
Publications by year
Doctor of Philosophy (Queensland University of Technology), Master of Business Management (Queensland University of Technology), Bachelor of Business Communication (Queensland Inst. of Technology)
Wendy (Bachelor of Business Communication, Master of Business Management, PhD) has worked in, studied and taught philanthropy and fundraising for three decades and presents internationally on these topics. She leads the Australian Centre for Philanthropy and Nonpofit Studies and the Social-Purpose research team in QUT's Centre for Future Enterprise. Her work at ACPNS spans the cause/giver spectrum (see http://eprints.qut.edu.au/view/person/Scaife,_Wendy.html), including national project leadership of Giving Australia, book chapters on giving in Australia, and a comparison of fundraising in 26 countries. Wendy led a 10 year research partnership with the Perpetual, Corbould and Gluyas Foundations on aspects of planned versus spontaneous giving. She has also conducted indepth research on bequests, major gifts, foundation decision making, nonprofit boards, CEOs, and performance measurement as well as about giving to specific areas such as medical research, education, women and girls, Indigenous needs, and the arts. She is part of several international research project groups. Wendy served on both the Research Australia Philanthropy and National Compact Steering Committees. Volunteer roles include the Association of Fundraising Professional’s Research Council (US), Good2Give Research Committee, and chairing the National Workplace Giving Awards judging panel. Prior to joining ACPNS Wendy was a state CEO/national Deputy CEO of a major health nonprofit. Previously she lectured in QUT's School of Communication and worked in-house and as a consultant. Her Master's thesis focused on corporate support of community causes and her PhD on improving the marketing and funding for Australian medical research. Recent team and individual work includes:
- Giving Australia https://eprints.qut.edu.au/171803/
- Performance measurement in perspective: An exploratory study of Australian foundations’ approaches
- Who's asking for what? Fundraising and leadership in Australian nonprofits
- Foundations for giving : why and how Australians structure their philanthropy
- A Transformational Role : Donor and charity perspectives on major giving in Australia
- Mapping Australia's philanthropic investment in women and girls
- That's what governments do : exploring fundamental barriers to public–philanthropic interaction : the example of indigenous well-being
- Keeping giving going : charitable bequests and Australians
Wendy is a Fellow of Fundraising Institute Australia and a Fellow of the Public Relations Institute of Australia. She serves on the Editorial Board of the International Journal of Nonprofit and Public Sector Marketing. She received a Vice-Chancellor's Performance Award in 2016 and a Vice-Chancellor's Excellence Award in 2017. She was named the FIA Arthur Venn Lifetime Achievement Award Winner in 2021 for "outstanding contribution to FIA and the fundraising sector in Australia, and consistent excellence and best practice through her actions, leadership, and intellect".
Research interests
- Philanthropy
- Fundraising
- Nonprofit marketing and communication
- Trust design
Projects (Chief investigator)
- Charitable Bequests
- EducatePlus: Benchmarking Survey
- Giving and Volunteering in Australia: Environmental Scan
- Giving Australia
- High net worth giving
- National Fete Research Project
- Philanthropy and philanthropic foundations
Additional information
Regular media commentator on research areas. Regular speaker at industry conferences. See biography for past work experience details.
- Type
- Academic Honours, Prestigious Awards or Prizes
- Reference year
- 2017
- Details
- Vice-Chancellor's Award for Excellence
- Type
- Academic Honours, Prestigious Awards or Prizes
- Reference year
- 2016
- Details
- Vice-Chancellor's Performance Award 2016
- Wymer W, McDonald K, Scaife W, (2014) Effects of corporate support of a charity on public perceptions of the charity, Voluntas, 25 (6), pp. 1388-1416.
- Scaife W, Williamson A, McDonald K, (2013) Who's asking for what? Fundraising and leadership in Australian nonprofits, .
- Wymer W, Scaife W, McDonald K, (2012) Financial planners and philanthropic planning, Voluntas, 23 (2), pp. 350-370.
- Wiepking P, Scaife W, McDonald K, (2012) Motives and barriers to bequest giving, Journal of Consumer Behaviour, 11 (1), pp. 56-66.
- McDonald K, Scaife W, Smyllie S, (2011) Give and take in major gift relationships, Australian Journal Of Social Issues, 46 (2), pp. 163-182.
- Smyllie S, Scaife W, (2011) Philanthropic capacity to support Indigenous causes : The journey to improvement, Journal of Australian Indigenous Issues, 14 (4), pp. 47-68.
- McDonald K, Scaife W, (2011) Print media portrayals of giving: Exploring national 'cultures of philanthropy', International Journal of Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Marketing, 16 (4), pp. 311-324.
- Smyllie S, Scaife W, McDonald K, (2011) That's what governments do: Exploring fundamental barriers to public-philanthropic interaction: The example of indigenous well-being, Public Management Review, 13 (8), pp. 1139-1154.
- Scaife W, (2010) Fundraising. In RA List, HK Anheier & S Toeplar, International Encyclopedia of Civil Society, Springer, pp. 742-747.
- Madden K, Scaife W, (2008) Corporate Philanthropy: Who Gives and Why?. In W Wymer & A Sargeant, The Routledge Companion to Nonprofit Marketing, Routledge, pp. 145-164.
- What influences the dyadic relationship between the nonprofit CEO and board chair that drives fundraising and mission?
PhD, Principal Supervisor
Other supervisors: Professor Cameron Newton