The Curtin Charities 2013 Report marks the first single-sourced, evidence-based analysis of Australian charities, providing a greater understanding of the sector.
The report, put together by the Curtin University Not-for-profit Initiative, was formed using data from over 38,000 charities that are currently registered with the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC).
The report revealed a plethora of information regarding the sector, from the range of activities to the sector’s combined income.
25 per cent of charities cited religious activities as their lead activity, with activities relating to primary and secondary education following with 6 per cent.
Australian charities and not-for-profits have a combined total income of over $100 billion, with findings showing the sector has expanded by 2 per cent every year since 1990.
$90 billion of the sector’s income is sourced from only 10 per cent of charities, which contains 90 per cent of the sector’s full time employees. 75 per cent of charities do not employ full time staff.
ACNC Commissioner Susan Pascoe AM said the report gives valuable insight into the charity sector, providing better understanding of the sector’s growth, funding, and contribution.
“The research shows the Australian charity sector is one of breadth and diversity,” says Ms Pascoe.
“The collection and analysis of these first Annual Information Statements provide the foundation for future research and greater understanding about the charity sector. As the volume of available data grows, a clearer picture will evolve of issues such as where and how the sector is growing, who is receiving their support, their funding sources, and the sector’s contribution to the economy.”
The data can be found at data.gov.au.
