Plan signs funding agreement with Australian Government

The partnership will help fund projects that benefit children, such as this pre-school in Cambodia

Plan International Australia is one of five Australian non-government organisations to sign a new partnership agreement with the Australian Government to support a growing Australian overseas development assistance program.

Earlier this month, Foreign Minister Stephen Smith signed Development Assistance Partnership Agreements with Plan and four other major Australian NGOs that work in developing countries - Caritas Australia, ChildFund Australia, Oxfam Australia and World Vision Australia.

“These partnerships, with a total value of more than $175 million over four years, provide funding certainty to the NGOs heading into 2010,” said Mr Smith.

“The Partnership Agreements will play an important role in joint efforts between the Government and NGOs in addressing poverty, providing education, improving child and maternal health, and combating climate change.”

Plan in Australia’s Director of Programs, Dave Husy, said the partnership with the Government demonstrated Plan’s ongoing growth and increasing recognition as a significant member of the Australian NGO community, and would provide a great boost to Plan’s child-centred community development programs.

“This partnership will have a huge and exciting impact on the work we do at a number of levels,” said Mr Husy.

“It will enhance our ability to engage with and shape development policy, along with educating the Australian community about development issues. But most importantly, it will allow us to magnify the impact of the work that we do with children and communities in many developing countries.

“It offers a great opportunity for NGOs to work with government for more effective global development”

More information

David Cook (Media Officer)
Plan International in Australia
Mobile:  0408 816 900
Work: 03 9672 3652
Email: david.cook@plan.org.au