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Taking pride in changing lives: GiveOUT Day 2023

Profile of Dom O'Donnell
Written by Dom O'DonnellPosted on 6/11/2023
Taking pride in changing lives: GiveOUT Day 2023

Over 90 community groups and organisations have participated in this year’s GiveOUT Day with nearly 2,000 donors across Australia contributing over $400,000 towards LGBTQIA+ causes.

Due to ongoing discrimination, LGBTQIA+ communities continue to experience higher rates of suicide, homelessness and bullying, and research shows Australia’s rainbow communities are amongst the least funded cohorts in the country. LGBTQIA+ organisations receive just five cents out of every $100 donated to Australian charities.

When LGBTQIA+ led organisations are properly resourced, the community thrives.

“GiveOUT Day is about changing the story and growing the pot of gold that resources our rainbow communities,” says Georgia Mathews, GiveOUT Founder and Australian Communities Foundation’s outgoing Director of Philanthropy. “When LGBTQIA+ led organisations are properly resourced, the community thrives.”

Joining Georgia to open this year’s GiveOUT Day celebration at the Victorian Pride Centre, GiveOUT’s Chief Executive Officer Em Scott shared a personal reflection on the importance of the day.

“I think every queer person has an organisation that has really made an impact on their life. For me, Out for Australia and the work they do really brought me out of years of struggle before I could be my authentic self. But that’s just my story, and just one organisation.

“GiveOUT Day is making sure all our rainbow organisations have the resources to continue to make a profound impact on the lives of LGBTQIA+ people. For many of the organisations participating, GiveOUT Day is one of their only fundraising streams.”

Maree Sidey, CEO, Australian Communities Foundation (second from left) presenting on a panel at the GiveOUT Day 2023 celebration at the Victorian Pride Centre.

Australian Communities Foundation (ACF) has supported GiveOUT Day since its launch in Australia in 2019.

“At ACF, we’re very proud to have been a close partner and supporter of GiveOUT since its inception,” says Maree Sidey, CEO, Australian Communities Foundation.

It’s been an absolute delight to see more funders in our community get behind rainbow causes.

“We get involved at many levels of the work, including promoting the work of participating organisations to our giving community,” explains Maree. “It’s been an absolute delight to see more funders in our community get behind rainbow causes.

“We’re starting to see a growing realisation across philanthropy that regardless of whether a funder has a focus on mental health, human rights, young people, democracy or social inequality, the fight for LGBTQIA+ equality impacts all those areas, and I’m glad we’re able to help build that awareness.”

Want to get involved?

Request a grant from your Fund: Direct donations through the GiveOUT platform have now closed, but you can still explore the platform to find an organisation aligned with your interests, and contact us at any time to make a grant from your Fund: grants@communityfoundation.org.au or call 03 9412 0412

Learn more: https://giveoutday.org.au/

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Australian Communities Foundation is a proudly inclusive organisation and an ally of LGBTQIA+ communities and the movement toward equality.