New data from JBWere today reveals the nation’s charitable giving throughout 2021 has recovered significantly after a slump in previous years due to COVID-19.

The second annual NAB Charitable Giving Index predicts the recovery is set to continue, propelling giving levels back to previous highs seen in 2019.

While health-related organisations were the major recipient throughout the pandemic, animal protection charities also saw an increase in donations, which held up well following the bushfire support of 2019/20. Giving to culture and arts, the environment and religious charities also proved to be strong over the last 12 months.

John McLeod, co-founder of JBWere’s Philanthropic Services, acknowledged that 2020 was an extraordinary challenging year for many charitable organisations, with the COVID-19 pandemic bringing with it a dramatic drop in charitable giving across the country.

“Our previous report highlighted an unprecedented fall in giving after the 2019/20 bushfire support, caused mainly by COVID and the inability to hold fundraising events. It’s fantastic to see that giving is back on the rise with the recovery seen throughout 2021 expected to continue through the new year.”

“The recovery seen to date suggests that totals in 2022 should again reach the previous high seen in 2019,” said Mr McLeod.

Mark Slater, CEO of Animal Welfare League (AWL) NSW said, “Animal Welfare League NSW relies heavily on the generosity of individuals, the community, and partnerships to carry out our work.”

“2020 was a difficult time for not only us, but many charities across Australia – the uplift in giving we’re continuing to see as Aussies open their hearts and wallets will help us continue to fulfil our purpose.

“The findings of this report are an accurate representation of what we are experiencing at AWL NSW. We are now working on our medium and long-term strategy plans for our organisation, and basic to this process is the invaluable data and information we refer to within the JBWere NAB Charitable Giving Index,” said Mr Slater.

The report also shows that Tasmania and the ACT are the only States/Territories back at pre-pandemic level for donations, while South Australia and Western Australia are lagging in their giving recovery. Meanwhile, donations in regional Australia have seen a significant increase, closing the gap on giving in metro areas in 2021.

Feature image above: Mark Slater, CEO of Animal Welfare League (AWL) NSW