2024 - That's a wrap!

Here is what happened this year and we look forward to doing much more in 2025!

Academy of Givers’ First Annual General Meeting

On the 9^th of January 2024, the Academy of Givers held its first Annual General Meeting.

Our first AGM took place over a delightful networking breakfast held at ION Harbour by Simon Rogan in Valletta. Members were given an overview of 2023 achievements and plans for 2024, creating the perfect space for discussion and networking. All members were called to take part and provide feedback for 2023 and input for the new year, contributing to the development of a way forward for Academy.

For Impact Event – Third Edition

Titled “The Future of Giving”, this third edition of our Annual Conference and Impact Fair was held on the 12^th of March 2024, bringing together again different sectors as a catalyst for social impact. The event saw a healthy mix of businesses and NGOs come together to share ideas and listen to experts’ advice on Impact Investing, Systemic Change, and synergies between NGOs and Businesses. Over 40 companies and over 50 NGOs were represented at the event, while Eur5000 was awarded to the winning NGO of the NGO Pitch Fest, Dar Hosea.

The 2024 overarching theme was to come together to build the Future of Giving in Malta through traditional and more innovative approaches. As Academy of Givers’ President Mark Weingard said in his opening speech, “The Future of Giving is the change of our society. The Future of Giving is to be a part of the community. The Future of Giving is in your hands.”

You can read more on the outcomes and recommendations from the day in this report.

The Giving Report Malta

During this year’s event, the first Giving Report in Malta was launched, presented by Academy of Givers’ Chairman Nathan Farrugia, showing trends in Giving on the island.

With contributions from 129 businesses and 57 Voluntary Organisations (VOs), the Giving Report includes a detailed examination of Corporate Responsibility (CR) and donation patterns in Malta to foster strategic improvements in corporate giving practices. Among the key insights, this Report sheds light on a strong inclination among businesses towards giving that aligns closely with their values, fostering long-term, positive community impact. On the other hand, insights into the support received by VOs underscore the necessity for strategic partnerships extending beyond mere one-time financial aid, emphasizing the importance of sustained collaboration for meaningful social change.

You can read more about the main findings of our research here or go through the full report and snippets.

Members Meetings 2024

From hosting another For Impact Event and research efforts in the first quarter of the year, to organising monthly events and workshops tackling the below topics, 2024 was a very impactful year for Academy.

Monthly meetings 2024 include:

• 14^th February 2024 – As part of the research efforts leading towards the Giving Report, the Academy organised a workshop where both businesses and NGOs came together to understand the gaps and needs of the Giving Sector.
• 11^th of April 2024 - Academy of Givers’ members and Voluntary Organisations were called to give their feedback on the findings of the Giving Report and brainstorm possible ways forward.
• 29^th May 2024 – The Academy hosted Maltese industries in a roundtable tackling the negative footprint of these sectors and brainstorming new ways for them to turn the negative into positives.
• 20^th June 2024 – Facilitated by Adam Richards, former director of impact at Social Value International, this workshop provided members with basic concepts related to Impact Measurement and Management.
• 8^th October 2024 – The Annual Networking evening for members was held again in Valletta.
• 19^th November 2024 – In collaboration with the Malta Environment Foundation (MEF), we brought together passionate individuals, businesses, and NGOs to tackle Malta's pressing environmental challenges.

2025 will see more monthly meetings and workshops covering topics around CR, Employee Engagement, running Foundations and more. To keep up with all we have planned for this coming year, keep an eye on our website as well as our Facebook page.

All these achievements would have not been possible without our growing community of members, counting 72 proud members in December 2024. We hope to grow even more next year, and we want to thank all who have joined us this year.

To find out more about our membership, please visit this page or contact us at info@academyofgivers.org

‍