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Five years of the Impact Fund

Our impact

Impact Funders supported the Australian Marine Conservation Society (AMCS) in 2017 to bring the Cairns tourism industry and the climate movement together to fight for the protection of the Great Barrier Reef. Credit: AMCS.


MAKING CHANGE TOGETHER
FIVE YEARS OF THE IMPACT FUND

Our
impact



The Impact Fund is making change…

1.

… ON THE GROUND

Our funding community supports good people to do good work. Impact Funders show leadership by funding a range of initiatives, including work that often struggles to attract funding, such as social and civic infrastructure. 

2.

… WITHIN OUR GIVING COMMUNITY

The Impact Fund brings funders together to build momentum around the significant issues we all care about. With learning and accessibility at its core, the Impact Fund helps our giving community find and fund solutions in hard-to-reach places. 

3.

… ACROSS THE PHILANTHROPIC SECTOR

Together with our friends in philanthropy, we demonstrate how funding social and environmental change works best when it is collaborative and systemic. 

“The Impact Fund enables collaborative giving for impact of a structural nature on crucial issues of common wellbeing.” 

Steve Rothfield (Fairer Futures Fund), Impact Funder 

“It’s been fantastic to see the evolution of philanthropy and the growth of initiatives like the Impact Fund backing systemic change with a real eye to the big issues facing our nation.” 

Hugh de Kretser, Executive Director, Impact Partner Human Rights Law Centre 


The Impact Fund is making change…

1.

on the ground

Our funding community supports good people to do good work. Impact Funders show leadership by funding a range of initiatives, including work that often struggles to attract funding, such as social and civic infrastructure. 

2.

… within our giving community

The Impact Fund brings funders together to build momentum around the significant issues we all care about. With learning and accessibility at its core, the Impact Fund helps our giving community find and fund solutions in hard-to-reach places. 

3.

… across the philanthropic sector

Together with our friends in philanthropy, we demonstrate how funding social and environmental change works best when it is collaborative and systemic. 

IMPACT AREA

Tackling Inequality

Impact Funders support people working to increase opportunity across social, economic, political, and cultural arenas.

Together we support equality for everyone and work to reduce inequality along the lines of race, culture, gender, sexuality, faith, age, ability and location. 

OVER $950,000 RAISED SO FAR

Impact Funders are supporting the Everybody’s Home campaign to fix Australia’s housing system and ensure everyone has access to safe and stable housing. 

CASE STUDY

Protecting people from gambling harm

“Impact Funders are willing to back risky ideas and uncertain paths to advance social change… the Impact Fund community understood our vision from the beginning.” 

Read more

CASE STUDY

Uniting Australians to support the LGBTIQ+ community

“It is really wonderful to have funders like the Impact Fund community who understand that to protect equality we need the freedom to respond swiftly to the political landscape.” 

Read more

CASE STUDY

Raising the Rate to keep Australians out of poverty 

“Thanks to the campaign and support from Impact Funders, we were able to convince the Federal Government to introduce the Coronavirus Supplement, and almost double JobSeeker during the pandemic.” 

Read more

CASE STUDY

Protecting asylum seeker health rights during Covid-19

“It was heartening to see how quickly Impact Funders supported our response to the impact of Covid-19 in Australian immigration detention centres.” 

Read more

IMPACT AREA

Tackling Inequality

Over $950,000 raised so far

Impact Funders support people working to increase opportunity across social, economic, political, and cultural arenas.

Together we support equality for everyone and work to reduce inequality along the lines of race, culture, gender, sexuality, faith, age, ability and location. 

INEQUALITY CASE STUDIES


Protecting people from gambling harm Read


Uniting Australians to support the LGBTIQ+ community Read


Raising the Rate to keep Australians out of poverty Read


Protecting asylum seeker health rights during Covid-19 Read

IMPACT AREA

Strengthening Democracy

Impact Funders support work that strengthens Australia’s democracy.

Together we encourage trust and accountability, civic participation, a diversity of voices in public debate, and an improved, more inclusive and representative democratic system. 

OVER $1.1 MILLION RAISED SO FAR

With support from Impact Funders, the team at the Australasian Centre for Corporate Responsibility is mobilising shareholders to hold corporations to account. Credit: Wolter Peeters. 

CASE STUDY

Protecting Australia’s gun safety laws

“We bring those voices to the table when it comes to firearm safety, and we will forever be thankful to the Impact Fund community, who saw an opportunity to take this need off the page and into action.” 

Read more

CASE STUDY

Elevating the voices of communities facing socio-economic disadvantage

“The Impact Fund connected us with funders who understood the crucial role that people with lived experience can play in shifting debate for a more inclusive economy.” 

Read more

CASE STUDY

Shining a light on dark money in politics

“Impact Funders came on really early and made all the difference to the quality of the story we could tell… they totally understood the power of this film.”

Read more

IMPACT AREA

Strengthening Democracy

Over $1.1 million raised so far

Impact Funders support work that strengthens Australia’s democracy.

Together we encourage trust and accountability, civic participation, a diversity of voices in public debate, and an improved, more inclusive and representative democratic system. 

DEMOCRACY CASE STUDIES


Protecting Australia’s gun safety laws Read


Elevating the voices of communities facing socio-economic disadvantage Read


Shining a light on dark money in politics Read

IMPACT AREA

Supporting Indigenous Self-Determination

Impact Funders support projects and organisations that are led by Indigenous peoples – the best people to improve outcomes for their communities.

We stand behind Indigenous peoples in their fight for truth, treaty and self-determination.

OVER $850,000 RAISED SO FAR

Impact Funders are supporting Change the Record’s Raise the Age campaign to increase the age of criminal responsibility to at least 14 years old. The Raise the Age campaign shares stories like the one told by Dujuan Hoosan, pictured here with his father James Mawson and grandmother Margaret Anderson in front of the United Nations building in Geneva. Credit: Maya Newell. 

CASE STUDY

Progressing a First Nations Voice to Parliament

“As we walk together as a nation towards a referendum, the work of the Uluru Dialogue is more important than ever… support from the Impact Fund community has had a tremendous impact on our ability to do that work.” 

Read more

CASE STUDY

Putting an end to Indigenous deaths in custody

“We are there for families from the moment of sorry business to coronial and court hearings… The Impact Fund has been there for us in the same way. It is that wraparound support that makes all the difference.” 

Read more

IMPACT AREA

Supporting Indigenous Self-Determination

Over $850,000 raised so far

Impact Funders support projects and organisations that are led by Indigenous peoples – the best people to improve outcomes for their communities.

We stand behind Indigenous peoples in their fight for truth, treaty and self-determination.

INDIGENOUS CASE STUDIES


Progressing a First Nations Voice to Parliament Read


Putting an end to Indigenous deaths in custody Read

IMPACT AREA

Safeguarding the Environment

Impact Funders protect Australia’s natural ecosystems by supporting people working towards a safe and stable climate.

Together we shine a light on solutions and seek justice for those at risk from the impacts of climate change.

OVER $1.1 MILLION RAISED SO FAR

Impact Funders are backing the Our Islands Our Home campaign to build a powerful Torres Strait Islander led climate justice movement. Credit: 350.org Australia. 

CASE STUDY

Protecting Country and culture through Indigenous land management

“Impact Funders have helped us grow from a campaign to an independent organisation, delivering significant dividends for our environment and Indigenous wellbeing.” 

Read more

CASE STUDY

Giving a platform to farmers on the frontline of climate change

“Farmers are on the frontlines of climate change and, as some of the most trusted spokespeople on the issue, they are changing the conversation on climate change in rural Australia … Impact Funders should take great pride in what we have achieved so far.” 

Read more

IMPACT AREA

Safeguarding the Environment

Over $1.1 million raised so far

Impact Funders protect Australia’s natural ecosystems by supporting people working towards a safe and stable climate.

Together we shine a light on solutions and seek justice for those at risk from the impacts of climate change.

ENVIRONMENT CASE STUDIES


Protecting country and culture through Indigenous land management Read


Giving a platform to farmers on the frontline of climate change Read



All supported projects (2017–21)

Inequality

ALLIANCE FOR GAMBLING REFORM 

Campaign for pokies divestment 

ANGLICARE TASMANIA 

Tasmanian poker machine reform 

ASYLUM SEEKER RESOURCE CENTRE 

Medical Evacuation Response Group 

Preventing Homelessness Fund for Medical Evacuees 

AUSTRALIAN COUNCIL OF SOCIAL SERVICE 

Raise the Rate for Good campaign 

Poverty and Inequality Partnership in Australia 

EQUALITY AUSTRALIA 

Marriage equality campaign 

All Schools Same Rules campaign 

Religious Discrimination Bill campaign 

EVERYBODY’S HOME 

Investing in social and affordable housing 

HUMAN RIGHTS LAW CENTRE 

Promoting women’s reproductive freedom in Australia 

PRIDE FOUNDATION AUSTRALIA 

Queer Refugee Sponsorship Fund 

PUBLIC INTEREST ADVOCACY CENTRE 

Asylum Seeker Health Rights Project Covid-19 

Democracy

AUSTRALIA REMADE 

New Public Squares 

Building a vision for a new Australia 

AUSTRALASIAN CENTRE FOR CORPORATE RESPONSIBILITY 

Using shareholder activism to build civil power in capital 

AUSTRALIAN DEMOCRACY NETWORK 

#OurDemocracy campaign 

AUSTRALIAN GUN SAFETY ALLIANCE 

Establishing Australia’s first coalition for gun safety 

AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT INDEX 

Measuring the Australia we want 

AUSTRALIAN PROGRESS 

Collaboration accelerator program 

Media training for First Nations families whose loved ones have died in custody 

CENTRE FOR PUBLIC INTEGRITY 

Increasing transparency and accountability in government 

DOCUMENTARY AUSTRALIA FOUNDATION 

Big Deal documentary: Impact and outreach campaign 

ECONOMIC MEDIA CENTRE 

Diversifying the voices shaping our economic narrative 

PUBLIC INTEREST JOURNALISM INITIATIVE 

Securing a strong future for public interest journalism in Australia 

Advising on the News Media Bargaining Code 

RESET AUSTRALIA 

Developing a Digital Rights Ecosystem in Australia 

Misinformation Medic campaign 

THE AUSTRALIA INSTITUTE 

Tax is Good campaign 

Indigenous Self-Determination

BARRMAL BIJARRAL

Developing cross-cultural understanding and capacity in philanthropy

CENTRAL AUSTRALIAN ABORIGINAL CONGRESS

Central Australian Viral Zone to stop the spread of Covid-19 to remote First Nations communities

CHANGE THE RECORD

Raise the Age campaign

DHADJOWA FOUNDATION

Supporting the fight to stop black deaths in custody

INDIGENOUS LAW CENTRE, UNSW

Voice, Treaty, Truth: Progressing the Uluru Statement

JUMBUNNA INSTITUTE FOR INDIGENOUS EDUCATION AND RESEARCH

Journey to Give Stand and Respect

KOONDEE WOONGA-GAT TOOR-RONG

First Nations perspectives on Reimagining Australia

SNAICC – NATIONAL VOICE FOR OUR CHILDREN

Family Matters campaign to eliminate the over-representation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in out-of-home care

Environment

350.ORG AUSTRALIA

Our Islands Our Home campaign

Jobs, Climate, Justice: Shifting the politics of the recovery towards climate and quality jobs

AUSTRALIAN MARINE CONSERVATION SOCIETY

Saving the Reef by choosing coral over coal

CLIMATE AND HEALTH ALLIANCE

Action on Climate and Health

CLIMATE COUNCIL

Winning the national energy debate

CLIMATEWORKS AUSTRALIA

Net Zero Emissions Transport Roadmap

COUNTRY NEEDS PEOPLE

Indigenous Rangers and Indigenous Protected Areas

FARMERS FOR CLIMATE ACTION

Developing a national strategy on agriculture and climate change

GRATA FUND

Landmark case for climate

INVASIVE SPECIES COUNCIL

Protecting Australian species against extinction

RENEW AUSTRALIA

Climate Resilient Homes campaign

TOMORROW MOVEMENT

Climate Jobs Guarantee

MAKING CHANGE TOGETHER

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