Charities represent the best of Australia. A great charity provides a way for people to come together to do good, transform aspirations into action and to give shape to our dreams. Great charities can be found in all parts of Australian society and beyond; whether their work is to strengthens our communities, protect our environment, seek justice or help support, educate, and nurture individuals. They work collaboratively with their funders – be they philanthropic individuals or organisations, corporates, government, the public or others. They are effective by being conscious of the latest developments in the not-for-profit sector such as Paying What it Takes, particularly in the aspect of not selling themselves short on what it really costs to deliver the project for which they are seeking funding. They have an awareness of how to understand their impact and share their learnings with others. They value their people, from their staff and volunteers to those whose lived experience is at the core of their work. A great charity is also willing to use its voice and be unapologetic about its mission, values and purpose.

Adam Ognall, Philanthropy Australia

What makes a great charity?  The answer to this will vary from funder to funder, based on their respective strategies and priorities. For some it will be the organisation that proudly declares its low overheads. For others, it will be the organisation that recognises the importance of investment in organisational development, the better to deliver on its mission.

The Myer Foundation and Sidney Myer Fund are in the latter camp. Our funding model, of making untied grants over multiple years, is premised on an intent to support organisations to achieve on their mission, rather than our objectives, recognising that effective organisations are better placed than are we to determine their expenditure priorities. To this end we look for organisations that know who they are, what they do, how they do it and why they do it. That is, they have a clear mission – what are they trying to achieve? They have a clear strategy, which articulates the change they are seeking, and the way they are going about achieving it. They have great leadership – at executive and board level – that is focussed on the mission and values the team that is tasked with achieving it.

A great charity seeks to understand and communicate its impact and is open to changes in strategy or approach in order to achieve on its mission.

A great charity can be large or small, established or start up, but those fundamentals of clarity of mission and strategy, leadership, learning and communication are crucial.

Leonard Vary, EO Myer Foundation and Sidney Myer Fund.

At the Community Council for Australia, our work is about supporting good charities and encouraging them to become great.

Good charities come in all shapes and sizes and work in all kinds of ways to make a difference, to be changemakers, to improve the lives of individuals, families, communities, our environment, our world. They do so partly by encompassing fundamental human values including hope and justice, and engaging with authenticity and respect.

Good charities represent the best of us, creating the we rather than the me. They reflect our collective strength and diversity, an antidote to fear and greed-driven discrimination and dismissal.

Great charities are charities that not only do good work, they share stories and create knowledge about what is possible, what can and has been achieved. They are acknowledged and valued for the difference they make.

Great charities are more than a brand, a program or a well-run service. They meld funding and support; giving and volunteering; collaboration and leadership; work and capability, innovation and impact into a values-driven movement for change, a movement we can all belong to.

Great charities are about both doing things smarter (the head), but also doing things better (the heart).

We need to strengthen and promote the value of both good and great charities if we are to advance the kind of Australia, world and future we want.

For me, there are three things that make a great charity: being focused on people, being effectively run, and being engaged with the wider ecosystem.

Charities exist to support people to live their best lives – so your first priority as a charity is to keep these people at the centre of the decisions you’re making. Running a charity can be complex, but the best charities keep it simple by listening to their communities and never losing sight of the reason they exist. 

Great charities also have a solid understanding of how to effectively run the unique beast that is a charitable entity. Many of the settings and regulations are different to corporate organisations and truly great charities have a masterful grasp on these differences and the true costs of achieving impact. They’re also able to communicate these needs to policy makers and funders because even the best charities can’t become great without the right enabling environment from both a policy and macroeconomic perspective.

And finally, great charities are the ones that are responsive to the ecosystems they operate in. So often the missions that charities set out to achieve, like ending homelessness or eradicating poverty, can only be achieved through collaboration. Charities that understand their own particular role in the wider ecosystem and work in partnership with others to solve the big problems we all care about are truly great in my view.

A truly great charity is one that is very clear on its mission, puts that mission at the centre of everything it does, and knows how it will demonstrate its progress against that mission.

Executing its mission then requires the charity to have 3 attributes – namely, being collaborative, capable and sustainable.

Collaboration requires partnerships with other organisations in its sector, as it is only by working in conjunction with others that truly effective and efficient outcomes can be achieved. Collaborators don’t fall into the trap of seeing their partners as competitors for funding, as they ultimately prioritise achieving their mission over themselves.

Capable means the charity has passionate people who understand what it is trying to achieve but acknowledge the need to learn continually. The organisation appreciates that recruiting, retaining and developing outstanding talent is a critical investment in achieving its mission, and isn’t something it should feel embarrassed about just because it doesn’t exist for a commercial purpose.

Sustainable means the organisation appreciates that achieving its mission requires a resilient and diversified funding base. It works hard to avoid becoming reliant on any particular type of funding and being forced to operate with a short-term scarcity mindset, but rather cultivates a range of financial supporters who can sustain the organisation for the longer term.

Supporting the self-determined endeavours of First Nations Peoples is an opportunity for learning and the sharing of power and influence. Trusting support is fundamental to creating a new future for both First Nations Peoples and our non-Indigenous community.

Anything less than the genuine sharing of power and responsibility based on trust simply consolidates the chronically wretched state we have been in since 1788.

2024 and beyond will be a new era for our country if we can learn from and share with First Nations Peoples in ways we have rarely done before. The key is a level of trust which takes non-Indigenous supporters well beyond the sort of apprehensions which can beset us as we respond to our impulses to help.

The Annamila First Nations Foundation message is simple - learn by trusting First Nations Peoples with unguarded support.

“A great charity is led from the top and the bottom, driven by lived values and experience coupled with strategic nous and a carefully balanced level of commercial acumen. They have a clear and realistic ambition that reflects their focus, scale, and the relative complexity of the issues they seek to address. Great charities have a genuine understanding of their place and role in the sectors and systems they operate in. They know what they are great at, know their worth, and resist temptations to diversify outside their lane as funding cycles and trends come and go. They serve the greater good by harnessing and deploying their expertise and collaborating meaningfully. They get outcomes and tell great stories that bring others along, create a shared vision, and sense of progress. A great charity is well-resourced, makes a profit and can plan ahead for several years. Charities should never let their own survival be their focus – great charities ask themselves regularly whether they should be trying to do themselves out of business, if that’s what achieving the mission would result in.”

Natalie Egleton, FRRR

At EQT we have a vision of a future where effective philanthropy supports a prosperous, equitable and sustainable world for all. We achieve this by collaborating with and listening to those around us – be it fund seekers or grant makers. We work closely with the for-purpose sector; we understand they’re the experts and we are led by them as to where and how our funding is needed.

We support organisations who understand the unique space they occupy and are clear about what they do well and why, and just as clear about what they don’t do. 

We value collaboration and ‘systems thinkers’ - those who understand the interconnected dynamics, emphasise addressing root causes and encourage strategic interventions. 

We aim to fund better futures, not just immediate needs, so we grant to organisations that are working in new ways with longer term outcomes and visions. 

We back leaders who are deeply connected to the people and causes they are working to improve, as we believe that the solutions are there, it’s about amplifying them.

We know there isn’t a one size fits all approach for what makes a good charity.  That’s why we see our grantees as partners, where learning together guides all that we do.

Jodi Kennedy, General Manager, Philanthropy and Community Trustee Services, Equity Trustees

Through MECCA M-POWER, we want to create a movement for gender equality, by supporting a group of brilliant social change makers working at the front lines of inequality, and by engaging our MECCA community of more than 7,000 team members and 4 million customers. Just as we aspire to nurture and build each of the more than 200 beauty brands within our portfolio, we seek not just to fund but to partner and collaborate with the organisations within our M-POWERed Collective.

We want to work with founders and CEOs with a bold vision and a differentiated strategy. As a business that is customer obsessed, we value organisations that centre lived experience and are relentless about impact. And because we want to build a movement for gender equality, we want to work with organisations that can craft a narrative and tell the stories of their work in a way that captures the hearts and minds of our MECCA community.

Finally, because we know that building a brand takes time, we look for evidence of robust governance and a clear focus on maximising resources – money, time, people – in pursuit of an organisation’s goals.

A good charity is one that has a laser like focus on furthering its charitable purposes. It exists to benefit the community, rather than to advance its own interests - often these aims will be aligned, but it’s important to have an awareness of when that may not be the case, and to act accordingly. This means that a good charity has a culture of ‘organisational reflectiveness’ - it can look at itself, think about what it does well, what it could do better, and it’s not afraid to acknowledge the need to do things differently. A good charity does not just call on others to change, be they governments or business or whoever, but also thinks about whether and how it can change itself. And when it does call on others to change, a good charity models behaviours that we sometimes lack in our modern society - it engages constructively, even if it needs to be direct, recognising that in a diverse society, good people and good organisations can have different views about how best to move forward collectively. And in doing so, the actions of a good charity provide the important scaffolding needed for building a more inclusive, pluralistic and thriving Australia.

Great charities are ones that are driven by purpose and have audacious and optimistic ambitions to make positive change.

To make these ambitions a reality, great charities need leaders who can galvanise and engage, garnering support for their vision from their team and the broader community. Where a charity is led by a founder with lived experience, governance needs to guide them to become exceptional leaders, connecting them with business-acumen support and coaching so they can advocate for their cause and succeed.

Great charities have clear alignment on vision, with the cause and the people at the heart of the organisation. They are supported by monitoring and evaluation frameworks that measure their success. As a team, they find time to regularly come together to reflect, learn, and innovate. In this way, they are able to deliver results, demonstrating impact and progress towards solving our society's challenges, making the world a better place for all of us.

Whilst funding for charities continues to be a challenge, finding employees who have creativity and resourcefulness as core attributes will be necessary for charities to be great and achieve their purpose. Our hope is for charities of the future to be beyond great because they are adequately resourced and equipped to solve the problems our world continues to face.

Laurence Marshbaum and the 10x 10 team

Great charities come in all forms, shapes and sizes. A strong vision and the unwavering passion of its leaders are important, as is the ability to ignite hope and possibility. It is this vision that becomes the guiding light, navigating through challenges and inspiring collective action. As the CEO of Sydney Community Foundation, I've come to understand that a clear, compelling vision serves as the cornerstone, rallying supporters and stakeholders towards a common purpose.

It is also vital for charities to listen to the communities they serve. As a place-based organisation, we have fostered deep connections with the grassroots organisations in our local neighbourhoods over the past 20 years. Partners, donors and grantees value being part of a broad, generous, connected community and actively work to advance community-driven solutions.

Leaders also need the passion and tenacity to see their vision through. Passion fuels perseverance in the face of adversity, propelling the organisation forward even when the path seems daunting. It is the driving force that compels us to push boundaries, innovate and advocate tirelessly for change.

A good charity, therefore, is not merely defined by its mission statement or programs but by the depth of conviction embedded within its leadership. It is the fusion of vision and passion that transforms noble aspirations into tangible impact, touching lives and fostering meaningful change.

In the realm of local community philanthropy, where the needs are varied and vast, it is the duty of leaders to cultivate a strong long-term vision, to invite the community in, and to have the passion to propel communities into action to create change. Together, guided by a shared vision and fuelled by unwavering passion, we have the power to create a brighter, more equitable future for all.

The origin of the word Charity goes to a Christian concept of benevolence, of giving without expecting anything in return, of extending love and kindness to others, unconditionally.

It is at the essence of what a great charity should be. However, it would be unrealistic to think that there are absolutely no strings attached to the giving: we expect our grants to be employed to their best use, and our donations to make an impact.

So, we do face a conundrum, while we need data and KPIs to measure the impact of each donated dollar, we don’t want to tie up the recipients with extra layers of bureaucracy. At John and Myriam Wylie Foundation, we try and select recipients with a clear culture of mission, outcomes, cost-effectiveness, and transparency. We trust that these organisations are best placed to decide how funds are spent in the areas of real need, whilst we also try and partner actively with them, rather than being simply passive donors.

The key word is trust.

Myriam Boisbouvier-Wylie, John and Myriam Wylie Foundation

For me, it’s about the charity leader and the quality of the staff employed by the organisation. I look for an effective CEO acting with integrity and demonstrating a clear vision for their organisation while being supported by a great board and strategic plan.

Honesty with donors is very important. I like to hear about the successes but also when things aren’t going so well. What has gone wrong, how is the organisation going to respond and what has been learnt from the experience?

Love organisations who take the step to create and build their own foundation to provide a regular income stream to assist in their future sustainability.

Jargon free and acronym light communications please, particularly in relation to proposals and reporting!

Mitty Williams, EO The Kimberley Foundation

Facta non verba – acts not words – it is through adhering to this ethos that we think a great charity is made.

Great charities have that something extra. Big or small, they are established by inspiring founders and helmed by leaders with drive, passion, and purpose who are on the ground, imbedded into the community, delivering real outcomes to vulnerable people experiencing disadvantage.

With empathy and compassion, a great charity listens to the voices of those it serves, understanding their needs, preferences, and aspirations. This empathy informs the design and delivery of programs that truly make a difference in people's lives.

Whether through capacity-building initiatives, advocacy efforts, or long-term investments, great charities seek to create lasting change that empowers individuals and communities to thrive independently. An eye to sustainability ensures that great charities have an impact that endures beyond the immediate interventions.

Ultimately, a great charity is more than the sum of its parts – it is a shining light on the hill that drives positive change and inspires other to join in the pursuit of a better world.

Cooper Investors Philanthropy

A great charity begins with a visionary charter, one that not only aims to address the immediate needs of its beneficiaries but also elevates them to achieve extraordinary feats. At its core, the mission of such a charity is driven by kind and compassionate outcomes, ensuring that every action taken translates into a positive impact on the lives it touches. This is made possible by a dedicated team that excels not just in their individual expertise but in delivering methodologies that are innovative, effective, and, above all, empathetic. The recipient experience at this charity is nothing short of welcoming and generous, creating an environment where everyone feels valued and supported.

Unique solutions to everyday problems are the hallmark of a great charity, making it stand out in its approach to tackling challenges. These solutions are not just innovative, they are practical; addressing real-world problems faced by those it seeks to help in a resourceful manner that amplifies its impact. This makes a great charity not just a helper but a beacon of hope for many.

Engagement with its four key groups—Donors, Sponsors, Volunteers, and Friends—is crucial to the charity's success. For donors, it's about communication; telling the stories of great work being done and the lives changed. Philanthropic sponsors are shown the tangible impact and outcomes of their support, ensuring they see the value and importance of their contributions. The charity also excels in attracting and retaining outstanding volunteers through engaging programs and initiatives, recognising their invaluable contribution to the mission. And in the digital age, befriending new friends on social media is an art that this charity has mastered, expanding its reach and influence.

Fundraising efforts are approached with sincerity and transparency, creating a trustworthy relationship with donors and sponsors alike. This, coupled with a strong social media presence, ensures a broad and engaged audience.

Above all, a great charity delivers on its promises, showing purpose and endeavour in every action. It's about making a real difference, being a source of hope, and transforming lives through compassion, innovation, and unwavering commitment to its mission. This is what makes a charity not just great, but truly extraordinary.