What we do
We hold events, field trips, collaborative funding opportunities, create grantmaking tools and facilitate networking with grantmakers from across Australia.
Our contribution to change
To achieve change, we work to grow effective funding to the environment and sustainability in five key ways.
- We work with and inspire philanthropists to build their capacity to give more and give powerfully by providing a safe space to explore their approach to giving and develop potential collaborations.
- We strengthen the philanthropic sector’s skills and knowledge in environmental giving by connecting funders with trusted experts and information, and opportunities to network and learn.
- We build the profile of environmental giving in philanthropic and other sectors.
- We focus on growing philanthropy and investment for a sustainable Australia.
- We showcase innovative approaches to giving, collaborating and addressing environment issues.
Our performance
Our aims are ambitious and long term. So that we can monitor and report on our progress towards achieving them, we have established specific measures and indicators of progress for outputs and results.
We will:
- collect relevant quantitative and qualitative data
- use the data to assess our progress
- use the findings of those assessments to make appropriate changes to our work in order to increase our effectiveness in achieving our goals
- report to our members on progress toward these goals.
At an operational level, our plans will specify outputs and key performance indicators for positions and projects that directly align to the aims and activities in this plan.
In 2019, we commissioned a survey of our effectiveness and member satisfaction — Pulse Check 2019 — to track our performance against a benchmarking study completed in 2015. We also commissioned a scan of eight environmental grantmaker networks from around the world to help us assess our effectiveness from an international perspective.
Overall, findings confirm we are making a positive and important contribution to environmental philanthropy in Australia. Similarly, the scan of environmental grantmaker networks shows that much of what we provide to members is “top of class”. The analysis found we have strong relationships with members, all of whom are provided with high quality and diverse resources and guidance to improve and increase their environmental philanthropy.
Pulse check 2019
As key data from Pulse Check 2019 shows, members deeply value their involvement with the AEGN: 87 per cent are satisfied or very satisfied with their membership while more than 90 per cent are likely to refer prospective environmental grantmakers to the network.
Significantly, we support members to:
Increase environmental grantmaking
- 64 per cent have decided to increase the amount of funding allocated to the environment since becoming a member; 92 per cent of these members say the AEGN contributed to this decision.
Improve practice
- 91 per cent say their involvement with the AEGN has positively influenced their approach to environmental grantmaking and helped them to evolve their grantmaking practice.
Enhance strategy
- 56 per cent have divested in whole or in part from their investment in fossil fuels; just under half of these members say the AEGN has played a role in this decision.
Build their networks
- 73 per cent say their membership has played a significant role in helping them to expand their network of environmental grantmakers.
Access information and identify funding opportunities
- 55 per cent say their membership has helped them significantly to learn more about environmental issues.
- 63 per cent say their membership had helped them significantly to identify environmental funding opportunities.
Our strategic plan
We act to protect our land, restore a safe climate and support the natural world to sustain our children and the generations to come. Our vision is a world where people and nature thrive.
Our new three-year strategy, Giving Our All, charts a course to make this vision a reality — and there’s no time to lose. We are living through the most critical decade for the planet, and what we do now matters more than at any other time in history.
Escalating challenges, rising ambition
Our strategic plan details ambitious goals commensurate with the threats we face, and a series of bold initiatives to realise our vision. Our ultimate purpose? To avert catastrophe and create a better world.
Find out more about our goals and how we plan to achieve them.