Donating money is no longer simply writing that Christmas cheque.
Philanthropy should be purposeful, considered and intentional. The culture of giving in Australia has changed over the past few years. Australians want to know how their money is being used.
With a more intentional approach to charitable giving you can:
And the coolest thing? You don’t have to be rich to change lives.
Here is how to do it…
Charitable giving used to look very different.
A coin in a tin. An annual check for tax relief. But modern donors demand more than that. They want to feel involved with the cause and know their money is well spent.
Recent studies have confirmed as much. More Australians than average donated money in 2024 (67%), higher than the global average (64%) and average across Oceania (66%). That’s a lot of Australians supporting great causes… but how they donate is evolving rapidly.
If you’re wanting to donate to causes such as charities for people with disabilities, a good idea is to research where the charity spends their donations, what programs they operate and who they actually help. Philanthropy is most effective when you can see your donation having an impact as part of a larger initiative.
Donation efficiency matters. These two reasons were cited by 21% and 44% of Australians who don’t donate respectively. Know where your donation goes, and you’ll give more. Give wisely.
Choosing the right cause is the first big step.
There are thousands of charities. They all want your support. Choose one that matches your values and your giving will feel so much more rewarding.
Think about it:
Give regularly to a cause you believe in. If there’s something that matters to you, you’re much more likely to continue giving. Charities need that. Here’s how to easily discover your cause:
Tip: Don’t be intimidated by starting small. A monthly gift of even a few dollars to one charity can mean more than a one-time large donation to ten. Charities love monthly donors because they can plan their workload.
Want to know the easiest way to give more?
Have it as a routine. The mistake most folks make is they view donation as a once off thing. Make it part of your daily life and you’ll be surprised how much you can donate in a year.
Here’s what works:
Monthly donations are the backbone of charitable giving today. You pay once and forget about it. The charity has steady income to budget with, and you can feel good about helping every month.
Pick a number that you can automatically give without hesitation. For example $20 a month would equal $240 dollars a year to a charity. Imagine if 1,000 people gave $20 a month. That would be $240,000 a year to a single cause.
This is one of the best modern giving tricks around.
Many apps and retailers allow you to round up your purchase to the nearest dollar and donate the change. You hardly feel it…but it really adds up. Purchase something for $3.80? Round up to $4 and give the extra 20 cents.
All that can equal hundreds of dollars in a year without you even noticing.
If your employer has a payroll giving program — take advantage. Contributions are deducted directly from your pre-tax earnings so you save on taxes AND donate to charity.
It’s a true win-win.
Rather than purchasing unnecessary gifts for people, donate to charity in their name. Birthdays. Christmas. Anniversaries. Wonderful opportunities to give.
Charitable giving isn’t just about money.
Many people overlook this. Your time, talents and voice are just as valuable as dollars. And Australians are already volunteering billions of hours.
Did you know that one in five (20%) Australians had volunteered within the last month, spending an average of 9.4 hours per head each month? That’s a heap of generosity not reflected in any gift report.
Here are a few ways to give without opening your wallet:
Charities could always do with more volunteers. Packing food parcels. Assisting at events. Driving clients to appointments… wherever you give your time, it matters. And it feels fantastic.
Got skills? Charities need them.
Are you a writer, designer, accountant, marketer? Lots of charities can’t afford to pay someone with your skills. A few hours a month of pro bono work can go a long way.
Occasionally posting about a charity is the best way to help them. Retweet their posts. Let your friends know. Someone else will donate because you did and your single tweet turned into dozens of new patrons.
Clothing, furniture, books, electronics… Many charities will take these and use them or sell them to support their operations. The key is they need to be in good shape.
Charitable giving has changed for the better.
They give more thoughtfully. They give more intentionally. They give more purposefully to causes they truly care about. Whether you donate $5/month or $500/year…it doesn’t matter how much you give. What matters is WHY you give. Here’s a quick reminder:
Fact is there are too few givers in this world. The best part is when you give meaningfully, you don’t simply benefit others — you feel better too. Give generously of your time, resources, and money to the things you care about.
That’s modern philanthropy in action.
