Peter MacCallum Cancer Foundation

Peter MacCallum Cancer Foundation

Winner of

Fundraising Team of the Year 2019

Peter MacCallum Cancer Foundation is the fundraising arm of the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Australia’s only public hospital dedicated to overcoming cancer through research.

After six years of consistent income/donor growth, the Foundation in FY2017/2018 had a challenging year, beginning with an inaccurate media issue which resulted in disruptions to donor acquisition objectives, donor distress and a drop in regular giving income. The team also had challenges with understaffing and stretching resources to cover gaps. A third issue stemmed from managing supplier performance/code of conduct issues.

With their commitment to ethical fundraising practice and teamwork, the Foundation overcame these challenges and succeeded in having its second most successful fundraising year in history, raising $48.56 million for cancer research, and exceeding the fundraising budget by $2.63 million.

Underpinning the team’s victory was their commitment to professional and team development. Fundraising staff had the skills/knowledge to do their best work and pulled together for collective success. Their integrated fundraising strategy resulted in a consistent donor experience across Peter Mac’s various fundraising programs.

Overall, the Foundation’s approach to team culture and professional development ensured that staff had the expertise to make sound, evidence-based decisions in the face of adversity, and could push new programs forward successfully.