The reputation of Koda Capital, Australia’s largest independent wealth management firm with more than $10 billion of client assets under management, has been built upon an ethos of doing things differently.
Finding solutions and creating opportunities for better outcomes are hard-wired into the way the company does business. And that’s not just building wealth for clients, but also helping them give it away.
“We’ve always believed in the importance of structured giving and its positive influence on our society,” explains Paul Heath, Koda Capital CEO.
“Doing what we can to help grow philanthropic giving in Australia is a fundamental part of Koda’s DNA.”
Philanthropy & Social Capital has been one of Koda’s core service offerings since its establishment 10 years ago. In 2023 Koda turned the spotlight on its own giving aspirations and the latent potential within the team.
Two objectives were top of mind as the firm began exploring corporate giving structures and opportunities.
“When we first began thinking about what our foundation might look like, we knew we wanted to empower our people to follow their passions and support the causes they care about,” Paul explains.
“And second, we wanted to create a lasting legacy for our people, their families and our firm.”
Unable to find a structure that matched their ambitions, Koda turned to Australian Communities Foundation for guidance.
Working in strategic partnership, Australian Communities Foundation helped design and deliver a vehicle that enables Koda team members to become structured givers in their own right, rather than reverting to the centralised decision-making model most often associated with corporate philanthropy.
“Leveraging the existing infrastructure and deep expertise of the Australian Communities Foundation team was critical to bringing this innovative model to fruition,” Paul says.
Creating a bespoke model
Supported by Australian Communities Foundation, the Koda Endowment is a unique platform that empowers team members to build philanthropic capital over time and contribute to causes they are passionate about via personalised giving accounts.
Team members make contributions ($100 minimum per month) via their salary with Koda providing matched funding of up to $200 per month to help foster a culture of philanthropy among staff.
By making giving accessible, cost-effective and easy to initiate (accounts can be set up in minutes), Koda is intentionally aligning its efforts with Philanthropy Australia’s Blueprint to Grow Structured Giving.
Dismantling many of the barriers that inhibit strategic giving has been a key consideration, Paul Heath says.
“Often structured giving is associated with a large windfall or tax-event with people needing $20,000 or more to start a giving account” he explains.
“The Koda Endowment doesn’t require team members to have an amount of capital to open an account, but simply commit to a monthly deduction from their salary.”
Koda takes care of the fees of team giving accounts to allow them to grow quickly in a fee- and tax-free environment, while also committing one per cent of the firm’s profits to the Endowment, to rapidly accelerate its growth.
“Leveraging the existing infrastructure and deep expertise of the Australian Communities Foundation team was critical to bringing this innovative model to fruition,” Paul says.
The projected rate of giving indicates the model has the potential for significant impact.
Over a 25-year career at Koda, an employee contributing $200 a month, matched by Koda, stands to accumulate a giving account worth $206,000, while donating $81,000 to charities of their choice along the way.
Thirty-eight accounts have been established in the Endowment’s first 3 months, with employees contributing an average of $257 per month through their salary.
Australian Communities Foundation CEO, Maree Sidey, says the partnership is an inspiring example of strategic thinking, technical expertise and practical experience coming together to open up a new avenue for giving.
“We’ve been delighted to partner with Koda to bring their unique giving aspirations to life for their business and their people,” Maree says.
“Our team spent many hours with Koda to understand their goals and build a bespoke model that could deliver upon those ambitions.
“What we’ve created is effective, easy to use and provides great value for money. It’s been exciting to see how quickly the Koda team has taken up the opportunity to become strategic philanthropists.”
Personalised giving in a corporate context
Victoria Lindores, an Advisor and Partner at Koda, jumped at the chance to structure her giving, naming her personalised giving account ‘Marj’s Hug’ in memory of her beloved grandmother.
“Giving is a very personal experience for me,” she says.
“I chose to start a giving account in memory of my Nan, an unassuming and kind lady with never-ending generosity. She volunteered for everything.”
Charitable giving had already featured prominently in Victoria’s life after she had set herself a target to donate one per cent of her income to charity over the last seven years. Now, with her giving account at the Koda Endowment, she hopes that building the account over time will help teach her two young children about the importance of philanthropy.
“I love the idea that we can make it a family-oriented activity that helps teach the kids that not everyone’s life is as privileged as theirs,” Victoria says, “and that as a family we can choose the causes and organisations that are important to us. My grandmother would’ve loved this.”
“It was so easy to set up and I think simplicity is important if we’re serious about growing giving. It’s empowering to work for an organisation that allows you to really support the change you want to see in the world.”
“The partnership is an inspiring example of strategic thinking, technical expertise and practical experience coming together to open up a new avenue for giving,” says Australian Communities Foundation CEO, Maree Sidey.
A blueprint for others to follow
Beyond building workplace culture and nurturing philanthropic giving, Chris Wilson, Partner in Koda’s Philanthropy & Social Capital division, believes the firm’s innovative corporate philanthropy model will help create “real purpose in the careers of our people”.
“We are confident that this will help bond staff through shared community passions and help attract and retain talent for our business,” Chris explains.
“Over time, we hope the Koda Endowment can be used to engage the families and loved ones of our staff in our business and we hope that retired staff continue to connect back into the business via the Endowment.”
As professional advisers, the team’s personal experience of philanthropy also adds another level of understanding to any conversation about structured giving with clients, which Chris says puts them in a unique position to better promote structured giving.
“In launching the Koda Endowment, we hope that we have not only developed a new model for corporate philanthropy, but also a blueprint for other organisations to follow,” Chris says.
“We are building a lasting legacy for our people, our business and most importantly our community.”
Learn more about Corporate and Workplace Giving or ACF Advisory services.
Professional services firm GHD has a long history of supporting local communities.
“Since GHD opened its doors in 1928, employees have been helping the community in different ways – from fundraising to volunteering and undertaking pro-bono work,” explains Jo Metcalfe, GHD Foundation Managing Director.
With 11,000 employees today across 160 offices worldwide, GHD has evolved from a small engineering office in Melbourne into a global industry leader, but its culture of giving back has never been stronger.
With increasing global challenges – pandemics, natural disasters, racial and economic inequity, and climate change – local community work no longer “seemed enough,” says Jo. In 2020, with the resources to do more, the firm established the GHD Foundation with support from ACF Advisory.
Australian Communities Foundation has been there for us since right after we began
“Australian Communities Foundation has been there for us since right after we began,” says Jo. “The services provided have helped us structure our operations, execute major grant rounds and develop a stronger understanding of how to partner and give in ways that are effective and considered.”
In this recent Q&A, Jo shares the story of how the GHD Foundation is continuing GHD’s legacy of corporate giving and enabling the organisation to take it to the next level for greater impact.

Tell us about GHD Foundation’s focus on educational equity. How did you choose where to concentrate your efforts?
Our initial remit focused on the broad topics of communities, energy and water, but there was a sense that we were ‘boiling the ocean’ with the limited funds available to distribute. When reflecting on legacy, direction, and impact, we recognised that in a world with increasingly complex challenges, STEAM disciplines will be critical to develop new solutions.
STEAM stands for science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics, and the focus of our support is to widen access to education and careers in these areas. We know that greater diversity in these fields leads to innovative solutions that better serve the community.
We know that greater diversity leads to innovative solutions that better serve the community
This focus also gives the Foundation a platform to better connect the sector and our programs to our major donor GHD’s ‘engine room’ of technical expertise and passion.
How does GHD, the company, support the GHD Foundation?
GHD is the Foundation’s primary donor. Not only does the company donate 1 per cent of profits, but it also supports our operations in-kind so that all monetary donations go straight to our programs. GHD is a great source of knowledge and energy to fuel the Foundation’s working groups and program volunteering needs. Through their advocacy and personal donations, GHD and its employees are benefitting communities around the world.
What’s the most valuable lesson the Foundation has learned so far?
Two things have been vital – being strategic and connecting with others.
Going for systemic change and areas that multiply impact is important to us. For example, we can fund individual students and fund educators that reach many more.
Being such a young Foundation, we’ve found that the best way to learn is to connect. The ecosystem of relationships ranges from the 11,000 GHD employees to the team at Australian Communities Foundation, the education sector, other funders, peak bodies and the other charities we walk alongside. It’s the diverse views, points of collaboration and at times co-creation that help us stay strategic and targeted through new insights. It’s through these experiences that we grow.
Two things have been vital – being strategic and connecting with others
What advice would you offer to other organisations thinking about starting their own fund or foundation?
There will never be the perfect time, perfect place or perfect set of circumstances, but if you start with your ‘why’ and try to be humble and curious, there are limitless opportunities for more and better giving, and to make a difference to community. A colleague once said, “in giving, there is no blueprint,” and this is echoed in our own experience. To complement this exploration, we have found it’s important to engage with others who can help guide and advise along the way.
Looking ahead, what do you hope the Foundation ultimately achieves?
The hope is that, ultimately, we are able to help move the needle on STEAM education equity by being a well-known, established and trusted foundation supporting the spectrum of educational development – from research to program solutions, supporting systems change and breaking barriers to achieving real diversity in these fields.
Learn more about Corporate and Workplace Giving or ACF Advisory services.
Feature image: Students participating in an education program funded by the GHD Foundation.
FG Advisory is all about creating a zero-emissions future, one building at a time.
Established in 2013, the Australian engineering and sustainability consulting firm helps clients create high-performing and environmentally sustainable infrastructure.
“FG Advisory was founded with meaningful purpose,” says Acting Managing Director Kathy Rockman. “As engineers, we recognised Australia was experiencing ageing infrastructure and rising energy costs. We wanted to create a sustainable energy future in the built environment.”
The firm has since grown to a team of 35, working with sectors spanning health, government, commercial and higher education.
“As we’ve grown, we’ve really embedded our purpose of building a better future into our culture,” says Kathy.
One of the key ways the firm has achieved this has been through the FG Advisory Charitable Fund.
The causes we fund are really close to our employees’ hearts
Taking a team on a giving journey
Established through Australian Communities Foundation (ACF), the Fund supports the FG Advisory team’s giving program focused on community development, education, environment and international aid.
“We really encourage our people to be their best selves, and not just in the net-zero emissions space or their technical capability,” says Kathy. “We wanted to take our team on a charitable giving journey.”
With the fund up and running, FGA selects causes to get behind by meeting as an organisation and sharing ideas.
“The causes we fund are really close to our employees’ hearts,” says Kathy, “and ACF is always there to help us find organisations doing great work for those causes. It’s a really collaborative process.”
Over their first year of granting, the FG Advisory team has supported a range of organisations including Wildlife Victoria, Bush Heritage Australia, WomenCAN, Human Rights Law Centre, Ardoch, batyr, and ActionAid.
“These are some really leading-edge not-for-profits that corporates don’t often first think to support,” says ACF’s Director of Philanthropic Services, Georgia Mathews. “FG Advisory already has a sustainability focus, so it’s great to see the team get behind some leading environmental groups, but for the organisation to broaden the Fund’s remit to also have a community focus is fantastic.”
A smarter approach to workplace giving
With corporate philanthropy on the rise, Georgia says more and more businesses are understanding they have a broader role to play in society.
“It’s not just about employee retention and satisfaction – although all the evidence shows that workplace giving is good for both. It’s also this idea that you’re supporting values-based conversations to be had among teams that may not otherwise happen.”
“Opening a Corporate Fund is a really smart way to go about engaging your team in workplace giving,” says Georgia. “Organisations often default to simply offering pre-tax payroll giving, where employees select charities they want to give to and give directly out of their pay cheque. That’s fantastic, but it happens in a silo.”
“A Corporate Fund creates this shared sense of identity around your workplace giving. It supports matched funding and encourages employees to make collective decisions around the causes that they care about as a group. That’s irreplaceable when it comes to building workplace culture.”
when you open a fund for your workplace, your money works for you three times
“Another benefit is the collective impact you can have with a fund. Your team is pooling money and making decisions together, which means you’re giving larger amounts to fewer organisations – and any charity will tell you that they would rather receive a bigger amount of money in one go than lots of little amounts.”
“Finally, when you open a fund for your workplace, your money works for you three times: (1) employees get a tax deduction when they make the donation; (2) the money is invested ethically while it’s sitting there; and (3) you get to give it out when you’re ready to amazing organisations on the ground.”
For Kathy and the FG Advisory team, this is only the beginning of their giving journey.
“The Fund has already enabled us to get so many of our people involved – to make decisions about what to support and be part of a shared journey,” says Kathy. “We look forward to continuing to grow the fund and making a difference to community.”
Learn more about corporate and workplace giving at Australian Communities Foundation
“Making a difference to the communities and environment in which we operate is not only an opportunity, but our responsibility,” says Nation Partners Managing Director, Matthew Nation.
The Melbourne-based management consulting firm, which is a certified B Corporation, had historically distributed at least $20,000 each year in donations to support various causes and charitable organisations.
“We were at a point in our giving journey where we felt we were ready to increase this amount and bring some structure and strategy to how these resources are used in the future,” Matthew explains.
“With the help of the Australian Communities Foundation, we established the Nation Partners Profit with Purpose Fund to support communities across Australia to design and lead interventions that address the injustices they face, while tackling climate change.
“Through the Fund, we’re committed to directing four per cent of all profits to social and environmental causes carefully selected by our team at Nation Partners.
“To us, this is the natural next step in using business as a force for good. We’re thrilled to have created an approach that reflects the way we work and do business and can’t wait to continue giving!”
Learn more about Corporate and Workplace Giving
“We’ve always had a commitment to giving back and helping others in need,” says John Connaughton, Director of Operations at Melbourne-based technology services company Unico.
With over three decades’ experience in solving business and technology problems, Unico is now a leading consultant for companies across Australia and Asia Pacific with a team of over 170 software engineers and technology specialists.
“While our workforce has grown from inception and is wonderfully diverse, the one constant for our team has been our consideration for the community and our determination to actively contribute to it in a positive way,” says John.
In pursuit of this goal, the Unico team joined the Australian Communities Foundation’s giving community in 2008 with the establishment of the Unico Community Fund (UCF).
“…to really harness the good that can come from a collective – in this case, our wonderful team – you have to take a structured approach to ensure regular and strategic giving.”
With a focus on addressing root causes of inequality, the UCF primarily supports organisations in the education, training and employment space.
John and Unico’s Human Resources Advisor, Emily Johnston, recently shared the story of the UCF – how it came to be, what they’ve learnt along the way, and how they’ve maintained their strategic approach to giving during a difficult year for all Australians.
What was the spark that led Unico to set up the UCF?

John Connaughton: Giving back is an important part of our culture and has always had unwavering support from the company owners. But to really harness the good that can come from a collective – in this case, our wonderful team – you have to take a structured approach to ensure regular and strategic giving. With this in mind, we formally established the UCF in 2008.
Was Unico engaged in any giving prior?
JC: We have always had individuals in Unico who are involved and invested in their local communities, providing financial and volunteering assistance. Prior to the establishment of our community fund, the staff would often make one-off donations to appeals. The UCF has not replaced these endeavours but significantly supplemented them and provides a platform for regular and increased giving.
Why are education, training and employment key focus areas for the Fund?
JC: We believe these areas are vital in creating more sustainable and healthier communities. We think it’s better to address root causes and assist in the provision of long-term solutions to problems.
What sort of engagement have you seen from employees?
JC: We have seen all different levels of engagement from staff. I think that’s one of the great things about a Corporate Fund – staff can be involved in the decision-making as much or as little as they like.
We’ve seen everything from the simplest individual engagement (for example, monthly donations into the Fund) to the more involved and team-based engagement, such as fund committee and administration, raising of awareness and granting suggestions, event organisation and participation, and hands-on activities with charity organisations.
Importantly, all donations into the Fund are matched by the company, doubling the impact of each employee’s donations. We’ve found this to be a huge incentive for engagement.

Emily Johnston: When we make a donation and hear back about the direct impact through ACF or the recipient organisation, it is all the motivation needed for our employees to keep giving.
For example, Taralye, a charity that provides oral language education to children who are deaf or hard of hearing, is a regular recipient of ours. It is heart-warming and life-affirming for our employees to hear that their donations have positively changed the lives of these children and their families. Likewise, when we engage in a volunteering activity like tree planting or meal preparations, our employees take great satisfaction from the tangible and visible results achieved.
“…we rely heavily on ACF’s knowledge and strong understanding of the local community to identify and suggest suitable organisations for our focus areas.”
How has Australian Communities Foundation (ACF) helped Unico with its giving?
EJ: Our core approach with the Fund is to provide assistance to the local community where we see opportunities to have a direct impact. For this, we rely heavily on ACF’s knowledge and strong understanding of the local community to identify and suggest suitable organisations for our focus areas.
Once we decide on the organisation, we simply tell our good friends at ACF, and they make all the monetary exchanges for us. It’s a very easy process from start to finish.
Has the UCF adapted its giving in response to the 2019/20 bushfire season and Covid-19? If so, how?
EJ: Yes, the bushfire appeal was an absolute necessity for us to support and we saw significant engagement from our team as it was so close to home. While having the Fund with ACF enables us to reach out for granting suggestions whenever we like, we had our own organisations in mind for our bushfire response. When we contacted ACF they were more than happy to facilitate the donations to our chosen organisations, again making the whole process smooth and without stress.
With Covid-19, social distancing restrictions meant we were unable to undertake the annual volunteer activities and fundraising initiatives that we would normally do if we were in the office. We therefore shifted all of our attention to monetary donations.
Just recently, we reached out to ACF for some suggestions of organisations that support international students and asylum seekers unable to receive government funding during Covid-19.
ACF provided links to relevant granting opportunities from four organisations that met our criteria: RISE: Refugees, Survivors and Ex-Detainees; CISVic; Didi Bahini Samaj Victoria; and Asylum Seeker Resource Centre. All organisations undoubtedly suited our intentions and we decided to donate to all four of them. This support from ACF has enabled us to maintain a strategic approach to our giving at a time when there is so much need in our communities.
What’s the most valuable lesson you’ve learned about workplace giving through the UCF?
EJ: Workplace giving is a win-win-win for all involved: the organisation, its employees and, most importantly, the recipient organisations. Setting up the UCF and having administration and compliance taken care of by ACF has given us more time to focus on real discussions and decision-making.
“…a dedicated fund will boost your organisation’s employee engagement in workplace giving, ultimately enriching your company’s culture and sense of togetherness.”
What advice would you offer to other organisations thinking about getting started with a fund?
JC: Aside from the tangible benefits [in terms of administration and compliance], a dedicated fund will boost your organisation’s employee engagement in workplace giving, ultimately enriching your company’s culture and sense of togetherness.
Working with an organisation like ACF, and leveraging their services and outreach, greatly reduces the complexity and effort that comes with fund management and oversight.
“All companies have a duty of care, and with like-minded organisations, we can achieve better outcomes for our communities.”
What do you hope the Fund ultimately contributes to and achieves?
JC: Quite simply, we hope the Fund will make a difference to our world, whether that world is on our immediate doorstep or a little bit further away. All companies have a duty of care, and with like-minded organisations, we can achieve better outcomes for our communities.
Quick thinking and swift action by the board of MTAA (Motor Trades Association of Australia) Super during the Covid-19 crisis spurred the establishment of the MTAA Super Scholarship Fund which offers up to $5,000 for auto industry workers seeking to extend their qualifications and skills.
The Fund will support studies in the fields of business, technology, innovation, communication and more.
“The idea for the Fund came from our Chairman, John Brumby,” explains MTAA Super board member, Geoff Lowe.
“The whole purpose was to make a small sacrifice that would help support people in our industry for whom study or learning opportunities might be impacted.”
“Very early on in the pandemic he raised the issue of the potential impacts Covid might have on workers in the automotive industry in terms of hardship.”
Each of the directors generously contributed a portion of their director’s fees and invited executive staff at MTAA Super to add to the Fund.
“The whole purpose was to make a small sacrifice that would help support people in our industry for whom study or learning opportunities might be impacted,” Lowe says. “We’re all in it together.”

As with so many others, the automotive industry in Australia is facing multiple challenges wrought by the pandemic, the recession, changing technologies and skills. The scholarship program is designed to provide opportunities for individuals in the automotive and related industries to pursue relevant education and training, and to strengthen the industry’s workforce.
A 40-year industry veteran himself, Lowe says the impact of the Covid crisis upon the industry has been mixed.
“Some sectors of the industry have recovered to an extent and are strengthening, and some are struggling to varying degrees, for example car and motorcycle dealerships,” Lowe says.
“Others doing it tough include the repair sector where they simply cannot get some of the components needed to conduct some repairs. It’s a very mixed bag.”
Lowe says that ultimately, he hopes the MTAA Super Scholarships, which will be awarded in December, will help individuals take further steps along their automotive career pathway.
“I hope the recipients genuinely grab hold of the opportunity the scholarship affords them,” Lowe says.
“Whether they’re using the scholarship to help with their studies to become a mechanic or they’re adding extra skills on top of what they already have, there are many, many pathways in this industry which plays a multi-faceted role in the Australian economy for hundreds of thousands of people on a daily basis.”
In late 2019, the team at Australian Communities Foundation got together to launch the ACF Staff Fund. With a focus on filling the gaps, the Fund is our team’s opportunity to support some of the smaller initiatives crossing our desks that may otherwise struggle to attract funding.
Comprised of staff from across the organisation, the Fund’s committee met recently to disburse the Fund’s first grants. Sitting on the committee myself, I’m already learning so much about giving through this firsthand experience. It’s also been a real privilege to have so far been guided by our incredible Philanthropy and Impact Team, who help our community practise effective giving day in, day out.
I caught up with ACF’s Philanthropy and Engagement Manager, Georgia Mathews, and Management Accountant, Jennifer Liu, to chat about our team’s first experience of giving together.
Firstly, let’s talk about how the Fund came about. Where did the idea come from?
Georgia Mathews: Giving is our core business at ACF, so it’s never made more sense for an organisation to have a workplace giving program. Workplace giving builds team culture and allows people to have discussions with their colleagues about the things that matter most to them. More than that, the Fund enables us to walk the talk and practise everyday philanthropy, just like the rest of our community.
It’s always been something we’ve wanted to implement, but the time was just right last year. After having many conversations as a team to decide on our organisational values, the Fund emerged as an obvious way for us to enact the four we landed on: inclusion, agency, courage and fairness. The majority of staff jumped on board right away.
“The Fund enables us to walk the talk and practise everyday philanthropy, just like the rest of our community”
Why did you get involved yourselves?
Jennifer Liu: Workplace giving initiatives not only make meaningful contributions to society; they’re also a platform for staff to openly communicate on issues that resonate with them. As the newest member of the ACF team, I was excited to get involved and learn more about my colleagues and the causes they care about.
I am also embracing this as an opportunity to learn more about what we do at ACF. As someone who has a finance background, my understanding of how philanthropy works and my knowledge of the community sector are both limited, so I am hoping to leverage the skills and expertise of my colleagues to broaden my horizons.
“I was excited to get involved and learn more about my colleagues and the causes they care about”
GM: It was a no-brainer for me – showing people the benefits of collective giving is what I do in my role every day. But I think the idea of a staff fund was particularly attractive to me because it’s an easy way for us to lay the foundations for something that will grow with time and it enables us to be strategic about our giving in a way that one-off workplace giving activities would not necessarily. It’s also an important measure in ensuring our organisational values carry through as our team grows and changes in the years to come.
Now that we’ve just disbursed the Fund’s first grants, let’s talk a bit about that – who are the grantees and how did you find the process of choosing them?
JL: First, we met as a group to brainstorm how we could best allocate the $7,500 we’d raised so far ($3,250 from payroll contributions matched by the ACF Board). In line with the Fund’s focus on smaller initiatives not already garnering philanthropic support, we decided we would award three grants of $2,500 each to small organisations working in regional communities and especially in need of support during the current crisis.
We then each spent time searching for initiatives that best fit the brief and reconvened a week later. We went through our shortlist of initiatives together and decided on our first two grants: one to support Yolngu Radio – a key community media source for Aboriginal people in Arnhem Land – and another for Hope for Health’s Covid-19 Education Program in East Arnhem Land. As for the final $2,500, we decided to set this aside for the next co-funding opportunity through ACF’s National Crisis Response Fund, given its similar focus on initiatives missing out on existing government and community support.
GM: So many members of the team got involved in the decision-making side of things straight away and unanimously agreed to disburse the first grants to Indigenous-led organisations. It shows how aligned the team is with ACF’s theory of change.
It’s true we’ve enjoyed a really high participation rate from the get-go. What do you attribute this to? Do you have any tips for other organisations or groups looking to kickstart or improve their collective giving program?
GM: Well, I think it probably helps that this is what we do in our work and most staff already have an understanding of the key benefits of collective giving – increased impact and the greater opportunities for learning and collaboration.
“We made it clear that anyone in the organisation, whether or not they are making regular contributions to the Fund, can be a part of the decision-making”
But there are some steps the committee took in the initial stages to incentivise staff and maximise participation. Firstly, we invited all staff to help establish some really clear guidelines around what the Fund would and wouldn’t support. We then collaborated to set some attainable goals and expectations, such as how much we wanted to raise in a year and when we would disburse the first grants. We also started a conversation with our Board of Directors about how they could get involved and now they’re supporting the Fund by matching all donations, which we know is one of the more reliable incentives for workplace participation more broadly. Importantly, we made it clear that anyone in the organisation, whether or not they are making regular contributions to the Fund, can be a part of the decision-making.
Lastly, what are your hopes for the Fund? What would you like to see it achieve?
JL: I hope that the Fund continues to grow and that we keep having meaningful conversations, and learning too – not only from one another but also from the community organisations we’re able to support.
GM: I’m really looking forward to finding innovative ways to maximise the impact of the Fund. We’ll certainly be looking for any opportunity to leverage the Fund through co-funding with our broader giving community. We’ll be profiling the organisations we support and inviting others to contribute. We’re also inviting our community to participate by donating directly into the Fund. This is just the beginning – I can’t wait to see the difference we can make together.
ACF Staff Fund
Supporting some of the smaller projects that cross our desk that may otherwise struggle to attract funding.
A strong sense of community has underpinned the philanthropic activities of Australia’s largest locally owned tour company, the APT Travel Group for generations. Established in 1927 by Bill McGeary who seized a business opportunity to shuttle stranded commuters between Northcote and Clifton Hill during a tram strike, the company is still owned and operated by the McGeary family.
Now, with more than 500 staff and a stable of brands that includes APT, Captain’s Choice, Botanica World Discoveries, Antarctica Flights and Travelmarvel, the McGeary family values remain firmly imprinted across the Group.
“Because we’re a privately held company with strong family values, our giving evolved organically over the years,” explains APT Director and Chair of the One Tomorrow Charitable Fund, Robert McGeary.
“We’ve always wanted to make sure we’re doing our bit and that what we do aligns with our family values.”

APT has supported wildlife conservation and remote Indigenous communities along with other charitable initiatives through its fund at Australian Communities Foundation for more than 15 years. The Fund, which was established with money that had previously been put aside for the McGeary family foundation, receives a proportion of the APT Group’s net profit (after tax) each year.
A formal review of the company’s giving 18 months ago revealed clear opportunities to generate even more impact by formalising its philanthropic activity and setting clear objectives.
“Further than just having a commercial obligation to be a good corporate citizen we also want to lead the way and set the example for other organisations, especially in the travel industry,” McGeary says.
“We want to provide an example of what can be done; to answer the question ‘What does a good travel company look like?’
“By introducing the One Tomorrow Fund we will continue to grow our giving program, benefiting our greater community and forging meaningful connections with our guests that are preserved long after they return home.”
Madeleine Curtain, who was appointed to the newly created role of Foundation Manager, oversees the APT Group’s philanthropy and says the objectives for the One Tomorrow Fund are deeply integrated into the company’s operations. Company donations, staff fundraising, payroll giving and matching, staff volunteering, product giveaways and customer giving are all within the One Tomorrow Fund’s sights for 2019-2020.
“Our strategy for the One Tomorrow Fund has two parts,” Curtain explains.
“By introducing the One Tomorrow Fund we will continue to grow our giving program, benefiting our greater community and forging meaningful connections with our guests that are preserved long after they return home.”
“The first is an internal focus on staff engagement, employee and organisational giving. The second part is an external focus which asks the question, ‘How can we connect our customers to the causes?’ The opportunity is enormous for us to have a positive impact in both environmental and humanitarian causes.”
The launch of the One Tomorrow Fund’s staff engagement program, which showcased the work of Rural Aid and Blue Dragon, has already yielded positive impacts.
“The uptake among staff has been high,” Curtain says.
“Already we’ve seen how that engagement has started the change the conversation around the workplace with people coming to me with situations they might be involved in with their own charitable giving or volunteering.
“There were tears in the room for the Rural Aid talk and that brought people to a place of vulnerability that you don’t usually get in the workplace,” Curtain continues. “The watercooler conversations have changed and that’s an on-flow of the launch which is really positive.”
As Chair of the One Tomorrow Fund, Robert McGeary says the response from staff has “exceeded all expectations”.
“The way we’ve structured One Tomorrow is like a division of the business – we don’t see it as a standalone organisation. We wanted something that’s across the whole business and is very much a part of what we do – something that lets people feel part of it.”
Launching the Fund with a ‘super deal’ offer under which the company pledged to triple staff donations for the first three months, served as a springboard to engagement that “changed our consciousness,” McGeary explains.
“For example, we held a launch for our TravelGlo brand and used glow sticks as part of that launch. Afterwards, a couple of staff approached us and said, ‘Is this really in line with our environmental consciousness?’ I love that this is now part of the discussion; that we’re having these conversations about behaviour change.
“As directors of the business we were elated.”
McGeary, who makes it a practice to travel with the company’s customers twice each year, says that the interest from travellers who want to help the communities or causes they encounter is growing.
“They’re very conscious and they see what’s going on and ask, ‘What can I do to help? What can I do that would make a difference? How can I help these kids get to school or help this village get electricity or protect the orangutans?’
“This is the positive side of travel, providing education and enlightening people. What we’re trying to do with the One Tomorrow Fund is not only help with that knowledge but connect people with action which is the next step beyond awareness.”
The Group plans to roll out its giving opportunities for travellers in 2020.
Australian Communities Foundation CEO, Maree Sidey, says the APT Travel Group’s integrated approach to corporate giving is to be applauded.
“APT has done a terrific job of thinking through what it is the Group wants to achieve with its giving,” Sidey says.
“Everything has been carefully thought through and the Group’s ambition to involve clients in a fully integrated way is an innovative step.”
What we’re trying to do with the One Tomorrow Fund is not only help with that knowledge but connect people with action which is the next step beyond awareness.”
For APT, the support and infrastructure provided by Australian Communities Foundation has helped give the Group the confidence and freedom to pursue its giving objectives, rather than getting bogged down in administration. McGeary says APT’s 15-year relationship with Australian Communities is still going strong.
“We love that we can make the donations and get the appropriate tax deduction and ACF covers all the administrative side of compliance. They’ve also helped source and connect us with different causes and organisations.
“ACF brings validity and independence to what we’re doing,” McGeary says. “It gives travellers and staff confidence in what we’re doing because everyone knows the due diligence has been done and the funds are being used properly.
“That makes it easy for us to focus on what we want to do and what we’re good at.”