Recently celebrating 29 years of matchmaking companies to charities through my business, Cavill + Co, and with the year ending, I’ve been reflecting on my career and life.

Over the years, I’ve weathered several crises: the dot-com crash of 2000, the GFC of 2008, and the lingering economic impacts of COVID. Now, Australians face a cost-of-living crisis that’s hitting non-profits with a double whammy: skyrocketing demand for services - especially food, housing and mental health support - paired with declining donations*[1]

Despite it all, I’m still here, doing what I love, on my terms. Joining forces with Georgia McIntosh, I’m expanding my impact through BePartnerReady.com®, empowering non-profits to forge transformative corporate partnerships and at the same time, ensuring that my legacy is in good hands. Reflecting on three decades, I’ve pinpointed three core lessons that have helped me not just survive, but thrive - lessons equally...

As Australians brace for a summer of extreme weather, with warnings of soaring temperatures and unpredictable conditions[1], nonprofits are navigating their own storm of challenges. Much like the climate’s volatility, the non-profit sector is facing - what many of our students, clients and fundraising consultants suggest - one of the toughest fundraising landscapes in over a decade.

A Challenging Climate for Changemakers

Recent reports (I have found five from 2023 and 2024, see bottom of blog) indicate a troubling trend: donations are declining, less Australians are giving, and non-profits are struggling to maintain financial stability. As we cap off another year, giving appears to be at an all-time low, driven by inflation and economic uncertainty. This mirrors global trends, where non-profits are grappling with reduced government funding and cautious donors.

Adding to the pressure, non-profits are also seeing a greater demand on their services as well as a staffing crisis....

You’ve heard the saying all roads lead to Rome, right? Well, if Rome is the glorious city of corporate partnership success - complete with thriving, well-funded programs, transformative collaborations, and the occasional celebratory gelato - then there are indeed many ways to get there. But, spoiler alert: some routes are a tad more effective & enjoyable than others.

Let’s map it out.

The Highway: The BePartnerReady.com® Full Program (May 2025 Intake)

This is your smooth, well-signposted freeway to Rome. It’s got an easy-to-follow roadmap in 7 easy steps, rest & refreshment stops (monthly calls with all students), tour guides (Georgia, me and Alumnites), and fellow travellers cheering you on. You’ll not only learn but embed a corporate partnership strategy month by month and by the time you reach Rome you’ll be pitching to – and winning – your dream corporate partners. 

Sure, it requires some planning and commitment, but...

At last week’s Fundraising Nest’s "Nest Fest Down Under," I was asked, “What advice would you give to your younger self?” My answer: Be your authentic self and be discerning about whose advice you listen to. Reflecting on this led me to write this blog, but I hesitated to publish. I was then inspired by Kamala Harris’ bold stand for the truth and calling out misinformation, so here it is. I’d love your thoughts.

Some time ago, I was forwarded a document, written by a purported corporate partnerships expert. It dismissed the importance of non-profits valuing their brand, claiming, “Getting your brand valued is a waste of money,” and “It won’t get you more partnerships.”

As someone who, in collaboration with experts, has developed the only rigorous process for valuing a non-profit’s brand, in Australia and New Zealand, I felt this criticism was pointed at me and my tool.

I’m all for being challenged and...

Sorry Lao Tzu, I know the journey begins with a single step but preparation is vital.

It’s been a tumultuous year for me, so a few weeks ago, I decided to escape Melbourne’s bitter winter. I booked a holiday to Bali.

My dear friend Susan, was there for work. We always have a good laugh, and a laugh was exactly what I needed. When she asked me what I wanted from my holiday, I said, "I want to come back with an aching jaw from laughing so much." So, I had a clear intention!

Ah, Bali. The brochures promise an island paradise: cocktails, white beaches, sun, massages. It's like the allure of an amazing corporate partner when you first set out on the adventure. Perhaps Bali doesn’t sound that adventurous to you, but it was my first time overseas in eight years and my first solo trip in a long while.

Three weeks ago, I boarded a 6am flight on a cold Melbourne morning. The flight was smooth - I slept all the way. When I landed, I was immediately struck by the unfamiliar....

Winter. It’s my time to light the fire, cook a hearty curry, and savour a glass of Pinot Noir. And head to bed early! For centuries, Winter has been a natural season for introspection. As nature rests and animals hibernate, humans often cocoon and reflect on life and work.

If you’re reflecting on your corporate partnerships’ strategy, now is an ideal time for a review. Whether you’re just starting out, actively pursuing corporate prospects or managing a handful of existing partnerships, setting a Corporate Partnerships Intention is a great way to re-align your corporate partnerships strategy with your Mission and Vision.

There’re 3 good reasons to set a Corporate Partnerships Intention:

1) Focus

It gets you focused on a clear outcome so you can concentrate all your energy on that and avoid distractions and so-called ‘opportunities’ that throw you off course. Changemakers can’t waste a drop of precious time. There’s a world of...

A brilliant example of a corporate that’s bringing its full resources to bear for a cause, is that of rebel. Partnering with Lifeline since 2021, they’ve made a significant financial commitment, initiated campaigns, and leveraged their digital channels, retail outlets, suppliers, and sporting ambassadors to champion mental health and raise funds.

rebel – Australia’s leading sports retailer – believes in the transformative power of sport. To rebel, it’s more than just fitness - it’s about holistic well-being. Sport can build confidence, swim off a bad day and slam dunk stress. They express this belief in three simple words: ‘Sport is Calling’.

As a torchbearer for well-being, it made sense to partner with a leader in mental health – Lifeline. It was a perfect match – both iconic brands, with national reach, serving a young adult audience. Not to mention that ‘Sport is Calling’ neatly aligns to a...

In part 1 (read here) I explained the difference between the words Philanthropy and Capitalism, Collaboration and Partnership, all Greek words popularised by the Romans. Philanthropy means ‘love of mankind’, capitalism means ‘an economic system controlled by private owners for profit’. Quite different. Collaboration and Partnership – which is what we at BePartnerReady.com® specialise in – is about working together, sharing resources and responsibilities with mutual benefit.

Practical differences

There are theoretical differences but also practical and legal differences. When a company partners with a charity and derives a commercial difference (eg there is mutual benefit), it cannot be called a ‘philanthropic donation’ because according to the ATO, it’s not. If a company’s ‘philanthropic foundation’ invests money into a charity and claims a philanthropic tax deduction, they cannot ask or demand logo...

Some phrases just become part of everyday language. Many come from Shakespeare but occasionally a comedian says something so funny it’s embraced by the world over.

John Cleese is a comedian best known for (TV show) Fawlty Towers but before that he was in a group called Monty Python, with 4 other comic geniuses. In the cult film The Life of Brian he asks “what did the Romans ever do for us?”[1] And the group respond “the sanitation, the medicine, education, wine, public order, irrigation, roads, the fresh water system…”.  It’s funnier when you watch it – trust me.

Philanthropy

As well as wine, irrigation etc, the Romans also popularised[2] a word I hear at least 10 times a day – Philanthropy. It comes from ‘philanthropia’ which means ‘love of humanity’. Its roots are Latin: ‘philos’ (loving) and ‘anthropos’ (human being) combined.

Today, modern philanthropy embodies the act of...

It’s no secret that recruitment and retention of talented people within the non-profit sector is challenging. Staff turnover in 2023 was at 9%[1] (working with non-profits for almost 30 years, I reckon it’s much higher). I believe it has much to do with three things: 1) insufficient support 2) little opportunity for advancement and 3) overwork.

Working in a non-profit is hard. Physically, intellectually and emotionally. People who choose to work for non-profits are deeply invested. They’re about impact, and when they can’t see it, or are being held back from achieving goals, it wounds them, profoundly. I know this as I hear it all too often from students.

So, if they feel unsupported, not nurtured and overworked, it’ll result in burnout, mental health issues and ultimately, yet another resignation.

Professional development - investing in people - is a relatively easy way to address all three issues. 

Support

If you’re working within a big,...