义与路径

公益创投是利用社会资本发展公益事业的一种新模式,近年来我国政府、企业与社会组织之间构建多种合作平台,以公益资金筹放与管理为基础,以培育社会组织与公益人才为目标,以公益项目设计与运作为主线,以资金、技术、政策支持为路径,探索公益服务、组织、人才创新发展模式。随着民生为本的社会建设进程加快,公益创投已然成为培育社会组织、创新社会管理、发展社会服务不可或缺的新手段,有效地促进了公益慈善、社会福利、民生服务事业发展。     

现实与责任:企业慈善行为分析

随着贫富差距的逐渐拉大和自然灾害的频繁发生,企业在社会慈善方面的重要性日益突出,企业慈善行为主要基于经济利益、社会责任和政治目的三个方面的动机,但当前我国企业慈善意识不足,企业慈善行为的组织体系及相关法律制度、激励制度不健全,需要企业、政府、公益机构多方协作,通过转变企业自身观念、强化企业慈善战略管理,发挥政府的支持作用,大力发展民间慈善组织,利用媒体资源引导社会舆论,培育慈善文化等措施鼓励引导企业慈善行为。     

影响中国企业赈灾捐款的省区因素——“5·12”地震内地企业捐款实证研究

基于"5·12"汶川地震后我国31个省区内地企业赈灾捐赠金额和捐赠企业数量的数据,研究分析了我国省区特性对企业慈善捐赠的影响。结果表明,我国企业的捐赠行为显著受到各省区经济发展水平和政策环境以及企业网络的影响,主要体现在各省区经济发展水平与企业赈灾捐款金额和捐赠企业数量成正比;企业慈善捐赠存在政府导向性;捐赠金额和捐赠企业数量还与各省企业网络紧密度正相关。     

宋代官办慈善事业述论

在儒家"仁政"、佛教功德与福田思想、稳定社会的现实政治需要的综合作用下,宋代官办慈善机构设置健全并制度化,设有福田院、居养院、安济坊、养济院、慈幼局、漏泽园等,其救助范围广泛,涉及人的生养病死。尽管带有较多的"恩赐"性质,但宋代官办慈善机构的制度化,在中国慈善事业史上仍具有划时代的意义。     

Philanthropy in 18th-Century Central Europe: Evangelical Reform and Commerce

This article focuses on the close linkage between domestic philanthropy and commerce at the end of the early modern period, and the sophistication with which well-connected evangelical institutions transcended the confines of established religion and territorial boundaries. Use of a large set of primary and secondary sources that are relatively unknown in the history of the voluntary sector permits the examination and analysis of several notable aspects of the Francke Orphanage Foundations, an 18th-century central European institution of evangelical reform and colonial mission. Particular attention is given to the innovative efforts of their founder, August Hermann Francke, to secure an independent financial base for his institutional goals. These goals, which were supported in large part by members of the German nobility and of merchants in the imperial cities, included but were not limited to reform of charity care and education. From the outset, a close network of personal supporters and evangelical institutions that extended throughout Protestant Europe proved essential for both trade and evangelical mission; this network permitted expansion into Russia and the Baltic provinces, Hungary, the Near East and India, and eventually the British North American colonies.