Take your place amongst South Australia’s growing philanthropic community.

If you’re a family, individual or organisation looking to begin or expand your philanthropic endeavours, you’ve come to the right place.

The SA Philanthropy Network’s mission is to inspire a culture of generosity across South Australia by equipping individuals and organisations with the knowledge, connections and resources they need to start giving and amplify their impact.

The SA Philanthropy Network heart icon

We connect those who share a passion for philanthropy

Through a series of informative and engaging networking events, we cover a wide range of topics that modern-day philanthropists and not-for-profit organisations encounter.

Large or small, new or long-established, we welcome all of South Australia’s philanthropic minds to build a spirit of giving and connect for positive change.

Let’s Connect

At the heart of our network lies a straightforward mission: Network, Connect, Advocate.

Network

We bring together a diverse range of individuals and organisations through individual meetings and network events. By fostering these connections, we aim to facilitate impactful collaborations to unlock new funding opportunities.

Connect

We connect like-minded people and organisations to the causes they are passionate about and the resources that enable them to maximise their giving. We believe in the power of shared purpose and the opportunity to enable these meaningful connections.

Advocate

We strongly advocate for South Australia’s growing philanthropic sector and encourage a spirit of giving. Our goal is to inspire and cultivate a new generation of philanthropists, ensuring a brighter future for our community.

Philanthropy, noun from Greek philanthrōpía love of humanity

From the Founder

Kay Burton

Kay Burton
Founder

Meet Kay, a passionate advocate dedicated to advancing philanthropy in South Australia. With a career stretching from the United States to Australia, Kay has over 15 years of executive experience across various sectors, including government affairs, higher education and philanthropy.

Her journey began in the New England region of the US, working for the University of Maine System and later becoming a key member of the executive team for United States Senator Susan Collins in Washington, DC.

Read more
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How it works

The SA Philanthropy Network warmly welcomes anyone who shares a passion for philanthropy and connecting with like-minded individuals and organisations.

Joining us is hassle-free, with no membership requirements or joining fees. Simply sign up to our mailing list, and you’ll be informed about the latest sector news and upcoming events. It’s that easy!

NEXT EVENT

18 February 2025

The Dragon of Family Wealth: How to Tame it and Train it
A conversation between a psychologist and philanthropist.

Get ready for an extraordinary evening featuring a conversation about the dynamics of family wealth and philanthropy between two trailblazing thought leaders - Patrycja Slawuta and Heather Lord.

This event is specifically tailored to funders, including individuals, families, family foundations and professional advisors.

Funded Coming Soon!

We've teamed up with Funded to launch a new digital funding platform to connect philanthropists with not-for-profit organisations. 

This one-stop platform will enable fund seekers to easily discover funding opportunities and funders to browse and connect with projects that align with their values.

If you’re a South Australian charity with DGR status looking for project funding, please register your interest using the link below and we will get in touch with you once the portal is live and ready to accept applications.


Latest

🎉 And we’re back!

Join us for our first event of 2025 on Tuesday, February 18: "The Dragon of Family Wealth: How to Tame It and Train It."

This exclusive evening is tailored for funders—individuals, families, foundations, and professional advisors—seeking to deepen their understanding of family wealth dynamics and elevate their philanthropic impact.

🗓️ Event Details
📍 Location: Flinders University City Campus, One Festival Tower, Level 14, Station Road, Adelaide
🕠 Time: 5:30 PM – 7:30 PM ACDT

🌟 Featuring:
-Patrycja Slawuta: Behavioural scientist and entrepreneur, offering insights into human complexity.
-Heather Lord: Philanthropic expert with decades of experience designing transformative impact initiatives.

✨ A special thank you to our event partner, Flinders University, for hosting this event and supporting our shared mission to grow philanthropy across South Australia and beyond.

👉 Visit our website to reserve your spot today!

#SAPhilanthropyNetwork #Philanthropy #FamilyWealth #SAGiving

❤️2024: A Year of Impact and Connection.
We’re excited to share the SA Philanthropy Network’s 2024 Recap Video—highlighting the milestones and moments that defined our inaugural year

From launching the Network and hosting impactful events to sparking meaningful conversations and connecting philanthropists with not-for-profits, 2024 was a year of collaboration and progress.

🌟 Thank you to our incredible network of individuals, families, foundations, businesses, and NFP partners, as well as our event partners—your support made this year possible.

Wishing you a wonderful holiday season! #philanthropy #saphilanthropynetwork #adelaideevents #communityimpact #generosityinaction

Here’s the third and final insightful Q&A takeaway from The Art of the Ask night with Louise Walsh:

Louise highlighted the importance of involving experienced advisers or board members with proven skills in securing government funding and building relationships with larger organisations. She emphasized how diversifying income streams, strategic leadership and a clear vision can open doors to transformative opportunities, ensuring long-term impact and growth.

3/3✨

#TheArtOfTheAsk #SAPhilanthropyNetwork #StrategicFunding #Philanthropy #AdelaideEvents #CommunityImpact

Here’s the second insightful takeaway from The Art of the Ask night with Louise Walsh:

Louise emphasized the importance of measuring impact in philanthropy, highlighting the role of data in demonstrating results and tailoring approaches to what donors value most. She also noted that younger donors often seek clear evidence of their impact and shared strategies for overcoming challenges through effective use of data.

2/3✨

#TheArtOfTheAsk #SAPhilanthropyNetwork #GenerosityInAction #Philanthropy #AdelaideEvents #philanthropy #communityimpact #adelaide #adelaidefringe #philanthropymatters

Here’s one of the insightful questions from The Art of Ask night with Louise Walsh. In her response, she shares valuable advice on donor communication and offers strategies for overcoming challenges by gaining a deeper understanding of your donor’s perspective.

1/3✨

#TheArtOfTheAsk #saphilanthropynetwork #theartoftheask #generosityinaction #Philanthropy #AdelaideEvents #CommunityImpact #SAPhilanthropy

✨ What an unforgettable night at The Art of the Ask at the stunning Piccadilly Theatre! 🌟 A huge thank you to our incredible guest speaker Louise Walsh for sharing her wisdom and stories, the inspiring @heathercrl and the brilliant @adlfringe team for teaming up as our event partner, and to @isaachumphries7 for an unforgettable performance. 🎭🎤

We also always love a warm welcome from Uncle Tamaru!

Special shoutout to @blankcanvasstudioco for perfectly capturing the magic of the evening 📸💫—a celebration of generosity, creativity, and the power of a well-placed ask! 💌

💡 Don’t miss out on future events that inspire and connect—join the @saphilanthropynetwork today and be part of South Australia’s giving movement!

#TheArtOfTheAsk #Philanthropy #AdelaideEvents #CommunityImpact #SAphilanthropy #GenerosityInAction #adelaidefringe

New event! The Art of the Ask: Engaging Your Board in Major Gift Fundraising.

Join us for an exclusive session featuring Louise Walsh, one of Australia’s top philanthropic advisers and fundraising experts, as she shares invaluable insights on how to engage board members in securing transformative gifts.

🗓 Date: November 13, 2024
🕒 Time: 5:30PM – 7:00PM
📍 Location: The Piccadilly, 181 O’Connell Street, North Adelaide

This event is perfect for: Board Members; Fundraising Professionals; Philanthropic Advisers; and Nonprofit Leaders.

The @saphilanthropynetwork is thrilled to partner with the @adlfringe to bring you this special event. A huge THANK YOU to the Fringe team for their incredible support! 🙌 🎉

👉 To learn more and register, visit: saphilanthropy.org

#Philanthropy #MajorGifts
#Fundraising #Nonprofits #Leadership #BoardEngagement #SAPhilanthropyNetwork
#AdelaideFringe

Last week, we hosted "Trends in Philanthropy," a special networking lunch at @skycityadl.

Guests had the privilege of hearing from one of Australia’s foremost philanthropic experts, John McLeod, who shared insights on the latest trends and opportunities for giving in a post-COVID world, amidst the significant wealth transfer currently underway.

Attendees also received a unique preview of the upcoming JBWere Bequest Report, the first of its kind, set to launch at the end of June!

Special thanks to those who made the event possible:
👏Our guest speaker, John McLeod, for his insightful and expert presentation.
👏Wendy Scott-Hamilton and the dedicated team from our event partner, JBWere, for their commitment to growing philanthropy in Australia and beyond.
👏The team from our presenting partner, SkyCity Adelaide, including Interim COO Avril Baynes and @libby_rayner1, for their incredible generosity in providing the venue and outstanding food and service.

📈 Make sure to stay tuned for the release of the JBWere Bequest Report later this month on their website!

#saphilanthropynetwork
#philanthropy
#jbwere
#skycityadelaide
#bequestreport

Join the network

Joining us is hassle-free, with no membership requirements or joining fees. Simply fill in your details below, and you’ll be informed about the latest sector news and upcoming events. It’s that easy!

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FAQs

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Keen to get involved or want to learn more?
Get in contact with Kay Burton.