Financial Impact

The financial results of Hands Across Canberra Group are a consolidation of the operations of 3 entities:

• Hands Across Canberra Ltd
• The Public Ancillary Trust Fund
• The Chief Minister’s Charitable Fund

Summary results for 2022–23

Notes: Note 1: Excludes inter-entity charges; Note 2: Excludes $750,000 provided to the CMCF by the ACT Government for the purchase of land for the next Charity House to be built, held in Trust; Note 3: Includes Named Funds receipts ($265,955) to build the Perpetual Fund

The results for 2022–23 (which were mainly post-pandemic) allowed for the progressive reintroduction of our annual activities (such as the annual lunch and Canberra Day Appeal). We were also able to welcome new initiatives, such as the gala dinner hosted by A & P Leemhuis Builders Pty Ltd, as well as to support ongoing growth in Named Funds to grow our Perpetual Fund.

The Canberra Day Appeal continued to grow strongly, reaching a total of $847,250

Our major grant collaborative grant round for the year — through the Chief Minister’s Charitable Fund in conjunction with the Snow Foundation, the John James Foundation, the Aspen Foundation and Aspen Medical — allowed an injection into the not-for-profit sector of $1.4m. The Chief Minister’s Charitable Fund contribution was $331,196.

In 2023 the Strathnairn Charity House in Ginnindery was completed and sold, with surplus of $506,966 to be distributed evenly across 4 charities, at $126,741 each. A long settlement period was agreed, and the funds were received in July 2023 and distributed to the respective charities in the same month.

The ACT Government provided a generous contribution of $750,000 to the Chief Minister’s Charitable Fund to support the purchase of land for the next charity house project.

Overall, during the 2022–23 financial year, the Hands Across Canberra Group provided direct funding to charities of $1.9m and mobilised a further $1.1m from partner foundations to provide a total of over $3m.

The Chief Minister’s Charitable Fund provided substantial contribution for the year, with a total injection of $936,613 in support of Hands Across Canberra activities, appeals, grant programs and operating costs. These contributions from the Chief Minister’s Charitable Fund complemented the general donations received.

The Hands Across Canberra Perpetual Fund has continued to grow, with $227,448 received into the Sue Salthouse Fund and a further $265,955 into the various Named Funds. Overall, the Perpetual Fund has grown from $669,829 as at 30 June 2022 to $1,173,656 as at 30 June 2023. This was an increase of $503,827 or 75%.

Total funds distributed to charities were as follows:

*Includes $380,225 transferred to charities from proceeds of the sale of the Strathnairn Charity House.

The activities of the Hands Across Canberra Group are go beyond fund raising. As described elsewhere in this Impact Report, our activities are strategically divided between the 3 operational pillars of:

• raising awareness
• developing partnerships
• giving and fundraising.

In undertaking our activities, we are conscious of the need to ensure that we maximise the amount that goes to charities. In that regard we seek to maintain our operational and fundraising expenses under control. As a percentage of total expenses, our current operating expenses profile across the 3 operational pillars is as follows:

• Raising awareness                                       $ 190,859 (29%)
• Developing partnerships                            $ 162,820 (24.7%)
• Giving and fundraising                               $ 305,006 (46.3%)

Our Giving and Fundraising expenses represented 15.7% of the total donations received.