Supporting community organising for climate

Running Waters Fund 

^{John and Linda’s Running Waters Fund is named after a tributary of the Snowy River in Kosciuszko National Park. “It’s where we’ve spent almost every summer since we’ve known each other – nearly 40 years,” says Linda.} 

Having spent the first 20 years of their working lives in environmental organisations, Melbourne couple Linda and John understand what it takes to make change. 

“It’s all about collaboration,” says Linda. “It’s about the community coming together to organise,” echoes John. 

For the last decade, the couple has also found themselves “fortunate enough” to be able to give, adding a new dimension to their support for the environment. 

“We’d always made donations where we could, but opening the Running Waters Fund with Australian Communities Foundation gave us the possibility to do much more.” 

With a focus on urban ecological sustainability and social justice, the Fund has supported a range of causes over the years: the Community Organising Fellowship; the campaign to Stop Adani; the market-related work on coal and fossil fuels led by Market Forces; and the Reclaim Kosci campaign to get feral horses out of Kosciuszko National Park. 

“When you feel connected to the organisations you’re giving to and become a part of their family, that’s magic – and the Foundation plays a key role in facilitating that connection.” 

For Linda and John, the greatest joy of being part of Australian Communities Foundation has been the opportunity to connect with and learn alongside other donors. 

“The Foundation plays a crucial role in educating and connecting donors with what’s happening on the ground and helping people understand how they can be part of making things happen,” says Linda. 

“When you feel connected to the organisations you’re giving to and become a part of their family, that’s magic – and the Foundation plays a key role in facilitating that connection. 

“We’ve really enjoyed going to Learning Circles and meeting other donors and changemakers.” 

Creating a lasting legacy

Dennis Altman on leaving a bequest

^{Dennis Altman, Assia Altman Fund}

Leaving a gift or bequest in your Will is a big decision to make. What will future generations need? What will progress look like years from now? 

Writer and academic Dennis Altman recently chose to leave a bequest to his fund at Australian Communities Foundation – a decision he made for two reasons. 

“First, knowing that it will be invested and grown into an ongoing source of funding for my focus areas makes it a more attractive option than simply leaving a one-off gift to charity.

“As a gay man, I am very conscious that relatively little philanthropy supports queer causes. I am particularly passionate about supporting people seeking asylum because of their sexuality or gender identity, of whom there will sadly be more in coming years. 

“Knowing that the Foundation will be there to identify new projects aligned with my interests reassures me that I can contribute to progress for future generations.”

“Secondly, one of the things I’ve learnt about good philanthropy is that it should actually aim to have itself replaced,” says Dennis. “If you’re funding a program and it’s really good, then I think the state should start funding it. But you often need those pilot projects that have a new vision for change. There’s been a number I’ve seen that have been successful in this sense. So perhaps the projects I’m funding today won’t need funding tomorrow. 

“Knowing that the Foundation will be there to identify new projects aligned with my interests reassures me that I can contribute to progress for future generations.” 

Dennis says he sees his giving as a tool for promoting change, and encourages others to approach their giving in this way too. 

“I think it’s important that one gives money to promote social change, and that you don’t just give money to support the status quo. Of course, there are humanitarian crises where you give money. Probably most people who give money have done so at various points knowing that they will have no lasting impact, but that they are helping people in desperate need. 

“There’s certainly value in that kind of giving, but I think beyond that, one needs to recognise that money is an important tool for change. I think that is the whole point of a place like a community foundation. It encourages people to think of giving money as a pathway to lasting change.” 

Enabling positive social change for Queenslanders

Shepherd Family Foundation

^{Sue Shepherd with her late husband Bruce.}

A veteran of Queensland’s boat building industry, Bruce Shepherd was always driven throughout his career to give back to the community. 

“Bruce was always conscious of the fact that he had more than many others,” says Bruce’s wife Sue, “and so he gave generously throughout his lifetime.” 

When Bruce passed away in 2019, Sue and the Shepherd family wanted a way to extend Bruce’s legacy of giving back. 

Today, the Shepherd Family Foundation supports Queensland organisations that “enable positive social change and make a real difference in people’s lives,” explains Sue. “Our aim is to support Queensland communities to thrive.” 

When the family decided they would establish their own foundation in Bruce’s honour, they weren’t exactly sure how to get started. 

“The prospect of establishing our own foundation by ourselves was overwhelming,” says Sue. “We started to learn about the structure that sits behind family foundations – what’s called a private ancillary fund or PAF. 

“There just seemed to be so much work involved, and that’s not even mentioning the ongoing administration and compliance.” 

Then a friend introduced Sue to Australian Communities Foundation. 

“Australian Communities Foundation has supported us throughout our giving journey,” explains Sue, “from establishment of our PAF, to helping us articulate and narrow down our giving framework, supporting our granting and ensuring we meet all legal requirements.” 

The Shepherd Family Foundation distributed its first grants in early 2022 and has since given over $300,000 across four key focus areas: homelessness, the arts, women and girls, and food insecurity. Working with the Australian Communities Foundation team, the family takes a holistic approach to supporting positive change in these areas, funding both service delivery and advocacy. 

“To anyone interested in starting their own foundation, work with a knowledgeable partner like Australian Communities Foundation – that support makes all the difference.” 

Another key principle of the family’s grantmaking approach is to provide untied funding where possible, allowing organisations to decide how to best allocate the funds themselves. 

Complementing the Foundation’s granting to Queensland-based organisations is its support for a range of national organisations that also benefit Queenslanders, including the Indigenous Literacy Foundation, OzHarvest and Lifeline Australia.

Sue says this is just the beginning of carrying on Bruce’s legacy. 

“We look forward to continuing Bruce’s legacy as we learn along the way and maximise our impact,” says Sue. “To anyone interested in starting their own foundation, the only advice we have at this stage is to work with a knowledgeable partner like Australian Communities Foundation – that support makes all the difference.” 

Turning pain into a positive

Lana Wilson Memorial Fund

^{Melanie Gandevia (second from right) with her mother Lana and family.}

When Lana Wilson passed away, her eldest child, Melanie Gandevia, knew she wanted to honour her mother’s memory. 

Lana’s passing inspired Melanie to begin her giving journey in her mother’s name, donating to the causes she knew her mum was passionate about: children, animals, and people in regional communities. 

“She didn’t have a lot of money, but she was always very generous and willing to help absolutely anyone who needed it,” Melanie says. 

“After Mum passed away, I made a donation to Taronga Zoo in her name to help build the Lemur Forest Adventure space. 

Melanie continued giving, switching gears from charitable donations to structured giving and opening a Gumnut Account at Australian Communities Foundation to start building a fund in her mother’s honour. 

“I definitely preferred the idea of smaller, ongoing donations than a large upfront sum,” Melanie explains. “More practically, it’s a way for me to do something without having a huge amount of money upfront to create a fund.” 

“It’s such a beautiful way to honour someone and turn the pain of losing them into something positive.” 

“It was reassuring to work with Australian Communities Foundation and know that the correct structures and governance arrangements are in place. 

“Partnering with an organisation with vast experience and networks was very appealing, I wouldn’t have known where to start.” 

Once the Lana Wilson Memorial Fund matures into a Named Fund, Melanie plans to use her fund to benefit “the kinds of people my mum helped when she was alive,” she says. 

“I think she’d be amazed and so proud,” Melanie smiles. “I don’t think she could ever have imagined there would one day be a charitable fund in her name. 

“It’s such a beautiful way to honour someone and turn the pain of losing them into something positive.” 

A smarter approach to workplace giving

FG Advisory Charitable Fund

FG Advisory is all about creating a zero emissions future, one building at a time.

Established in 2013, the Australian engineering and sustainability consulting firm helps clients create high-performing and environmentally sustainable infrastructure.

The firm has since grown to a team of 33, working with sectors spanning health, government, commercial and higher education.

“As we’ve grown, we’ve really embedded that purpose of building a better future into our culture,” says Kathy.

One of the key ways the firm has achieved this has been through the FG Advisory Charitable Fund.

Established through Australian Communities Foundation, the Fund supports the FG Advisory team’s giving program focused on community development, education, environment and international aid.

“The causes we fund are really close to our employees’ hearts,” says Kathy, “and ACF is always there to help us find organisations doing great work for those causes. It’s a really collaborative process.”

Over their first year of granting, the FG Advisory team has supported a range of organisations including Wildlife Victoria, Bush Heritage Australia, WomenCAN, Human Rights Law Centre, Ardoch, batyr, and ActionAid.

“The causes we fund are really close to our employees’ hearts and ACF is always there to help us find organisations doing great work for those causes.”

“These are some really leading-edge not-for-profits that corporates don’t often first think to support,” says ACF’s Director of Philanthropic Services, Georgia Mathews. “FG Advisory already has a sustainability focus, so it’s great to see the team get behind some leading environmental groups, but for the organisation to broaden the Fund’s remit to also have a community focus is fantastic.”

With corporate philanthropy on the rise, Georgia says more and more businesses are understanding they have a broader role to play in society.

“It’s not just about employee retention and satisfaction – although all the evidence shows that workplace giving is good for both. It’s also this idea that you’re supporting values-based conversations to be had among teams that may not otherwise happen.”

“Opening a Corporate Fund is a really smart way to go about engaging your team in workplace giving,” says Georgia.

“When you open a fund for your workplace, your money works for you three times: (1) employees get a tax deduction when they make the donation; (2) the money is invested ethically while it’s sitting there; and (3) you get to give it out when you’re ready to amazing organisations on the ground.”

For Kathy and the FG Advisory team, this is only the beginning of their giving journey.

“The Fund has already enabled us to get so many of our people involved – to make decisions about what to support and be part of a shared journey,” says Kathy. “We look forward to continuing to grow the fund and making a difference to community.” 

Breaking down barriers to university

Jude Fox Bursary Fund

Founding Principal of Flagstone State Community College, Jude Fox, was known for her passion for helping students build bright futures. 

She was dedicated to providing quality education for all her students, says former business lecturer at Griffith University and Jude’s husband of 42 years, Michael Fox. 

When Jude passed away in 2018, Michael decided to honour her memory by establishing a Scholarship Fund with support from Australian Communities Foundation. 

“Jude believed in the strength and potential of Flagstone students… and the bursary fund is to build on the work she’s done with the school, students, and community,” says Michael. 

The Jude Fox Bursary Fund grants $3,000 scholarships to Flagstone State Community College students facing barriers to attending university. Whether it’s due to the cost of travelling to campus, lack of support, or financial constraints. 

“The idea is to basically say to the student and their family, ‘we believe in you and we’d like you to have the opportunity to see if you like university’.” 

Successful participants are awarded $2,000 for enrolling at a Queensland-based university and gifted a further $1,000 upon completion of their first year. 

“The idea is to basically say to the student and their family, ‘we believe in you and we’d like you to have the opportunity to see if you like university’. 

“I want to empower the students to say ‘look, I want to give this a go – the school believes in me to the extent that they’ve given me this money,’” says Michael. 

Looking forward, Michael plans to continue working with the Australian Communities Foundation grants team to distribute multiple scholarships each year and may expand the program to include a neighbouring high school. 

‘We are stronger together’

IMPACT100 Sydney North

The growth of collective giving and the democratising effect of groups such as IMPACT100 has helped shake up many of the lingering stereotypes of philanthropy. 

Together, the 65 IMPACT100 groups across the US, UK, New Zealand and Australia, have granted more than $80 million to local charities over the last 20 years. 

Launched in 2017, IMPACT100 Sydney North uses a Named Fund at Australian Communities Foundation to support its simple model consistent with all IMPACT100 collective giving groups: 100+ members contribute a tax-deductible amount of $1,000 each year with members voting on where the funds should be distributed. 

“Our grants go to smaller, grassroots for-purpose organisations dedicated to helping children, young people and families at risk in the Greater Sydney region,” explains IMPACT100 Sydney North co-founder, Tina Jackson. 

“Our members are of all ages and backgrounds. They hear about IMPACT100 Sydney North through friends, family, schools, clubs and local social and environmental groups and causes,” Tina continues. “They are like-minded people, united by shared values, generosity and compassion, who want to make a difference in the world and in their community. 

“By pooling intellectual and financial resources we can make a difference beyond what we could alone.” 

“It’s extremely gratifying that so many local people share the vision of collective giving and knowing that we are stronger together. 

“Collective giving has enormous potential in Australia because it’s such a powerful idea. By pooling intellectual and financial resources we can make a difference beyond what we could alone. 

“While the multiplier effect of collaborative giving is the most obvious, there are many more benefits: giving that is intentional and strategic and knowing how your money is being spent, creating a measurable impact, hands-on learning about philanthropy and local communities and causes, being part of a community of like-minded people and sharing the joy of giving.” 

Partnering to deepen community connection

Paul Ramsay Foundation

One of Australia’s largest foundations, the Paul Ramsay Foundation, again partnered with Australian Communities Foundation in 2021 to deliver $3 million worth of funding support to vulnerable communities as part of its Covid Response Surge Funding. 

“There is no question that philanthropic peers working in partnership creates optimal results,” says Paul Ramsay Foundation (PRF) Partnerships Manager, Genevieve Timmons. 

Renowned for her vast contribution to Australia’s philanthropic sector, Genevieve speaks from decades of first-hand experience. And as the world was reshaped by the upheavals, restrictions and increased need for support wrought by Covid throughout the year, collaboration and partnerships proved more critical than ever for achieving impact. 

Support delivered through the partnership falls into five areas: social enterprises, family violence, First Nations funding to individuals (in partnership with Australian Communities Foundation funds, Koondee Woonga-gat Toor-rong and Fellowship for Indigenous Leadership), First Nations-led organisations and general Covid funding. 

“Through the partnership, Australian Communities Foundation opened up access to a broad sweep of funding relationships they already have in place, and knowledge of the landscape where we were hoping to provide benefit.” 

“The key priority was to ensure PRF funds would reach the organisations and communities most severely impacted by the pandemic in a respectful, timely and cost-effective way,” explains Genevieve. 

“Through the partnership, Australian Communities Foundation opened up access to a broad sweep of funding relationships they already have in place, and knowledge of the landscape where we were hoping to provide benefit. They also quickly took on research to build new funding opportunities to match our priorities. 

“An important feature of the partnership has been relying on the specialist operational skills and technology framework that needs to be in place for any effective contemporary grantmaking program, but especially emergency response funding,” Genevieve says. 

For Australian Communities Foundation CEO, Maree Sidey, the partnership demonstrates the value and deep knowledge a community foundation can bring to the funding equation. 

Finding strength in community

Dragons Abreast Australia

Early in the morning, Pearl Lee ventures down to Sydney’s inner harbour to don pink clothes and paddle a dragon boat. She finds a spot in the 12-metre vessel, sits beside people of all ages and backgrounds, and begins to row. 

Pearl and her fellow paddlers are part of Dragons Abreast, a not-for-profit breast cancer charity focused on empowering survivors and educating them on the benefits of an active lifestyle. 

Pearl, who joined just weeks after her year-long breast cancer treatment finished, is now Chair of the organisation. 

“Joining Dragons Abreast was like a phoenix coming out of the fire,” says Pearl. “I like to tell people, ‘The doctor saved my life, and dragon boating saved my soul’. 

“I found the local group through my GP, and went down and watched what they were doing. I pretty much started straight after I had finished my radiation,” Pearl laughs. 

Dragons Abreast currently has 27 member groups and continue to welcome and support survivors and their loved ones on their recovery journey. 

“We worked out ‘this is what we need every year for funding’ and the rest of it can actually be invested, rather than sitting down not earning anything.” 

With the group supporting a growing number of survivors and their families, Pearl and the Board began to explore ways to ensure the longevity of the organisation. 

“We worked out ‘this is what we need every year for funding’ and the rest of it can actually be invested, rather than sitting down not earning anything. The aim is to carry the organisation so it will always run. We’ve got big plans.” 

The group decided to invest their funds through a Future Fund at Australian Communities Foundation (ACF). 

Pearl notes a few things that attracted Dragons Abreast to ACF: “the number of existing Funds, historical investment performance (and the responsible approach to investing), and the flexibility to access our funds when we need to”. 

“It was also important that the organisation understood the not-for-profit model and our needs,” Pearl adds. “Our finance advisory panel grilled ACF and felt this was the best fit!”