Community of Giving

About

Australia’s first philanthropic hub

^{Civil society partners meet with funders at the Community of Giving.}

In 2018, Australian Communities Foundation established the Community of Giving as Australia’s first formal philanthropic hub with the support of the Reichstein Foundation and others. Today, the Community of Giving is a space for funders, non-profits and the philanthropic sector to meet, collaborate, network, and co-design solutions to Australia’s most pressing issues.

How we established the hub

While the rise of mobile technology and changing attitudes have made it possible to work from anywhere at any time, co-located working spaces have grown in popularity in recent years as a way to foster collaboration. There is a small but growing number of philanthropic co-located spaces around the globe. Philanthropy House in Brussels, Belgium, founded as a collaborative impact investment by three leading European foundations, is one example that served as inspiration for the Community of Giving.

The establishment of the Community of Giving was made possible by investments from Australian Communities Foundation as lead tenant and its national community which has grown to over 360 funds and foundations in its 20+ years, as well as the Reichstein Foundation as founding partner. For over 30 years, the Reichstein Foundation has hosted and maintained shared premises with philanthropic colleagues, providing an informal incubation hub for emerging philanthropic organisations including Australian Communities Foundation, Australian Environmental Grantmakers Network, Australians Investing in Women and numerous others.

Co-tenants at the Community of Giving come together for an update from the Australian Environmental Grantmakers Network.

Where philanthropy and civil society meet together

Today, the Community of Giving houses 13 philanthropic entities, including foundations, funder networks, intermediary and evaluation organisations who share a vision for funding and supporting social and environmental change in the Asia Pacific. It is a space where philanthropy and civil society can meet together, collaborate and share knowledge. Co-tenants, stakeholders, and our for-purpose partners also enjoy access to a range of shared facilities, including meeting rooms, videoconferencing facilities and a function space.

Co-tenants come together for a fundraiser lunch for NAIDOC Week 2019.

Supporting smaller organisations

The resulting cost efficiencies of sharing the space has afforded smaller philanthropic organisations access to facilities they may otherwise miss out on. Hot desks are also available to organisations and international visitors looking for temporary use of the space. As part of our support for the not-for-profit and philanthropic sectors, we also offer grantees and other trusts and foundations free access to board/meeting rooms and the event space.

RMIT students hear from leaders at the Community of Giving.

Collaboration and learning

Collaboration at the Community of Giving has so far included co-funding, partnering on events, and cross-promotion and participation in one another’s initiatives. With co-tenants specialising in a variety of areas, the hub enables some of Australia’s leading philanthropic organisations to learn from one another and foster best practice for the sector.