Too many charities in Australia? Why start a new one?
Imagine your loved one or colleague faced a life-threatening illness and received fantastic medical care. You are now motivated to recognise that care or find a cure for the disease. Do you start a new charity in his or her honour? Or do you find a charity to align your efforts?
According to the Australian Charities and Not-for-Profits Commission (ACNC), Australia has some 60,000 registered charities. So, why start a new one? There must be a fantastic charity you can work with to accomplish your mission.
Five reasons you might start a charity
There are many reasons why someone might start a charity in Australia, even though there are already many existing charities.
- Addressing an unmet need
- Someone may start a charity if they identify a specific issue or cause that is not currently being adequately addressed
- People may see a gap in services or support and feel compelled to fill that gap
- Passion for a cause
- Many people start charities because they are passionate about a particular cause
- Existing charities do not focus enough attention or resources on their specific cause
- They may want to bring a fresh perspective to the issue
- Personal experience
- Sometimes people start charities because of a personal experience
- For example, if someone has lost a loved one to a particular illness, they may start a charity to raise awareness or fund research into that illness
- A desire to give back
- People may start charities as a way to give back to their community or to society
- They may feel that they have been fortunate in their own lives and want to use their resources to make a positive impact on others
- Innovating and improving
- While there are many charities in Australia, there may be room for new organisations that bring innovative ideas or approaches to addressing social issues
- Someone may start a charity if they believe they have a unique perspective or solution to a particular issue that is not currently being utilised by existing charities
Overall, starting a charity can be a way for individuals to make a meaningful impact on society. It can address important social issues in Australia. Despite the many existing charities, there may still be unmet needs or opportunities for innovation and improvement. Such gaps may mean starting a new charity is a worthwhile endeavour. Nonetheless, research existing charities to see if you might just align with one of the 60,000 already in existence.
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