Australian Communities Foundation’s NFP Resilience Report has resonated strongly with not-for-profits across the country, sparking important conversations about funding models that enable long-term sustainability. Leaders have welcomed the report’s focus on moving beyond short-term, project-based grants toward strategies that allow organisations to thrive for years to come.
Based on a survey of 240 not-for-profits, the study highlights the reality many face: only one in four NFPs feels financially sustainable, while 60% rely primarily on short-term philanthropic income. For many, this means rebuilding their funding base from scratch each year.
The report is also making waves across the sector, with coverage in OnImpact, Institute of Community Directors Australia and F&P Fundraising & Philanthropy.
Read the excerpts below and click through for the full stories.
OnImpact
New philanthropic model to strengthen NFP financial stability
Just one in four Australian not-for-profit (NFP) organisations feel financially stable, holding adequate reserves to sustain them over the long term, according to Australian Communities Foundation’s (ACF) NFP Resilience Report.
ACF surveyed 240 NFPs around Australia to understand how they’re navigating the current landscape to meet growing demand and manage financial sustainability for the long term.
The top concern: unstable or short-term funding, with 60% relying primarily on short-term grants.
Institute of Community Directors Australia
Future Funds offer a lifeline for NFPs seeking stability, not survival
Australian Communities Foundation has been around for more than a quarter of a century (originally as the Melbourne Community Foundation) and represents more than 700 philanthropic entities – mostly families or individuals. It manages their accumulating funds, and advises, if necessary, on potential destinations for their donations, delivering grants to more than 1000 charities and NFPs per year.
This two-way communication means the ACF is highly attuned to both sides of the philanthropic fence, and it tries to help where it can; for example, by urging philanthropists to consider untied funding and multi-year giving, to help charities have better security and flexibility. But it also means the ACF sees the struggle of NFPs, and it identifies financial insecurity as the sector’s biggest challenge.
CEO Andrew Binns used the Resilience Report’s release to showcase one ACF product that the foundation believes can help: managed future funds, where money that NFPs have managed to put aside can work harder, allowing organisations to benefit.
F&P Fundraising & Philanthropy
Building financial resilience in Australia’s NFP sector – key insights for nonprofit leaders and fundraisers
If there’s one message from ACF’s NFP Resilience Report, it’s this: resilience is not just surviving the next grant cycle – it’s building systems, partnerships and investments that enable lasting impact. With nine in 10 NFPs ready to explore investment-based models, the shift from short-term survival to long-term strength is already on the collective radar. For fundraisers, this is the moment to lead – reframing philanthropy not as charity, but as a shared investment in Australia’s future.
Download the Report
Based on insights from 240 organisations nationwide, the NFP Resilience Report reveals a pressing need for greater financial stability across the sector – and explores potential solutions for long-term resilience.
