The Australian Charities Report is based on the most current data available for Australia’s charities and builds on analysis from previous years. For this edition of the report, data from the Annual Information Statements of more than 49,000 charities from the 2020 reporting period is used. The report illustrates the contribution of Australia’s charities to the economy and to thousands of communities, both here and abroad. This report covers part of the 2020 calendar year and therefore provides some detail of the impact of COVID on the sector.
Total revenue in the sector rose to $176 billion, an increase of $10 billion on the previous year, which suggests many charities were able to navigate the challenges of 2020 with the support of government. However, the report also shows that expenses increased by $10.2 billion. The disruption of the pandemic may have led to charities incurring additional costs as they tried to shift and change to meet changing needs and requirements. The report also shows that we do have a resilient charity sector. It remains hugely important economically and employs more than 10 per cent of Australia’s workforce. The proportion of staff employed part time and full time increased in the 2020 reporting period, while the proportion of staff employed in casual roles reduced.
To view the report in full and the interactive data from the report, click here