^{Feature image (L-R): Andrew Binns (CEO, Australian Communities Foundation), Saffron Zomer (Australian Democracy Network), Noel Lim (Anika Legal), Amelia Telford (Common Threads), Larissa Baldwin-Roberts (GetUp), Laura Mannix (Philanthropy Lead, ACF) and Carly Severino (Director of Community and Philanthropy, ACF).}

More than 130 funders and friends of our giving community came together on October 10 to hear from and support changemakers leading national campaigns for a fairer and more sustainable Australia.

Hosted by Australian Communities Foundation (ACF) at Melbourne’s Malthouse Theatre, the Impact Fund 2024 Showcase saw changemakers present their plans to tackle some of Australia’s biggest issues, including climate, First Nations justice, housing and the rise of disinformation.

With this year’s theme, ‘Collaborations for Justice’, celebrating the power of coming together, the evening showcased the intersecting nature of our country’s biggest challenges and the solutions that will take us forward to a better future.

Wurundjeri Elder, Uncle Bill Nicholson, opened the night and welcomed the audience, acknowledging the significant role of community leaders like those presenting on the night and the importance of listening to one another’s stories.

In his opening address, ACF CEO Andrew Binns gave a snapshot of the Impact Fund’s eight-year history of funding positive change across Australia.

“Since 2017, we’ve brought together a growing community of funders, collectively giving more than $10 million to support organisations across the four key impact areas: inequality, environment and climate, First Nations self-determination, and democracy.

“While ACF’s 600+ Funds are donor-advised, the Impact Fund is where we have the opportunity to model what best-practice philanthropy looks like.”

Presenting the first initiative of the night, Larissa Baldwin-Roberts (CEO, GetUp) introduced a new coalition of Australia’s leading climate organisations building a people-powered movement for climate action.

“We have an incredible climate movement, but we don’t have enough people in the right places who are talking about climate,” Larissa explained. “We need to train people across the country to go out and have conversations in their communities.”

Amelia Telford (First Nations Justice Director, Australian Progress) then presented an ambitious plan from new First Nations-led organisation, Common Threads, to break the cycle of under-resourcing for First Nations movements.

“Common Threads… centres Indigenous ways of knowing, being and doing to drive solutions to the world’s wicked problems. Our goal is to raise and reinvest $100 million into First Nations-led movements and advocacy over the next decade.”

In a Q&A facilitated by ACF’s Director of Community & Philanthropy, Carly Severino, Larissa and Amelia shared their reflections on what brings them hope and sustains them in their work.

“It’s about surrounding yourself with people who want to make a difference,” Amelia reflected. “People who have the skills and the tools and the knowledge. That’s what keeps not just me going… there’s science behind this in terms of movement building and organising.”

Noel Lim (Founder and CEO, Anika Legal) then took the stage to share his experience with Australia’s housing crisis and the details of a new national campaign with a plan for a better rental system.

“Renters are living in homes so unsafe that it’s harming their health, and renters are transitioning into homelessness faster than people can transition out… We have to do something about this. We need to change the story and shift the narrative to housing as an essential service, and the system needs to reflect the simple truth that everyone deserves a home.”

Led by Noel and the team at Anika Legal in partnership with Better Renting and the Consumer Policy Research Centre, the ‘Place to Call Home’ campaign will work with renters and experts to create a national roadmap for “a better rental system that works for everyone”.

Closing the evening’s presentations, Saffron Zomer (Executive Director, Australian Democracy Network) put forward a solution to tackle the rise of disinformation, which threatens every pathway to a fairer and more sustainable Australia.

 “While it’s clear disinformation isn’t a new problem, it is really accelerating right now,” explained Saffron. “Part of the reason for that is that our traditional media ecosystems have been severely eroded, and in their place, we’ve seen the rise of these massive, mostly unregulated social media platforms.”

Saffron presented the framework informing Australian Democracy Network’s (ADN) response, which includes advocating for policy and regulation, countering narratives, and disrupting disinformation sources. With a rise in disinformation expected ahead of the upcoming federal election, ADN’s top priority is to host masterclasses for civil society leaders to build their skills in countering disinformation.

Laura Mannix, ACF’s Philanthropy Lead who oversees the Impact Fund, closed the evening with a reflection on the value of collaboration.

“On a night showcasing some of Australia’s leading networks and coalitions, the ACF community itself is an example of collective impact,” said Laura. “We are so much stronger when we give together.

“Australian Communities Foundation is proud to stand alongside these initiatives and we hope that you will join us.”

On the night, the Foundation committed $300,000 from the Impact Fund towards this work and raised an additional $150,000 in generous contributions from individual donors.

With $350,000 to go to reach our target, Australian Communities Foundation is now calling on our giving community and independent funders to join us in supporting this work for a better future.

Contribute now

Maximise your impact by giving together with the Impact Fund community.

You can either contribute to the 2024 Collaborations from your ACF Fund here or donate directly here. Alternatively, contact Laura Mannix on 03 9412 0412 or email grants@communityfoundation.org.au

You can also give to support the work behind the Impact Fund. Learn more and contribute here.

View photo gallery

Watch: Impact Fund 2024 Explainer

Watch: Impact Fund 2024 Showcase – Full Recording