With Australian Communities Foundation (ACF) processing more than 1,000 grants on behalf of our giving community each year, it takes a talented and hardworking team to keep pace.
Playing a key supporting role in the grantmaking of the 440+ funds and foundations that make up the ACF giving community is our dynamic duo of Gabby Lam and Charlene Yum.
As Grants Managers, Gabby and Charlene work daily with ACF donors to bring their philanthropic wishes to life.
“What I love most about my role is that I get to help everyday people be more strategic in their giving,” Gabby explains.
“Every day there’s a lot of communication with funders and not-for-profits, organising meetings and participating in funding groups. I love that when donors come to us saying, ‘I need help doing this’ or ‘Can you suggest an organisation working on such and such’ that we’re able to find answers or offer advice and help make that happen.”
Philanthropy is personal and the spectrum of giving interests at ACF is as diverse as the members of our giving community.
What I love most about my role is that I get to help everyday people be more strategic in their giving
“Every week is a bit different,” Charlene says. “Not only are we supporting our donors, we also get to know the various organisations and the landscape they’re working in and we often have opportunities to go on site visits and see some of the programs first hand.”
Experience counts
Before joining ACF, Charlene’s background in commerce and accounting led her to a role in private wealth management, consulting for high-net-worth families. Her experience includes time spent at Australian Executor Trustees, Mutual Trust and the Myer Family Company.
“My introduction to philanthropy came via the Myer family,” Charlene explains.
“I was curious about the values and ethos their family’s philanthropy exuded and how this rippled into our work culture in the form of a thoughtful workplace giving program as well as a staff foundation. For me, being able to participate in giving at work and playing a small wheel in the cog, supporting not-for-profits and private foundations with their investments, accounting and compliance gave me a sense of purpose and I soon realised I wanted a career change into the world of philanthropy.”
“In my first year in the philanthropic sector, I went to an ACF Impact Fund showcase and I was so inspired by the collective energy and action in the room! I love the co-funding model and ACF’s commitment to building a fairer and more sustainable Australia – I feel privileged to be part of the ACF team and bringing these values to life for our donors.”
For Gabby, who has a master’s degree in international development, having a sense of purpose has always been fundamental to her work. “I always knew I wanted to do something meaningful in the community,” she says.
After gaining a qualification in myotherapy, Gabby headed overseas to train traditional health practitioners in myotherapy techniques.
“I ended up going to India with Hands-on-Health Australia, working in remote villages with a local grassroots organisation, Jagran Jan Vikas Samiti, for more than two years,” Gabby explains.
“During my time there I was the only native English speaker so I was put in charge of reporting and applying for funding and that was when I met with large foundations and the amazing people working there. That planted the seed and I knew that’s what I wanted to do in the future.”
Upon returning to Melbourne, Gabby’s interest in social enterprise prompted her to start her own business to help creative artists in her local area and to sell the jewellery she makes even to this day. When the opportunity to join ACF came up in 2018, she jumped at the chance to work at an organisation that supported philanthropic giving.
“Even though I didn’t know a lot about the philanthropic sector, I knew what it was like being on the other side of the fence as a grant seeker,” Gabby says.
“I love the community foundation model, the uniqueness of ACF and being able to help funders find great organisations and programs to support.
“There’s nothing more satisfying than getting an email back from a fund holder saying they’ll fund something you’ve found just for them – it’s such a good feeling and I still feel very lucky to work here.”
Personal tips to maximise your giving
Gabby and Charlene have helped hundreds of everyday philanthropists increase their impact on the causes that matter most to them. Their advice for new givers and anyone interested in getting the most from their charitable giving, is simply to get started.
“My best advice is don’t be afraid to start somewhere” Gabby says. “I think sometimes a lot of new funders get set up but aren’t sure what to do so it can take them a while to make their first grant.
“Philanthropy is about trusting the organisations you love and recognising that they are the experts working on the causes you’re passionate about.”
I love the community foundation model, the uniqueness of ACF and being able to help funders find great organisations to support
Charlene says that taking stock of what you care about and shortlisting your chosen focus areas is critical for effective grantmaking.
“Philanthropy is a journey,” she says. “Through that journey you learn as you go.
“You might start by funding something that’s more tailored towards program delivery because there are tangible outcomes but over time, as you build your relationship with the organisations you’re supporting, you might realise that what’s most needed is capacity support and you trust them to put that money where it’s most needed so they can continue to build and scale their great work.”
Charlene and Gabby apply these principles in their personal giving too.
Charlene focuses her giving on helping refugees, asylum seekers and people from migrant backgrounds.
“This stems from the fact that my parents came to Australia as refugees and I’ve learnt about their journey and the trauma that follows to this day,” she explains.
“Sharing stories and amplifying lived experiences are aspects I’ve always been passionate about supporting and that’s evolved to understanding what that intersection looks like when you also include the most marginalised groups, which, when you apply a LGBTQIA+ lens for example, you can see those barriers even more.
“Since being at ACF, I have had the opportunity to further explore and learn more about the multitude of systemic issues that we face and how we can tackle this with intention through philanthropy – like climate change and the humanitarian crisis it’s causing – all of which has helped broaden my purview and perspective.”
Gabby chooses to focus her support across two areas: tackling inequality and supporting Indigenous rights.
“I believe access to food and shelter are fundamental human rights,” she explains.
“I’m also passionate about Indigenous rights and self-determination in Australia because I think we have a terrible history and it’s something we need to recognise and do what we can to ensure that we support Indigenous communities and learn from their traditional knowledge and experience about the environment and health and so many things.
“There’s so much we can learn from cultures that have been around for thousands of years.”
Learn more about the different ways to give at Australian Communities Foundation: https://www.communityfoundation.org.au/giving/ways-to-give