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Hands Across Canberra and the Chief Minister's Charitable Fund Impact

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Hands Across Canberra and the Chief Minister's Charitable Fund Impact Hands Across Canberra and the Chief Minister’s Charitable Fund impact report 2019-20 Hands Across Canberra and the Chief Minister’s Charitable Fund Impact report 2019–20 10 years of working with our community Hands Across Canberra and the Chief Minister’s Charitable Fund acknowledge the Ngunnawal people as the traditional custodians of the Canberra region. The region was also an important meeting place and is significant to other Aboriginal groups. Hands Across Canberra and the Chief Minister’s Charitable Fund acknowledges and respects First Australians continuing culture and the unique contribution they make to the life of this city and region. 2 3 Foreword: Chair and CEO 1 Major highlights in 2019–20 3 Special thanks 5 Timeline of events in 2019–20 7 Who we are 9 The Chief Minister’s Charitable Fund 11 Partnering for impact 15 Key reasons to partner with Hands Across Canberra 17 Our growing network of supporters 19 Stronger Together: our COVID-19 response 23 Contents Raising awareness, engaging Canberrans 29 Giving in 2019–20 31 Canberra Day Appeal 2020 36 COVID-19 Rapid Response grant round 37 Canberra Recovery Appeal 43 Financial impact 45 Thank you to our supporters 47 Grants made since inception (2010) 51 Organisations registered with Hands Across Canberra 59 Make a difference – set-up a Named Fund 69 Hands Across Canberra and the Chief Minister’s Charitable Fund Impact report 2019–20 Foreword: What we learned Chair and CEO Throughout 2019–20 we surveyed over 250 in the ACT – and that most had been affiliated charities to identify emerging significantly impacted. And we learned that On behalf of the Board we are proud to present the Hands need and to assess our capacity to respond. we need to be strategic with our timing and Across Canberra and the Chief Minister’s Charitable Fund impact From this, we learned that events in incentives if we are to meet the demand 2019–20 had impacted 98% of charities from the sector. report 2019–20. This is our 10th year of working with charities and Hands Across Canberra partners and – despite the many challenges that we have experienced during 2019–20 – it has been one of our most successful. The Hands Across Canberra team continues to work closely with community 2020: a challenging cycle for organisations, government, business and other community-focused foundations. organisations and services We are forging new partnerships that help foster awareness and necessary growth within our ever-changing community, while identifying and addressing both longstanding and emerging needs. We live in a generous Increased need for services due to crises community — one that has gone beyond the call of duty to support the many charities and not-for-profit organisations working with people in need. At Hands Across Canberra, we continue to serve with passion and commitment: we have a very dedicated team and we thank them immensely for their efforts in advancing the mission of Hands Across Canberra and of the Chief Minister’s Charitable Fund. Greater societal Lack of funding issues as and resources to organisations address and provide struggle to keep up. these services. air of Hand Ch s A ands Acro , c f H ss ro o Ca M s O n A s E b e y C C a , rr r a a n n B o b Despite the challenges, we managed substantial grants and ran two successful funding appeals. e d e n r r a o r We also did all we could to help the community sector survive the dual challenges of: i a G D a r n e d t d » dwindling fundraising e o n P u f F t h e e l b C a » increased demand for services within the community sector. h t i i r e a f h M C i n s ’ i r s t e 1 2 Hands Across Canberra 2019/2020 Annual Report Major highlights Some measures in 2019–20 of our success IN THE PAST YEAR WE HAVE: ENGAGEMENT 105 organisations joined with Hands Across Canberra in Improved the means and frequency of our engagement with the (including the community sector fundraising initiatives throughout the year Canberra Day Appeal, the Hands Across Canberra Annual Fundraising Lunch Activated our investment strategy for the Chief Minister’s Charitable Fund FUNDING RAISED , including with the Built new partnerships with businesses throughout 2019–20. real-estate and innovation sectors Over 1,500 donations were received Enhanced our partnerships with others, including the Over $800,000 was donated to Hands Across Canberra and Snow Foundation and the John James Foundation affiliated community organisations. Responded to the COVID-19 crisis by creating a 12-week fundraising campaign called the Canberra Recovery Appeal, supported by the Nearly $1.5 million was leveraged for the community sector. Chief Minister’s Charitable Fund and Aspen Medical Conducted a Chief Minister’s Charitable Fund COVID-19 Rapid We inaugurated an annual giving day to be held on Canberra Day including support for the Canberra Relief Response Grant round, which saw nearly $100,000 raised in a single day in 2020. Network Initiated an annual Giving Day in the form of the Canberra Day Appeal. FUNDING DISTRIBUTED To sum up: this has been a most difficult year – Rapid response to the COVID-19 crisis saw more than $570,000 in yet our year of greatest achievement. grants distributed through a grant round early in the pandemic. 3 4 Hands Across Canberra and the Chief Minister’s Charitable Fund Impact report 2019–20 In these unusual times, our Board has continued to reflect deeply and to make decisions. Our Board committees have enhanced our work and have ensured that we comply with our essential mission: to educate, to partner and to grow support. We thank Sue Hart of Commerce Management and Jinhee Kim-Rim of Charterpoint for their incredible support in providing secretariat and accounting services. We thank our staff for their commitment and dedication. Their work has ensured that we continue to find innovative ways to raise much-needed funds that can be provided directly to the sector. The amount of work Special this takes should not be underestimated. Finally, we send an enormous thank you to our generous partners, supporters, volunteers and donors. We are truly inspired by, and grateful for, the members of our community who continuously contribute their time, talent and treasures to the causes they care about. thanks Without you, none of this would be possible. of Ha nds Acro hair nds f Ha ss C A o C , c O an M ro E b A s C e s r y C , r a n a a r o B n d b r e e o n r a r G i a r D a e n t d e d P o n u f F t h e e l b C a h t i i r e a f h M C i n s ’ i r s t e 5 6 Hands Across Canberra and the Chief Minister’s Charitable Fund Impact report 2019–20 Timeline of events in 2019-20: a year like no other Bushfire season starts 10 JUNE, 2020 26 NOVEMBER, 2019 Hands Across Canberra COVID-19 Hands Across Canberra initiates Rapid Response grant launches the Canberra the first Canberra Day Appeal round launched in a consortium Recovery Appeal with 38 community organisations: a 28 NOVEMBER, 2019 partnership with the Snow Foundation Hands Across Canberra and and the John James Foundation collective drive to support the Snow Foundation host organisations recovering the inaugural Vital 4 MARCH, 2020 from the impact of Bushfires ended Conversation on Youth COVID-19 July Aug Homelessness 11 MARCH, 2020 2019 2019 Sept Hands Across Canberra launches the first Hands 2019 Up for Canberra giving day, a first for a capital city Oct community foundation in Australia 2019 16 MARCH, 2020 Nov ACT declares a public health emergency July 2019 2020 Start 29 MARCH, 2020 Strict social distancing laws of projects Dec set in place granted through 2019 June the Chief Minister’s 2020 Charitable Fund Consultations with Jan 2019 grant May round community 2020 organisations on HAC's 2020 need in the Annual Feb Apr sector Mar Fundraising 2020 2020 Lunch raises over 2020 $130,000 for the community sector 14 APRIL, 2020 6,000 Canberrans have lost their jobs due to COVID-19 related restrictions. The Chief Minister predicts the ACT’s unemployment rate will jump COVID-19 First from 2.9% to about 6%. Hands Across Hands Across Canberra Canberra Bushfire 27 APRIL, 2020 Survey Active cases down to 3 from 106, yet the Survey community sector has felt the pinch. More 20 JANUARY, 2020 than 97% of organisations have been Super hailstorm impacted by the double effects of impacts much of bushfire and COVID-19 measures, with the city demand for services surging and fundraising events cancelled 7 8 Hands Across Canberra and the Chief Minister’s Charitable Fund Impact report 2019–20 Raising Who awereness Through our regular engagement with the not-for-profit sector, government and business, we are able to identify and support we are the areas of highest need in our community and to establish priorities for granting such as mental health and wellbeing; domestic and family violence; homelessness; children, youth and families; Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders; LGBTIQ+; and persons with disability. More than 250 charities in Canberra and the Canberra region are registered with us. Hands Across Canberra is the Giving National Capital’s leading community Through our extensive consultation process, we foundation.
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