AFR Philanthropy 50 List 2024
Australia's three biggest philanthropic foundations gave out $585 million last year, making up almost half of total spending by the top 50 givers.
Other findings from this year's AFR Philanthropy 50 list include:
- A new record total for $1.25b was given, which is up 12% on last year.
- The top 3 donors this year were larger than the total top 50 for 2016, 2017 or 2018.
- There were 4 major bequests that made the list and another 16 from trusts/foundations established by now deceased founders. This highlights the importance of the looming intergenerational wealth transfer to further boost philanthropy in Australia and the focus of the upcoming JBWere Bequest Report.
- The Causes supported are led by Universities, Arts and Medical Research, but there is an increasing support for International Aid and Welfare including Housing and the Environment.
Researched and compiled by John McLeod of JBWere Philanthropic Services.
Sources: include the Australian Charities and Not-for-Profit Commission, Fundraising Research & Consulting and Fundraising & Philanthropy Australasia. Please view full report for additional details on how the list is compiled.
2024 Top 5 List
| Name | Cause area | Grants ($M) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Minderoo Foundation | Vulnerable communities and early years, gender equality, oceans, projects responding to urgent issues | $224.9 |
| 2 | Yajilarra Trust | Australia's First Nations people, climate change, disability, Christian faith | $185.3 |
| 3 | Paul Ramsay Foundation | Thriving children, barriers to employment, justice & safety, communities & place | $174.4 |
| 4 | Estate of Colin and Margaret Roderick | James Cook University for literature studies, medical training & mental health | $34 |
| 5 | Ian Potter Foundation & Cultural Trust | Arts, community wellbeing, early childhood development, environment, medical & public health research | $33.3 |
AFR Corporate Philanthropy 50 List 2023
JBWere has compiled the Financial Review Corporate Philanthropy 50 List exclusively for the AFR since 2019.
This year’s top 3 givers of single donations are:
- $222.2m – BHP
- $151.90m – Coles
- $122.1m – Woolworths
Latest findings show:
- Total corporate giving exceeded $1.5 billion for the first time. This is up almost 10% for 2023 and almost 50% since the first list was produced in 2019.
- The growth in corporate giving and HNW giving (from the AFR Philanthropy 50 list) is in stark contrast to the mass market giving which is struggling with cost-of-living pressure.
- Some of the big percentage increases in the second half of the list, shows the growing focus on corporate community investment is trickling down.
2023 Top 10 List
| Company | Community investment | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | BHP | $222.2m |
| 2 | Coles | $151.9m |
| 3 | Woolworths | $122.1m |
| 4 | Rio Tinto | $90.1m |
| 5 | Westpac | $65.1m |
| 6 | Newcrest Mining | $64.4m |
| 7 | CSL | $63.3m |
| 8 | NAB | $55.6m |
| 9 | CBA | $53.5m |
| 10 | South32 | $41.1m |
$12B in charitable assets
JBWere’s Philanthropic Services team manages $12B in charitable assets across Australia and New Zealand.
"The really pleasing aspect of the past two years has been how both large-scale private and corporate giving has stepped up, firstly during bushfires and then COVID-19.
The doubling in giving since our first list six years ago and the 13 new names this year, including five large bequests, shows the growing spread of philanthropy and hints at the potential for much more.”
– John McLeod, Philanthropy Senior Research Consultant, JBWere
Philanthropy lists
AFR 2023 Corporate Philanthropy 50 List
AFR 2023 Philanthropy 50 List
AFR 2022 Corporate Philanthropy 50 List
AFR 2022 Philanthropy 50 List
AFR 2021 Corporate Philanthropy 50 List
AFR 2021 Philanthropy 50 List
AFR 2019 Philanthropy 50 List
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