The challenge
The Australian Conservation Foundation (ACF) is committed to inspiring people to achieve a healthy environment for all Australians. ACF is funded almost entirely by individual donations and membership. Support for ACF's conservation work helps ensure that future generations enjoy clean air and water, sustainable cities, healthy rivers and forests, unspoiled oceans, vibrant Indigenous cultures and protection for our unique places, animals and plants.
ACF is looking for ways in which they can become more economically resilient and self sustaining. The experience of many charities, including ACF, is that in times of economic downturn support, in terms of donations, can reduce significantly as donors' discretionary income decreases. This would present a number of challenges to an organisation such as ACF, which benefits from donations from supporters for 93% of their income.
ACF wish to create a strategy for managing this risk, in order to minimise the impact of a potential recession. Therefore, they have engaged you, as a prospective Chartered Accountant, to assess the impact and devise appropriate mitigation strategies in areas of ACF operations such as:
- Campaigns;
- Donor Support;
- Investment and Funds Management Activity; and
- Expenditure and Supplier Management.
To get a better understanding of the role of the Australian Conservation Foundation, details of activities and performance are available on their website (www.acfonline.org.au).
ACF are looking for strategies should take into consideration:
- Maintaining the overall integrity and independence of ACF;
- Risks and opportunities to the organisation; and
- Current trends and issues; including technology;
Your submission may be presented in any format (a document, PowerPoint presentation, video etc). Documents should be no longer than 5 pages, video no more than 5 minutes and PowerPoint no more than 10 slides.
You must enter a "synopsis" via this website with your final response in order for your answer to be considered.