Have you been innovated?

As Community Council for Australia begins the work of developing a charities sector blueprint, the issue of how innovation is applied within the charities sector is one of the critical considerations, writes CCA CEO David Crosbie.

Have you been innovated?  Pro Bono News, 20 February 2020

As CCA begins the work of developing a charities sector blueprint, the issue of how innovation is applied within the charities sector will be one of the critical considerations. While some philanthropic groups see their role as promoting new approaches and taking more risks, in practice, there is currently very little support for real innovation or sustainable investment models that allow for both failure and the capacity to build on success. Unless charities can change the innovation narrative, sustained investment in genuine innovation will remain the province of business while charities will continue to struggle with inadequate levels of funding that serve as a brake on effectiveness, adoption and innovation.

Innovation can be good; it can generate sustainable improvements in how charities serve their communities. Taking money from existing programs that have demonstrated their effectiveness to support short-term unsustainable “innovation” programs is a false economy. 

How much more effective and sustainable might charities be if they had access to significant new strategic investment enabling charities to explore real innovation with longer-term support and a genuine commitment to delivering better outcomes for our communities? Maybe this is an innovation worth trying for? 

Read on Pro Bono News: have-you-been-innovated