Impact Fund
Giving together for the boldest solutions to Australia’s biggest issues
Giving together for lasting change
The Impact Fund is Australian Communities Foundation’s collective giving initiative, powered by people who believe that lasting change is something we create together.
It unites funders at every stage of their journey around bold, community-led solutions to Australia’s toughest challenges. By combining thoughtful grantmaking, shared learning, and coordinated action, the Impact Fund helps transform individual generosity into collective influence – unlocking impact none of us could achieve alone.
thriving and
inclusive
Australia
A shared vision for a thriving and inclusive future
We believe lasting change happens when philanthropy aligns with community leadership, shared values, and long‑term thinking. Rather than funding within narrow issue silos, the Impact Fund takes a holistic approach, recognising that real change is driven by people and movements working across systems. We are working towards a thriving and inclusive Australia that:
- Acknowledges our whole history and is grounded in First Nations leadership
- Honours the strength that comes from our diversity
- Addresses the roots and continued impacts of the climate crisis
- Centres community leadership in tackling systemic issues
- Invests in social infrastructure as the foundation for a thriving democracy
New to the Impact Fund? Download our explainer
The Impact Fund is the heartland of the 750+ Funds and Foundations that make up the giving community at Australian Communities Foundation.
The power of giving together
$11+
million raised
200+
funders giving together
45+
civil society partners supported
20+
positive policy reforms
10+
social infrastructure groups and initiatives established
5x
funding unlocked
Figures last updated March 2026
Introducing the Impact Fund’s 2026 Catalyst Program
This year, the Impact Fund is focused on supporting meaningful efforts to address one of the defining challenges of our time: the climate crisis.
Support the Impact Fund
Interested in becoming an Impact Funder or continuing your support? We invite you to join us because smart changemakers need wise backers who understand that change takes time.
Explore the Climate Giving Resource Hub
The Climate Giving Resource Hub is designed to support funders to learn, connect and act together on climate, the focus for our Impact Fund 2026 program.
Meet some of our Impact Partners
Meet some of our incredible Impact Partners and hear their reflections on what we’ve been able to achieve together across the Impact Fund’s first five years.
The Impact Fund’s Theory of Change
ecosystem supporting
long-term systems
change for Australia
How the Impact Fund enables change…
Annual Catalyst Grant
Each year, the Fund awards a multi-year flagship grant to an initiative addressing a challenge of national significance. This grant is designed to support long-term, systems-focused work and provide space for learning and shared insight.
Grantees receive flexible funding, complemented by co‑designed evaluation and capacity‑building support tailored to the organisation.
All organisations shortlisted for a Catalyst Grant receive $5,000 in recognition of the time and effort involved in the application process.
Agile Grants
The Fund also makes smaller, flexible grants to support timely opportunities. These may respond to emerging challenges or back initiatives at a critical window, allowing the Impact Fund and its supporters to act quickly while staying aligned with the Fund’s overarching vision.
For each Catalyst and Agile Grant, Australian Communities Foundation invites contributions from Fundholders and aligned partners, amplifying the impact of its funding commitments.
By giving together, we:
- Pool resources to support initiatives at a scale rarely possible alone
- Deepen our understanding of best-practice philanthropy alongside likeminded funders
- Streamline our grantmaking and reduce administrative burden for grant partners
- Become part of a broader ecosystem addressing systemic issues
Through the Impact Fund, Australian Communities Foundation also invests in building the capabilities of collective giving in Australia, including new opportunities for ACF Fundholders to give together.
The Impact Fund creates opportunities for donors and partners to deepen their understanding of systems change, community‑led solutions, and effective philanthropy through:
- Learning sessions and conversations
- Storytelling and impact showcases featuring funded partners
- Open sharing of insights, challenges, and lessons learned
These shared learning experiences help build confidence, connection, and a sense of collective purpose, supporting funders to engage in ways that are informed, thoughtful, and aligned with their values.
Change rarely happens through funding alone. The Impact Fund supports impact beyond the grant by:
- Amplifying voices and messages of funded partners
- Supporting connections between organisations, funders, and networks
- Reducing structural barriers that limit access to funding
Through Australian Communities Foundation’s infrastructure, the Fund can help channel resources to initiatives that may otherwise struggle to attract support – particularly grassroots or early‑stage efforts – while keeping the focus on community leadership and long‑term outcomes.
Impact Partners
Look back on our impact
Making Change Together celebrates some of the Impact Fund’s earliest achievements and demonstrates how we are shaping a future we can all be proud to hand on to the next generation.
Frequently Asked Questions
The Impact Fund is for anyone who wants to contribute to meaningful change in Australia – whether you are new to structured giving or an experienced funder looking to deepen your impact. It brings together individuals, families, and organisations who share a commitment to best-practice philanthropy.
Rather than working within fixed issue categories, the Impact Fund is guided by ACF’s vision for a thriving and inclusive Australia. Funding priorities are shaped through community insight, sector knowledge, and ongoing learning, allowing the Fund to respond to timely issues of national significance.
Australian Communities Foundation assesses opportunities for systemic impact, timeliness, social justice, and evidence‑informed, collaborative practice. Grant decisions are informed by a Community Advisory Group, ensuring funding is grounded in community insight and real‑world expertise.
No, the Impact Fund is designed so donors can participate with confidence at any stage of their learning journey. Shared learning opportunities and open conversations help build understanding over time, whatever your level of expertise.
By giving through the Impact Fund, donors combine resources with others and support work at a scale that is difficult to achieve individually. The Fund also creates opportunities to engage beyond funding – through learning, networking, and collective action. Contributions can be acknowledged individually or made more discreetly under the Impact Fund, according to donor preference.
Support the Impact Fund
Interested in becoming an Impact Funder or continuing your support? We invite you to join us because smart changemakers need wise backers who understand that change takes time.
THANK YOU
Thank you to Joan and David McLennan, Joan Nelson, Ruth Dixon, Dianne Lesley Young and Lydia M MacMichael, whose bequests enabled Australian Communities Foundation to establish the Impact Fund.