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Current Research Projects:
Australian Social Enterprise Stories Project Key Social Issues in Parramatta Corporate Responsibility in Australia Ethical Consumerism
Completed Research Projects:
Arts Plus Managing for Recovery
Cutting to the Heart of Workplace Giving Social Enterprise World Forum
Managing in a Downturn Common Cause The Giving Business

CURRENT PROJECTS

 
 

CSI and Parramatta City Council

  Australian Social Enterprise Stories Project

CSI, Parramatta City Council (PCC)

The Centre for Social Impact and Parramatta City Council are collaborating on a project to document stories of Australian social enterprises through a series of interviews. This project aims to shed light on the largely undocumented activity of social entrepreneurship in Australia and to reveal a rich diversity of activity. The publication will be particularly interesting to practitioners and supporters of social enterprise development. It anticipated completion date is late 2010. To read more about the project, click here.

CSI and Parramatta City Council

 Key Social Issues in Parramatta: Understanding and Engagement

CSI, Parramatta City Council (PCC)

Building on the success of the Common Cause report for Sydney, CSI is undertaking research for Parramatta City Council to identify the key social issues for the Parramatta Local Government Area. A range of outputs will be produced including a short report for partners that will share the knowledge captured on these key social issues including the strengths of and key challenges for social inclusion in Parramatta. The research and the report will provide the basis for developing awareness-raising and encouraging collaboration and collective action to bring about positive social change.

CSI & St James Ethics Centre

Corporate Responsibility in Australia: Analysis of the Corporate Responsibility Index

CSI, St. James Ethics Centre

This project investigates how corporate responsibility is being adopted by leading Australian companies. It involves empirical analysis of trends reported by participating firms in the annual Corporate Responsibility Index (CRI) survey. The first phase of the research is concentrating on three main areas: (1) Exploring how integrated corporate responsibility is among participants, (2) Examining how companies measure the impact of their community investment programs, and (3) Investigating the reporting practices of this group of leading companies.

Predictors of Ethical Consumerism

CSI (Asia Pacific Centre for Leadership for Social Impact - MBS), Globescan

CSI's partner The Asia Pacific Centre for Leadership for Social Impact is undertaking a research project that seeks to identify predictors of ethical consumerism through the analysis of Corporate Social responsibility (CSR) Monitor data from Globescan.

The project explores the factors that contribute to consumers becoming more influenced by ethical considerations, who is likely to become an ethical consumer and the behaviours of ethical consumers. It will benchmark Australian ethical consumer behaviour against international data. Read more.

 


COMPLETED PROJECTS

 

Arts Plus - New Models, New Money (Jun 2010)

CSI, Arts Queensland

In this discussion paper 'New Models New Money', Arts Queensland and the Centre for Social Impact propose the establishment of a Foundation for the Artist - the first of its kind in Australia - to bring together public, private and corporate funding for artists and the creation of new work. The Foundation will complement existing funding sources and offer new forms of support for creative practice and innovation. The discussion paper was supported by the development of an Australian and International survey.

> Read New Models New Money Foundation Proposal

> Read media release

Please email us with your feedback and comments on this discussion paper.

 

'New Models New Money Australian Survey' consolidates available information on the state of funding for individual artists and new creative work in  Australia from a range of perspectives - the Government and Private Sectors, the individual art forms, the artist, priorities in grant giving, and the impact on Australian content. In doing so, it draws out some of the issues facing funding the creative process in Australia.

> Read New Models New Money Australian Survey  Appendices

 

The purpose of the 'New Models New Money International Research' was to understand the issues facing artists globally, in terms of their ability to pursue their careers and contribute to society; and to identify the types of policy initiatives, incentives and investments that have been developed to help them achieve their goals. Within this the aim was to identify trends, lessons or evidence that might inform new initiatives in Australia.

> Read News Models New Money International Research Report


Managing for Recovery (Feb 2010)

CSI, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Fundraising Institute Australia

Managing for Recovery finds that although conditions have been tough for charitable organisations, there is now a mood of cautious optimism returning and a shift in focus from cost cutting to revenue raising.

This second survey of third sector organisations reveals that in the face of the worldwide financial crisis, Australian charities generally expect a positive year ahead. 

In response to the economic climate, 85 per cent of Australian not-for-profit organisations (NFPs) are changing their focus from cost cutting to generating revenue growth over the next twelve months. The second survey provides an opportunity for the NFP sector to see how they have fared since the initial impact of the economic downturn and to get a snapshot on what their future outlook is likely to be for the next 12 months.

> Download the report

This report is the sequel to the Managing in a Downturn report released in July 2009.

Cutting to the Heart of Workplace Giving (Nov 2009)

CSI, The Australian Charities Fund, Goldman Sachs JBWere, Mallesons Stephen Jaques, ANZ, Bain & Company, Buyology Lab

This important study looks at workplace giving  (payroll giving) from the employees' perspective and tells us something new. By showing that the donations made by employees to charities through workplace deductions are additional to their existing contributions - and, indeed, encourage further donations - the true value of workplace giving is revealed. This evidence should act as a catalyst to employers, charities and governments to work together to promote workplace giving as a significant way to fund community enterprise.

> Download the report

Social Enterprise World Forum Research Roundtable (Oct 2009)

CSI, Social Ventures Australia, Social Traders

CSI conducted a research roundtable for the Social Enterprise World Forum with Social Enterprise World Forum (SEWF) co-hosts, Social Ventures Australia and Social Traders on 6 October 2009. Four international presenters spoke about social enterprise related research:

  • Jon Huggett | John B. Reid Visiting Fellow at the Centre for Social Impact
  • Susan Steinman | head of the Centre for Social Entrepreneurship at the University  of Johannesburg
  • Nir Tsuk | Ashoka, Israel
  • Manuka Henare | Associate Dean (Māori and Pacific Development), University of Auckland Business School

Read more about other speakers and  download presentations


Managing in a Downturn: Part 1 (Jul 2009)

CSI, PricewaterhouseCoopers,

Fundraising Institute Australia

'Managing in a Downturn' is the first comprehensive research project to assess the effect of the economic downturn on Australian charities and nonprofit organisations.

It assesses the projected increases and decreases in fundraising and other income streams resulting from the economic downturn to help policy makers and charities make informed decisions in response to the economic downturn if income streams soften and the demand for services rises. In Australia, early indications are that charities are anticipating a drop in their donations and have begun to reduce the number of services offered. Read more

> Download the report

Common Cause (Jul 2009)

CSI, United Way, Sydney Community Foundation, Perpetual, Community Relations Commission

'Common Cause' project aimed to help create a more inclusive community and address issues of social disadvantage by making freely available an improved information framework to all interested parties who seek to respond to the current and emerging social needs of Greater Sydney. The report maps the needs of individuals, social groups and the community to allow better planning and resourcing of community initiatives and services on the basis of evidence.

> Read the media release

> Download the summary

> Download the full report


The Giving Business (Feb 2009)

CSI, PricewaterhouseCoopers, The Australian Charities Fund, United Way, Charities Aid Foundation

'The Giving Business' research project aimed to understand the key success factors and business benefits of workplace giving, also known as payroll giving. Workplace giving was revealed as "the idea for the times" because it enables people lucky enough to be employed to easily give to those less fortunate. So David Gonski, leading businessman, philanthropist and CSI board member told a packed audience from the corporate, community and government sectors at the launch of this report.

Among the key findings were that awareness of payroll giving remains alarmingly low among businesses; that businesses have an exaggerated perception of the complexity of setting up such a program, and that with relatively simple measures to improve take-up of the programs there is realistic potential to dramatically raise the amount donated by this method. Read more

> Download the report

 

 
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