At Australian Communities Foundation (ACF), we’re passionate about helping our giving community support the causes they care about to create meaningful change.
Our community’s reasons for giving are varied and often deeply personal, but they share a common thread: a desire to make a difference.
We’ve seen firsthand how powerful it can be when funders learn from one another. Storytelling and knowledge sharing help shape better giving. With that in mind, we’ve collated the five most-read interviews with ACF Fundholders and Clients from 2025 – stories that resonated across our community and offer insight and inspiration for your giving in 2026.
From giving back to ‘rising up’: Building a legacy with Agaru Fund
“We use the word structured when we talk about our giving now, and that’s because it hasn’t always been. At the beginning, it was very diffuse… We just knew we wanted to do good.”
For Brisbane-based couple Paul Delemarre and Jo Tidball, establishing the Agaru Fund with Australian Communities Foundation marked the start of a more intentional approach to giving – one that now includes their wider family and plans for a long-term legacy.
Jo’s lifelong connection to community work made formalising their giving a natural next step. The turning point came when Paul transitioned to running his own business. With more space to reflect, the couple began researching options. “It was overwhelming, ” says Paul. “ACF helped us channel our support where it could really make a difference.”
The name of their Fund reflects their philanthropic intentions today. “Agaru is a Japanese verb meaning ‘to rise up’,” Jo explains. “That’s really the essence of our giving – helping people help themselves and work towards their aspirations.”
Tackling the climate crisis together: Learnings from Groundswell’s collective giving journey
What happens when hundreds of everyday people pool their resources to back bold climate action? “Something magical,” says Arielle Gamble, Co-Founder and CEO of climate giving circle Groundswell. “Suddenly the impossible feels possible.”
Founded in 2019, Groundswell is Australia’s first giving circle dedicated to funding high impact climate advocacy and action. Through its Collective Giving Fund at Australian Communities Foundation, members contribute $20 a week and vote together on the initiatives they want to support – a model that has powered five years of transformative grantmaking.
“Climate stability isn’t just another cause – it’s the foundation that makes all other progress possible,” says Arielle.
“Australian Communities Foundation has helped us every step of the way to make our giving circle a success,” says Arielle. “The team’s care, efficiency and expertise ensure our donor community and grant partners are supported with all enquiries – allowing us to focus on what matters most: growing the movement.”
Corporate giving with purpose: How Schneider Electric is powering community impact
Established in 2019, the Pacific arm of the Schneider Foundation has been backing bold community-led solutions to some of today’s biggest challenges. With the support of ACF, Schneider has developed a grant program that’s deeply aligned with its purpose – promoting sustainability, enabling access to energy, and training youth to improve their quality of life and job prospects.
“It’s been eye-opening to learn how strategic, flexible funding can empower communities and drive meaningful, sustainable change,” says Hayley Nissim, Head of Social Impact at the Schneider Electric Foundation.
“Partnering with ACF has allowed us to access deep community insights, collaborative networks, and a values-led approach to giving. It strengthens our funding strategy by ensuring our investments are guided by the most up-to-date information aligned with real community needs.”
How AMCS is investing in multicultural communities for generations to come
For over 40 years, Australian Multicultural Community Services has supported migrant communities across Victoria. Now, the organisation is investing in its future to ensure the wellbeing of multicultural generations to come.
“Not-for-profit organisations are essentially for-purpose businesses,” says AMCS CEO Maryanne Tadic. “We are often working with fixed or limited revenue sources, tight overhead margins, and complex compliance and regulatory requirements … Now more than ever, we need to plan astutely for our ongoing financial flexibility.”
By leveraging ACF’s Future Fund model – a philanthropic endowment designed to help not-for-profits build long-term resilience – AMCS is securing its future for generations.
“We’re excited to continue expanding our service offerings,” says Maryanne, “and supporting more clients and communities than ever before.”
Restoring the River: How a small business is using a Corporate Fund to help Murray cod thrive
How do you protect the places you love? For environmental scientist Tony Sharley from Murray River Trails, opening a Fund with ACF to support ‘fish hotels’ for the vulnerable Murray cod is just one way he’s working to restore the iconic Murray River.
With deep knowledge of the Murray’s ecology, Tony saw firsthand the decline of native species like the Murray cod, whose population in SA has dropped to just 16% of natural levels due to habitat loss.
Wanting to take meaningful action, Tony considered starting a foundation but was deterred by the complexity. A chance encounter with an ACF team member set his conservation mission in motion.
“All the barriers I had seen with developing a foundation – having to be personally responsible for the highest level of governance, strong legal support, administration and financial transparency – simply disappeared,” says Tony. “ACF made it all possible.”
Starting small, Tony has now raised over $38,000 for ‘fish hotels’ for the vulnerable Murray cod, showing how a Fund can help engage your networks, grow alongside your vision, and power new ideas for lasting impact.
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