What if the greatest challenge facing fundraisers is not convincing people to care, but making participating easier for those who already care?

That idea was one of the main drivers behind the inaugural SA Giving Week.

Having worked in the not-for-profit sector for more than 15 years, I understand how challenging it can be to fundraise with limited resources. Now, as a director of the Burton Foundation, I see the challenge from another perspective – donors and funders also need help to discover the right opportunities, understand where their support can make the greatest difference and know where to begin.

I founded the SA Philanthropy Network to help close the gap between those seeking support and those wanting to contribute. SA Giving Week was the natural next step – a statewide initiative to help South Australians discover the joy of giving, give where it matters most and celebrate the impact generosity creates in our community.

Held from 4–8 May 2026, the week was volunteer-run and philanthropically funded. It included 17 free events, almost 1200 registrations, 47 speakers (including 16 from interstate) and 32 event partners. A statewide marketing campaign with a media reach of more than 18 million also helped to raise awareness about all forms of giving and gave charities an opportunity to connect with new audiences and demonstrate the impact of philanthropy on their work.

SA Giving Week was not designed as a fundraising campaign, although some organisations used it to raise funds. Its primary purpose was education, inspiration and participation – helping more people understand philanthropy and the many ways they can contribute.

The results were encouraging. 87% per cent of surveyed attendees said they intended to take action following the week. Among charity representatives, 88% said the week increased their knowledge of philanthropy, while 64% felt more confident in their ability to secure philanthropic funding.

The message during the week was clear: the appetite to contribute already exists. The opportunity for fundraisers and professional advisers is to create clearer pathways that turn this interest into action.

Here are five of my key takeaways for fundraisers.

1. Be fundable and findable

One of the highlights of SA Giving Week was the opening session, Activating Philanthropy: Navigating South Australia’s Giving Landscape. Presented by Catherine Brooks of Equitable Philanthropy and Jayne Wasmuth of Strategic Grants, it was developed specifically for fundraisers.

The central message was simple: to attract and sustain philanthropic support, charities need to be both fundable and findable.

Being fundable means having the right foundations in place, including a clear case for support, defined priorities and outcomes, strong governance, board leadership and evidence of impact.

Being findable means ensuring funders, advisers and families can discover, recognise and trust your organisation. This requires consistent messaging, an active digital presence, strong storytelling, evidence of giving/fundraising support amongst your board and executive, and relationships across the sector.

For fundraisers, it is worth looking at your organisation from a funder’s perspective – if someone heard about you today, could they quickly understand what you do, the difference you make, what you are seeking support for and who to contact?

This distinction is particularly relevant in South Australia, where philanthropy is often relationship-led. Funders are not simply assessing a project; they are also looking at the organisation, its leadership and its capacity to deliver.

Putting this insight into action, the free GiveSA platform I run provides one practical way for eligible South Australian charities to increase their visibility. Organisations can showcase projects seeking support, while funders can discover opportunities aligned with their interests and connect directly with the charities behind them. A nationwide example is the Australian Communities Foundation (ACF) platform.

Key takeaway: Make sure your organisation is ready to receive support and visible to those who may be ready to provide it. Build these foundations before you ask for funding.

2. Make generosity bigger than money

Philanthropy is often discussed in financial terms, but generosity has always been about more than money. That is why we designed SA Giving Week to be accessible to everyone, regardless of how they choose to contribute.

The five Ts (time, talent, ties, testimony and treasure) recognise that people can volunteer, share professional skills, open their networks, advocate for a cause or provide financial support (acknowledging that smaller donations have a place alongside major gifts and grants). This theme emerged repeatedly throughout the week.

Morgan Stanley’s The Future of Giving: How Australia’s Next Generation is Redefining Philanthropy, launched during the week, highlighted the growing desire to participate beyond the chequebook. Younger donors want opportunities to learn, contribute their skills and become more closely involved in the causes they support. You can read F&P’s overview of the report here.

Corporate volunteering can also give charities access to valuable expertise, networks and potential long-term partners.

Key takeaway: Not every relationship needs to begin with a financial ask. Charities should create different ways for people to participate and allow that involvement to develop over time. A volunteer, advocate or event attendee today may become a donor, board member or long-term supporter tomorrow.

3. Communicate with donors in ways that work for them

The Bridging Generations: Wealth, Communication and the Future of Giving report – discussed in an F&P overview here and launched during SA Giving Week – finds that, among donors surveyed, transparency is the most important quality they want charities to demonstrate. People want to understand how funds will be used, what impact their contribution will have and whether they can trust the organisation. For fundraisers, that means being clear not only about the impact an organisation hopes to achieve, but about what a gift will fund, how progress will be reported and, where appropriate, what has not gone to plan.

The research also indicated that communication preferences can differ across generations. Gen X and Millennials respond strongly to evidence-based storytelling, digital communication and clear outcomes. Baby Boomers place greater value on personal contact, detailed information and long-term stewardship.

The contribution of our 20 SA Giving Week (funder) ambassadors also highlighted the value of donors telling their own giving stories. By sharing why they give and why generosity matters to them, they made philanthropy feel more relatable and encouraged others to consider how they could contribute. For fundraisers, there is an opportunity here – where donors are comfortable sharing their experiences, their stories can help others see themselves as donors too.

None of this means fundraisers need to create a different message for every donor or audience. Your organisation’s purpose should remain consistent, but the way you communicate it may need to change.

Key takeaway: Understand your donors, communicate clearly and use the channels most relevant to them. Be transparent about what their support will make possible and make it easy for people to understand what they can do next.

4. Engage and educate the next generation now

An estimated $150 billion was transferred through inheritances in 2024, and projections suggest that between $3.5 trillion and $5.4 trillion could change hands over the next two decades.

This is a major opportunity for philanthropy, but there is no guarantee that inherited wealth will become charitable giving. The Bridging Generations report found that only around 6.5% of Australian wills include a charitable gift, while approximately 1% of inherited wealth is directed to for-purpose organisations.

Too often, younger family members are absent from philanthropic conversations until they take on a formal role or significant responsibility. Charities need to engage them earlier by providing opportunities to learn, volunteer, visit organisations and develop their own relationships with causes. For fundraisers, that means building relationships with the next generation before wealth transfers, rather than waiting until they become significant donors or decision-makers.

Education is also important. Many people want to give but are unaware of options such as giving circles, sub-funds, private ancillary funds and gifts in wills. Fundraisers do not need to provide technical advice, but they should understand these pathways and connect donors with appropriate information and professional advisers.

Key takeaway: Look beyond the current decision-maker and, where appropriate, invite the whole family into the conversation. Build those relationships now rather than waiting for wealth or decision-making responsibility to transfer.

5. Collaboration extends your reach

SA Giving Week demonstrated what can happen when charities, philanthropists, government, business, media, community leaders and volunteers come together around a shared purpose.

The week had 32 event partners and support from across South Australia and beyond. Each partner brought different expertise, networks and audiences, helping the message of generosity travel much further than any one organisation could have achieved alone.

This collaboration gave philanthropy a visible statewide platform. It created space for charities to share their stories, funders to discover new opportunities and South Australians to learn about the many ways they can contribute.

Key takeaway: Don’t work in isolation. Look for partners who can share your message, introduce your organisation to new audiences and bring different skills, credibility or connections to the table. The right collaboration can open doors that a fundraising campaign alone may not reach.

The opportunity ahead

Visit the SA Giving Week website to explore Catherine Brooks and Jayne Wasmuth’s Activating Philanthropy presentation, along with practical resources, research and ideas from across the week.

Eligible South Australian charities can use the free GiveSA platform to showcase projects seeking philanthropic support and connect with potential funders.

SA Giving Week will return from 3–7 May 2027. We hope you’ll join us.

About the author

Kay Burton is the founder of the SA Philanthropy Network, established to unlock South Australia’s potential for community giving and make philanthropy easier, more accessible and more impactful.

With more than 15 years of executive experience across Australia and the US, Kay’s career has spanned government, health and medical research, and philanthropy. After relocating to Adelaide, she established the South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute’s inaugural fundraising strategy and later served as State Manager for Philanthropy Australia.

In 2018, Kay co-founded the Burton Foundation with her husband, Julian. Her experience as both a philanthropy professional and donor highlighted the challenges of finding the right opportunities and connecting with like-minded funders, inspiring her to create the SA Philanthropy Network.

F&P’s Big4 Fundraising conference – hosted in Melbourne from 10-12 November 2026 – will cover four main areas of philanthropy for fundraisers: Major Gifts, Grants, Gifts in Wills and Corporate Partnerships. Registrations will open soon and you can find out more here.