The Australian International Development Network (AIDN) facilitating action

Twenty years ago, nearly 30% of the global population struggled to survive on US$1.90 per day, today the number is more like 10%. Which sounds great except that 10% still amounts to 700 million people. Nearly all these people live in developing countries, mainly in sub-Saharan Africa and southern Asia.

The Australian International Development Network (AIDN) was launched in 2018 with a manifesto that laid the groundwork for a strong and collective voice for global giving.

With a mission to increase the quality and quantity of international giving, impact investing and resources, AIDN hopes that some of the traditional barriers associated with international giving and investing can be overcome.

Simon Lewis, AIDN’s Chair explains that the Network “views the current international giving landscape as an opportunity to bring together those operating in the sector and remove some of the barriers that have previously existed, or currently exist so that more money can be channeled to developing countries, in a more strategic way.

AIDN provides a unique, neutral platform to leverage the work of the strong but fractured existing international development sector by providing awareness, building alignment, and facilitating action.

AIDN coordinates initiatives between the private sector, corporate, government, philanthropists and investors leading to greater international engagement. It promotes values and principles which support international philanthropic funding and impact investing to organisations that are effective, accountable, and transparent.

The platform leverages and shines a spotlight on the good work being undertaken in the wider sector with a deliberately small executive team - Julie Rosenberg as Executive Officer and Emily Umbers as Marketing and Operations Manager. Its reach is extended by the support and guidance of its very active Advisory Committee of sector experts: Simon Lewis, Mark Cubit, Linda Fox, Clay O’Brien, Jeremy Stringer, Marc Purcell, Michael Liffman, Claire Hanratty and Anna Demant.

AIDN operates as a Chapter Committee of Philanthropy Australia who provide support and tax deductibility to its financial supporters, including Cubit Family Foundation, Vasudhara, Dawn Wade Family Foundation, The Ripple Foundation and Cooper Investors Philanthropy.

A three-part series that explores recent changes that have lowered the hurdles to international giving has been developed. The series The Compelling Case for Global Giving, explores the various channels that can be leveraged to ensure donations are impactful and highlights best practice “doing” and “giving” organisations in the international development sector.