Manifesto Towards a Thriving Not for Profit Community Sector

 

Recognising that Government strategies for promoting community wellbeing, social inclusion, and social innovation depend on a vibrant, efficient and effective Not for Profit community sector, the Not for Profit Community Sector calls upon the Australian Labor Party, Australian Liberal Party, The Nationals, and the Australian Greens to commit to:

REGULATION AND THE INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK OF GOVERNMENT

  1. Fix government –sector arrangements…
    Establish a new government agency to resource and coordinate the Government’s work with the sector as a whole. Tasks for this new agency: implementing regulatory reforms; improving the quality of information about the sector; improving the effectiveness of services; streamlining funding arrangements; promoting social innovation; and, facilitating stronger community and business collaboration.
     
  2. Set up a one-stop-regulatory-shop …
    Establish a national Registrar for charities, community organisations and not-for-profit organisations, in collaboration with the sector.
     
  3. Build knowledge…
    Facilitate the establishment of a national online resource that presents data and information about community and not-for-profit organisations and the not-for-profit sector as a whole, in partnership with the sector.
     
  4. Apply common sense to tax concessions…
    Simplify eligibility for tax concessions, by streamlining the existing 40 statutes and 19 government agencies responsible for this function.
     
  5. Sort out vetting systems
    Introduce a streamlined national vetting system for working with children and vulnerable people.

POLICY

  1. Encourage giving….
    Provide funding for a national campaign to promote and support planned giving, such as regular donations and bequests, and especially payroll giving – and government to work with the sector on this campaign.
     
  2. Enable sensible use of borrowed money…
    Facilitate ways for Not-for-Profit community organisations to access debt finance to increase service provision, especially in capital intensive service contexts, where appropriate
     
  3. Move towards wage justice… 
    Fund wages at market rates in all government funded programs as an immediate priority within existing funds and/or though new funding.
     
  4. Volunteer to help volunteering…
    Facilitate and promote volunteering, especially through support of sector-led initiatives
     
  5. Support innovation…
    Provide growth funding for social innovation and testing of new approaches to service delivery – and that this should be new funding.
     
  6. Prioritise community wellbeing…
    Adopt a common, nationwide, ‘index of community wellbeing’, that maps wellbeing at local, regional, state and national level.
     

Click here to download the full results of the survey.

The Manifesto is based on the views of more than 1500 people who took part in the Social Policy Survey which was developed by Pro Bono Australia in conjunction with the Centre for Social Impact and supported by The Community Council of Australia, Volunteering Australia and Philanthropy Australia.