In 2024, the ANCP celebrates its fiftieth anniversary, marking five decades of partnership with NGOs like Tearfund to tackle the root causes and complex challenges of poverty. Coinciding with this moment, Australia faces a unique opportunity: to call for an increase to the Australian Aid budget – the budget supplying, among other things, the ANCP.

Australia is one of the safest, healthiest, and most generous countries in the world. Yet, our aid contribution is only 0.68% of the federal budget. Through the Safer World for All campaign, we’re calling on our leaders to increase aid to at least 1% of the federal budget, and inviting Australians to add their voice to this call by emailing their local MP.

We chatted with team members from across Tearfund to find out exactly what Australian Aid means to an organisation like Tearfund, just how transformative an increase to the aid budget could be, and how everyday Australians like you can make a difference at a critical time.

The ‘thorough accreditation process’ sounds demanding – why is it something that Tearfund prioritises?

Government contributions to Tearfund through the ANCP represent a significant portion of Tearfund’s overall funding capacity. It is an important source of funding that enables us to support more local partners and projects. In FY2023-24, 21 out of 88 projects facilitated by Tearfund’s partners were co-funded by DFAT through the ANCP.

Emma Wyndham Chalmers, Tearfund’s Head of Advocacy and Influencing, points out that accreditation with DFAT is vital to Tearfund’s advocacy efforts, too.

“In addition to this, being an active DFAT partner agency gives our partners opportunities to engage with Australian Embassy and government representatives, and strengthen contextual knowledge and advocacy from a local perspective. It provides Tearfund with a platform and opportunities we wouldn’t otherwise have to have a voice to shape the focus and direction of Australia’s international development assistance,” Emma shared. “For Tearfund this means advocating for an Australian Aid program that is primarily purposed to alleviate poverty and is delivered in ways that are most effective, to address the most pressing needs, and empowers the capacity of local communities to determine their own solutions and outcomes.”

What does Australian Aid mean to an organisation like Tearfund?

Someone who has had a front row seat to the organisational and community impacts of partnership with the ANCP is Paulie Proctor, Tearfund’s International Program Grants and Accountability Coordinator.

“ANCP funding has been so valuable to the work of Tearfund's partners because as a mechanism it supports their work, rather than forces partners to fit into tight funding criteria that might change with change of governments or government priorities,” Paulie shared. “This flexibility is critical to the impact of ANCP over 50 years. I've seen over many years the increase in value that Tearfund has been able to give to our partners through the flexibility of this funding, such as strengthening the capacity of our partner organisations, enabling our partners to work toward good development practices, networking with other ANCP-funded organisations and assisting our partners to strive for sustainability.”

The benefits go beyond funding, Emma Wyndham Chalmers adds:

“There is the direct relationship between the funding allocation we receive that can then be used to support our partners, but even beyond its contribution to what Tearfund and other NGOs can achieve, Australia’s total contribution to overseas development can have further reach and influence through other international funding and decision making frameworks.”

Paul Hansen, a Partnership Manager with Tearfund, has seen firsthand the impacts of ANCP funding through his visits with Tearfund’s partners in communities across India, Pakistan and Nepal. Paul shared about one project that stands out in particular – the Musahar project, which works with an extremely low caste group in Bihar, India.

“Musahar means "rat eater", a name that indicates where these people sit within the caste hierarchy,” Paul said. “With support from ANCP, Tearfund’s partner EFICOR has been working with Musahar people since 2014, focussing on changing self-perception, community cooperation, and confidence to engage in society.

“When the project started, less than 10% of children attended school, and education was undervalued and considered out of reach. By forming children’s clubs and women’s groups, and providing education training, the project has made significant improvements. Now, around 60% of children regularly attend school. It’s made a tangible difference for children like Pappu, whose family now supports his education, while he in turn champions the education of younger children in his neighbourhood. And Pradeep, whose father once thought he would never have the chance to study, is the first person from his community to ever make it to tertiary education.

Changing deeply ingrained attitudes and beliefs is a long term effort, and the ongoing commitment and flexibility of ANCP, especially through the COVID years, has been of immense value."

It’s clear that this funding – and by extension, Australian Aid – can be a force for good. Yet the call for an increase from 0.68% to 1% seems so small – how would this translate in the lives of people facing poverty?

The increase from 0.68% to 1% is small relative to overall government spending but even this modest target would make a substantial difference. For example, by expanding already existing and impactful programs, these additional funds could:

• Provide emergency assistance to a further 14 million people in conflict and crisis situations.

• Immunise a further 5.9 million people.

• Make 18.6 million additional medical equipment and supplies accessible.

• Enrol 146,000 additional children in school.

• Reach an additional 97.6 million people with social protection programs.

• Provide an additional 146,839 services to women and girl victims/survivors of violence.

• Support a further 288,474 women entrepreneurs with financial and/or business development services.

In addition, this increase to funding could enable Australia to develop new important initiatives across education and critical infrastructure - roads, markets, health posts, schools - as well as position Australia to better respond to global humanitarian needs that are escalating to ongoing violent conflict and food crises.

But do MPs pay attention to lobbying? Will my voice make a difference?

Emma Wyndham Chalmers and her team have cheered on thousands of Tearfund supporters in taking advocacy actions over the years, and speaks with enthusiasm, conviction and affirmation about the power of everyday citizens engaging their local Members of Parliament.

“Local MPs are elected to represent the views and interests of their voting constituents,” Emma shared. “It’s easy to take this for granted, but our ability to speak to our representatives and be heard on the issues that matter to us is one of the freedoms and privileges we enjoy as citizens of a democratic nation.

“From a distance, we might feel sceptical about whether our representatives are listening, or the difference our individual action will make. However, as we engage with our political decision makers and give voice to our concerns, whether or not they agree with us, our voices are heard. And not only that, we soon realise that there are many people who care as we do. We are not acting alone but together, with thousands of others, speaking up for the change we want to see.

“Looking back through history, we see countless examples of change coming through the efforts of ordinary citizens who spoke up for love, compassion, and regard for human dignity. Change is not always quick or linear, but with patience and persistence, we absolutely can make a difference.”