“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 something 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.
We wanted to set this up to give over enough time and with enough consistency that ACF will be confident in how to realise our wishes
By giving with consistency through their Fund, the couple plan to one day leave a bequest, assured that ACF understands their wishes and can continue to carry them out.
From ad hoc to intentional
Before setting up their Named Fund, Paul and Jo’s giving was more reactive than strategic. “It was fairly ad hoc,” says Paul. “We were giving both time and money to some charities, but we lacked a ‘program’ approach. We wanted to bring a bit more structure to it.”
Jo’s years of community work and volunteering have long connected her to a culture of giving. “I grew up in a family where we gave both time and money. That model of giving – through church, through charities, through volunteering – was always present for me. So, it was natural that once we had a bit more time and financial capacity, we’d formalise our giving.”
The shift came when Paul moved from working full-time for a company to running his own business. With more space to reflect on what mattered to them, the couple began looking at how they might give in a more structured way.
“We were doing a lot of research and discovered how many potential recipients there were – it was overwhelming,” says Paul. “ACF helped us sift through those opportunities and channel our support where it could really make a difference.”
Giving that reflects their values
Through conversations and guidance from the Foundation, Paul and Jo began refining their focus, shaping their Fund around issues they felt deeply about: literacy, homelessness, domestic violence, and medical access.
That’s really the essence of our giving – helping people help themselves and work towards their aspirations
Jo’s passion for literacy is grounded in years of teaching and tutoring, particularly with refugee communities. “Literacy builds confidence,” she says. “It opens up the world. It’s not just about language skills, but about helping people grow into who they want to be.”
The name of their Fund reflects that intention. “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.”
Paul adds that they’re often drawn to organisations doing things a little differently, especially those thinking creatively about long-term solutions. “What stands out is the innovation of one group we support who work with women in situations of domestic violence. They were building their own purpose-built housing to put women with young kids together so they have an opportunity to leverage each other’s strengths and experiences. That kind of thinking really resonates with us.”
Bringing family into the fold
As their giving became more structured, Paul and Jo also saw it as a chance to invite the next generation in.
“About a year ago, we wrote to our niece and nephews and said: here’s a portion of the Fund – think about where you’d like it to go,” Paul explains. “We wanted to give them the experience of giving, even if they’re not yet in a position to do it financially themselves.”
The young adults – spread across two sides of the family – hadn’t all met before, but the invitation sparked unexpected conversations and common ground. “They were interested in conservation, climate change, Indigenous rights,” says Jo. “And it was lovely to see those values emerging and evolving in their own way.”
There’s no pressure for them to take on more, at least not yet. “They’re still busy crafting their own lives at this point,” Jo says. “But they know the Fund is there, and that they’re welcome to be involved.”
Looking to the future
Jo and Paul are clear their Fund isn’t just about short-term giving. It’s about laying a foundation that will continue beyond their lifetimes.
“We wanted to set this up to give over enough time and with enough consistency that ACF will be confident in how to realise our wishes with a bequest,” says Paul. “That trust builds over time, but it’s one of the reasons we chose to do this with ACF.
We wanted to avoid managing the investments on our own, and we were really drawn to the ethical investing view that ACF has
“Another reason is that we wanted to avoid managing the investments on our own, and we were really drawn to the ethical investing view that ACF has and executes – knowing that while our funds aren’t actively being granted out, they’re still growing in a way that aligns with our values. It adds to that sense of confidence about the Fund’s impact into the future.”
Looking ahead more broadly, they hope Australian philanthropy continues to grow – in both visibility and accessibility. “In the US, philanthropy is more embedded in the public psyche,” says Jo.
“Here, it can still feel like something only for the ultra wealthy. But giving even a little is good for the soul.”
