ABSTRACT
The United Way is very big in the United States and Canada, but in Australia has had only limited success. The United Way has recently been joined in this endeavour by Ozgive, run by the Australian branch of the very successful UK based Charities Aid Foundation and by Earthshare, which focuses on raising funds for environment organisations. Philanthropy Australia is the peak body for Australia’s charitable trusts or foundations. Philanthropy Australia attempts to encourage wealthy individuals and corporations to set up charitable trusts. It also operates an information service, by which grant seekers can learn which trust is most likely to support their cause. An occasional government enquiry has illuminated particular parts of the sector, but governments have never recognised that the various third sector organisations that they regulate and sometimes fund have some common characteristics and constitute an identifiable sector.
