Australians report donating almost $8 billion to charity annually

Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 15-Oct-25

Data from Roy Morgan shows that 58% of Australians aged 14+ (an estimated 13.2 million people) donated an average of $594 to charity in the year to 30 June 2025, contributing approximately $7.9 billion in total. Donations have followed a steady upward trend since June 2015, with a few slight dips in recent periods over the last decade, including during the last year as cost-of-living concerns became prevalent, even as official inflation decelerated rapidly over the last two-and-a-half years. Over the last decade the average size of charitable donations made by Australians has grown significantly. In 2015-16 the average charitable donation per donor was $334; this increased by $166 (+50%) in the next five years to an average of $500 in 2020-21. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, the growth in the size of the average charitable donation has continued, but at a slower pace, up by $94 (+19%) over the last four years to $594 in 2024-25.

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN LIMITED

Australia Post, ABC, Aussie Broadband, CSIRO and Red Cross win most trusted services and communications brands in 2024

Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 9-Dec-24

Roy Morgan has presented the annual Roy Morgan Trusted Brand Awards for services companies and communications brands. Over 200 brands were in the running for these awards, across the five categories of Services, Charities, Government Services, Media and Telecommunications. Aussie Broadband has been named Australia’s ‘Most Trusted Brand in Telecommunications’ for a third consecutive year, ahead of Amaysim and TPG. Red Cross has won the ‘Most Trusted Brand in Charities’ Award for the first time, ahead of the RSPCA and The Salvation Army. The ‘Most Trusted Brand in Services’ award has been won by Australia Post, one of the few brands that touches nearly all Australians on a frequent basis. The ABC has in turn been named the ‘Most Trusted Media Brand’, having led this category since the inception of the survey six years ago, while the CSIRO is the winner of the ‘Most Trusted Brand in Government Services’ for 2024.

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN LIMITED, AUSSIE BROADBAND LIMITED – ASX ABB, RED CROSS SOCIETY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA POST, AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION, CSIRO

Net Trust in Australian charities is on the rise over the last few years after hitting a low in mid-2021

Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 24-Jul-24

A special webinar with Roy Morgan CEO Michele Levine which focused on Trust and Distrust in the Australian Charity sector found that Net Trust has been consistently rising over the last few years. However, trust and distrust have fluctuated over recent years. While Charities remain among the most trusted sectors in Australia (third overall behind Consumer Products and Retail in the latest results), the Net Trust Score is still lower than the mid-2020 peak. The Net Trust Score of the Charities sector reached a record high just after the onset of the pandemic, then declined steadily to mid-2021, before recovering from early 2022. The net trust score as of March 2024 has increased by over 50%, and is nearly back to its peak reached in June 2020 in the early days of the pandemic.

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN LIMITED

Slowdown in giving to charity a major issue

Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 25-Feb-19

A Roy Morgan Single Source has found that 60% of Australians aged +14 donated to charity in the year to December 2018, compared with 61.8% in 2017 and 66% in 2014. In addition, the average amount donated is now $486, up only marginally from $460 in 2014 and representing a decline in real terms after allowing for inflation. The survey also shows that 70.1% of Australians aged 50-64 give to charity, ahead of those aged 35-49 (68.9%) and the 65+ age group (68.3%). These age groups are well ahead of all segments under the age of 35. The Single Source survey is based on in-depth personal interviews conducted face-to-face with over 50,000 Australians in their homes, including over 9,000 who have donated to charity over the last 12 months.

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN LIMITED

Live exports sabotaged by charity

Original article by Rosie Lewis, Sam Buckingham-Jones
The Australian – Page: 1 & 4 : 18-Jan-19

Animals Australia has been accused of trying to sabotage the nation’s $2 billion live export industry. This follows allegations that it offered to pay workers on ships transporting stock to the Middle East for distressing footage of animals. Liberal senator Dean Smith says the Australian Charities & Not-for-profits Commission should suspend Animals Australia’s charitable status pending an inquiry into the claims. Australian Livestock Exporters Council chairman Simon Crean says the allegations call into question Animals Australia’s role as an animal welfare advocacy group.

CORPORATES
ANIMALS AUSTRALIA, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN CHARITIES AND NOT-FOR-PROFITS COMMISSION, AUSTRALIAN LIVESTOCK EXPORTERS COUNCIL LIMITED, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, NATIONAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF AGRICULTURE AND WATER RESOURCES, AUSTRALIAN FEDERAL POLICE

Donation Deflation: Australian trends in charity

Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 22-May-18

A Roy Morgan Single Source survey has found that 61% of Australians aged 14+ (12.3 million people) reported giving to charity at least once over the year to March 2018. This compares with 70% in September 2011 and the follow-up September 2015 figure of 66%. Where previous falls had been offset with a higher average value of donations over the 12 month period (keeping the total donated amount steady), the March 2018 average annual amount given by donors of $469 is barely higher than the September 2015 figure ($462). The state with the largest proportion of donors was Victoria (62.9%), followed closely by NSW/ACT (61.8%). However, the state with easily the largest average annual donations by donors was NSW ($550), followed by Western Australia ($467) and Victoria ($423).

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN LIMITED

Charities caught in staff pay inquiry

Original article by Elizabeth Colman, Kylar Loussikian
The Australian – Page: 3 : 14-Apr-16

The Fair Work Ombudsman will investigate the underpayment of staff at call-centre operator MonDial Telephone Fundraising. The Sydney-based company, which is used by charities such as Greenpeace and Oxfam in their fund-raising activities, has conceded that its staff were not paid award rates. Tim Gunstone of the National Union of Workers says charities must ensure that third parties which provide fundraising support services do not exploit their employees. The NUW is keen for the for-profit charitable fundraising sector to be unionised.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. FAIR WORK OMBUDSMAN, MONDIAL TELEPHONE FUNDRAISING, NATIONAL UNION OF WORKERS, GREENPEACE, OXFAM, AUSTRALIAN MARINE CONSERVATION SOCIETY INCORPORATED, THE WILDERNESS SOCIETY, UNITED NATIONS. INTERNATIONAL CHILDRENS’ EMERGENCY FUND

Donation nation: which state is most generous?

Original article by Roy Morgan Research
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 10-Dec-15

A Roy Morgan Single Source survey has found that 66 per cent of Australians aged 14+ reported making at least one donation to charity in the year to September 2015. This compares with 70 per cent in the year to September 2011. Analysis by state shows that the incidence of charitable giving is fairly consistent, generally hovering around the national average. The exceptions are Western Australia, where 71 per cent of the population are donors; and Tasmania, where 63 per cent of residents give to charity. Meanwhile, Western Australians who donate to charity hand over around $A355 each per year, ahead of donors from NSW/ACT ($A331) and Victoria ($A285).

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN RESEARCH LIMITED

Death puts big chill on philanthropy

Original article by Mike Smith
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 28 : 4-Sep-15

Research by fund manager Perpetual has found that Australians enthusiastically support charity when they are alive but rarely leave anything to charity in their wills. Only 7.5 per cent left anything to charity, compared with 89 per cent who gave while alive. This disconnect is being explored by financial advisers and lawyers ahead of Include a Charity Week, which starts on 6 September 2015.

CORPORATES
PERPETUAL ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED, WALTER AND ELIZA HALL INSTITUTE OF MEDICAL RESEARCH

Gandels donate $A1m to Museum Victoria for new children’s gallery

Original article by Patrick Durkin
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 3 : 4-Aug-15

Gandel Philanthropy, a charity run by billionaires John and Pauline Gandel, has donated $A1 million to Museum Victoria. They have also made other significant donations in recent years. Recipients included the National Gallery of Australia, the National Gallery of Victoria and the Royal Women’s Hospital in Melbourne. The Gandels made their fortune by investing in shopping centres.

CORPORATES
GANDEL PHILANTHROPY, MUSEUM VICTORIA, NATIONAL GALLERY OF AUSTRALIA, NATIONAL GALLERY OF VICTORIA, ROYAL WOMEN’S HOSPITAL