THE DAVID THOMAS CHALLENGE

"Australians are as generous as Americans, but I'm not sure that wealthy Australians are as generous as wealthy Americans. I want the Thomas Challenge to encourage a changed attitude towards philanthropy among our wealthiest people."

- David Thomas, chairman of The Thomas Foundation

In 2006 The Thomas Foundation pledged $10 million to TNC ($2 million/year over five years) - one of the biggest private donations ever to conservation in Australia.

Termed The David Thomas Challenge, the pledge is conditional on matching donations being realised from other private contributors. These matching funds are sought from foundations and individuals by the TNC partner conservation NGOs.

In the first two years, the David Thomas Challenge generated a total of $9 million to projects run by the partner conservation NGOs - $4 million from The Thomas Foundation and $5 million from private donors.

An aim of the David Thomas Challenge is to encourage new levels of private philanthropy in support of TNC and its partner organisations in Australia.

After its first year's operation, analysis of one conservation partner's claims against Challenge funds showed: 

• a 33% lift in new donor numbers;
  
  
• a 700% lift in the value of donations from existing supporters;
  
  
•  a 44% lift in the number of existing supporters converting single donations to multi-year pledges; and
  
  
• the average of all donations, from new and existing supporters, rising from $27,000 to $88,000

Already the Challenge has contributed $925,000 to the Australian Wildlife Conservancy's purchase of Wongalara, a property near Kakadu in the Northern Territory. Funds raised through the Challenge will also go to the Gondwana Link, a 1000km band of bush between Kalgoorlie and the karri forest of southern Western Australia, and the creation of a field station on the Murray River for ecological and cultural research.

Following are projects supported to February 2009 by the David Thomas Challenge:

Round One: $1,592,500

AWC
Wongalara Station
- Acquisitions and management

BHA
Gondwana Link
- Peniup Creek acquisition
- Feral horse info project

GA (WA)
Gondwana Link
- Coordination unit support

TfN
Ned’s Corner
- Research support
- Stewardship/Research fund

TNC
Gondawana Link
- Revolving fund establishment

Round Two: $2,350,000

AWC
Kalamurina
- Acquisition and management

Mornington Wildlife Sanctuary
- Management

Wongalara Station
- Management

BHA
Gondwana Link
- Property acquisition
- Coordination unit support

Yourka
- Acquisition
Remote conservation management program

GA (WA)
Gondawana Link
- Coordination unit support

TfN
Ned’s Corner
- Stewardship/Research Fund
- Research support

TNC
Gondwana Link
- Science gap funding
Indigenous Training Program
Associate Director salary

Round Three: $987,775

AWC Kalamurina
- Management

Mornington Wildlife Sanctuaryeb 2009
- Management

Wongalara
- Acquisition and management

BHA
Bon Bon Station
Wunambul Gaambera
Remote conservation management program
Ecosystem management understanding
Gondawana Link
- Noongar trainees
- Coordination unit support
- Property acquisition

GA (WA)
Gondwana Link
- Coordination unit support

GA (Qld)
Wallaroo

TfN
Ned’s Corner
- Management


Total allocations (February 2009) to the conservation efforts of TNC and its partner organisations from the David Thomas Challenge is $4,930,275.