This report provides a comprehensive snapshot of collective giving across Australia. Drawing on data from 55 collective giving groups that engage over 11,000 participants, the research explores a number of themes:

• collective giving helps build trust, connection and a sense of community
• participants give more than the national average
• the movement is largely women-led and fuelled by volunteer effort
• greater investment in collective giving will supercharge its impact.

The research shows that the impact of collective giving, or pooled funding, goes far beyond the dollars. It is a gateway to deeper and more sustained civic engagement. At the same time, the findings show that the movement is progressing without the infrastructure and support it needs to fully flourish. Growth has been largely organic, led by volunteers and operating with few resources. The report argues to truly thrive and realise its potential as an accessible and easy form of philanthropy for millions of Australians, collective giving needs investment in coordination, capacity building and core systems.

The report identifies two complementary recommendations that address both system-level coordination and organisational-level sustainability:

• establish a national backbone entity to coordinate and strengthen the field
• provide targeted core capacity funding to support group sustainability and growth.