The instrument is one component of KnowledgeBank, an ongoing project aiming to link Philanthropy Australia’s online information resources. In time, it will interlink the organisation’s website and library, as well as PhilanthropyWiki, a ‘grantseeking’ directory listing more than 350 sources of non-government funding, a projects in-the-pipeline and philanthropic grants database, grantmakers database, a members’ communications vehicle and a search engine.

A number of these tools, such as the projects database, are under construction. Interestingly, the grants database will accumulate grantmaking data and track trends among donors. While all individual grants might not be traced, due to privacy restrictions, the aggregate sums going towards various sectors, such as education or indigenous health, will be available.

While such a resource exists in other countries, no instrument has been developed for the Australian sector, Maechen says.