Whether your focus as a funder is mental health, human rights, young people, a strong democracy or social inequality of any kind, the fight for trans equality impacts your work. 

Over the past year, a small but committed group of funders have joined together to support Equality Australia’s TransEquality work. While these funders do not have a specific LGBTQIA+ focus, they have been motivated by:

  • Increased political polarisation and rise of anti-trans hate speech and violence
  • Targeting, demonisation and politicisation of trans communities as a means of creating fear and division, undermining progress on a broad range of social issues 
  • The devastating impact this is having on people experiencing injustice and disadvantage – and the risk this presents to achieving better outcomes for society as a whole 

This event explores the causes behind these trends and their impact on trans communities and society more broadly, and delves deeper into what can be achieved when philanthropy comes together with those leading the work to address them.

Our trans communities face unique challenges, even when not under attack. Longstanding co-funders of LGBTQIA+ communities have seen the opportunities that come from resourcing these historically underfunded groups to create and implement their own solutions. We hope you’ll join us to hear about their experiences and learn more.

Event Information

Thursday 14 September
5:30pm for 6:00pm – 7.00pm AEST
(in-person)
6:00pm – 7.00pm AEST (online)

This event is presented in partnership with Reichstein Foundation, Mannifera, GiveOUT, and Equality Australia.

Speaker

Anna Brown, CEO, Equality Australia

Anna Brown’s fingerprints are on nearly every major reform in Australia for LGBTIQ+ people in recent years. She played a critical role in the campaign for marriage equality co-chairing the Equality Campaign and running the challenge to the postal plebiscite in the High Court. Anna has been instrumental in hard fought battles to secure federal LGBTI discrimination protections, remove discriminatory laws across the country and right historical wrongs by establishing schemes to erase historical homosexual offences. Anna’s legal work has helped to ensure that young trans people can access vital hormone treatment without the cost and delay of going to court, advanced marriage equality and furthered recognition of sex and gender diversity.

Ymania Brown, TransEquality Council Chair, Equality Australia

Brisbane-based Ymania Brown is Samoan by birth and is a proud Fa’afafine Trans Woman from the Pacific who has driven Pacific trans activism and in a number of countries. She spent nearly 20 years in corporate Australia as Head of Legal & HR for an IT Group in Sydney bringing with her a great mix of skills and experience to EA as Operations Manager, and currently volunteers for international NGO’s as Co-Secretary General of ILGA World (Geneva) and the Advisory Board of the Astraea Lesbian Foundation of Justice (New York).

Max Pick, TransEquality Project Coordinator, Equality Australia

Max Pick is a proud non-binary and trans person with a versatile background. Prior to Equality Australia, Max worked largely in community and administration positions with over four years in the disability field, and as a Policy Advisor with the former City of Sydney Deputy Lord Mayor, Irene Doutney. Max developed a strong connection to the wider trans and gender diverse community through their brand No Milk In My T, which provides financial support for individuals needing gender-affirming care. They are dedicated to fostering meaningful connections with the LGBTIQ+ and Equality Australia community, and committed to seeing trans and gender people thrive.

Jill Reichstein, Chair, Reichstein Foundation

Jill Reichstein’s involvement with social change philanthropy grew from her early involvement with the first women’s refuge in Victoria and with the community childcare movement. As Chair of the Reichstein Foundation since 1987, Jill has been active in developing strategic partnerships and alliances towards growing progressive philanthropy as well as mentoring and resourcing new donors who are seeking to clarify their own philanthropic direction.

Maree Sidey, CEO, Australian Communities Foundation

Maree Sidey has been Chief Executive Officer of Australian Communities Foundation since 2015. Maree also holds Non-Executive Director roles at Community Foundations of Australia, Australian Progress and Philanthropy Australia.

Register

This session is open to Australian Communities Foundation fundholders. Contact us to register.

As part of our commitment to ongoing education for our giving community, we are delighted to invite you to a free workshop, Estate Planning Insights. This 2-hour session will provide practical guidance on up-to-date estate planning, appropriate for your age and stage of life.

It’s a topic often avoided, but getting your estate in shape sooner rather than later means peace of mind, knowing your loved ones will be taken care of and your wishes respected.

One of Australia’s leading experts in wills, estates, and succession planning, Emma Woolley, Chair of Partners and Head of Family Office Advisory at Hall & Wilcox, will provide insights, tips and examples as she guides us through the key opportunities and challenges in wills and estate planning.

You’ll learn about:

  • When and why to deal with estate planning
  • Family law and how it intersects with estate law
  • Issues of capacity – executors and powers of attorney
  • Estate disputes – how to avoid them and what to do when you can’t
  • Digital estate planning – what to be aware of with online assets and profiles
  • Superannuation and your estate
  • Gifts in wills.  

Light refreshments will be provided.

Spaces are limited, so please RSVP at your earliest convenience. We look forward to seeing you on September 13th.

Please note: This event will take place online via Zoom and in person at Hall & Wilcox, Level 11, Rialto South Tower, 525 Collins Street, Melbourne VIC 3000 at 1.30pm AEST for a 2pm start on 13 September.

Event Information

Wednesday 13 September
1.30pm for 2:00pm – 4.00pm AEST

This event will be held in person at Hall & Wilcox and online. Online registrants will be sent a link on the day to join via Zoom.

Speaker

Emma Woolley, Chair of Partners & Head of Family Office Advisory, Hall & Wilcox

Emma is Chair of Partners at Hall & Wilcox, specialising in wills, estates and succession planning. She has extensive experience in advising clients in estate planning and administration, trust establishment, trust estate disputes, and structuring for succession of ownership and control of private and family businesses. She is a member of the Law Institute of Victoria, the Inner Temple (Barristers’ Inn of Court, London) and the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners. Emma served on the Australian Communities Foundation Board from 2012 until 2021, and remains involved in our giving community as an ACF Friend and fundholder of the Woolley Family Fund.

Register

This session is open to Australian Communities Foundation fundholders. Contact us to register.

When our education institutions are properly resourced and regulated, they can support students from all walks of life to reach their potential.

Yet, growing disadvantage and declining achievement are the results of the way Australia currently resources and regulates our schools. The reality is that our current hybrid public/private framework is not fit for purpose. It is unlike any other framework in the world. We won’t solve Australia’s declining education performance and equity if we don’t first put in place a new equitable framework for how we fund and regulate our schools.

A common framework for all Australian schools is needed to increase equity and achievement for young people. The Koshland Innovation Fund founded the Australian Learning Lecture (ALL), a ten-year initiative designed to bring big ideas and new approaches in education to national attention. The ALL has recently launched Choice and Fairness: A Common Framework for all Australian Schools which calls for a new conversation about Australian education. The ALL has also developed a proposal which prioritises a new equitable framework for how we fund and regulate our schools.  

Join us at our next Learning Circle, hosted in partnership with the Koshland Innovation Fund, to learn about:

  • The current landscape of education in Australia and the need for a common framework for all Australian schools  
  • The Choice and Fairness: A Common Framework for all Australian Schools proposal and how it is possible to provide choice and diversity of schools to parents and students while limiting segregation and maximising equity and effectiveness 
  • The powerful role philanthropy can play in supporting the mobilisation of a wide network of people and organisations pressing for a change.  

We’ll be joined by Ellen Koshland (Founder and Director, Australian Learning Lecture) and Tom Greenwell (Author, Waiting for Gonski: How Australia Failed Its Schools).

Please note: This event will take place online via Zoom and in person at our Community of Giving, 6/126 Wellington Parade, East Melbourne, 3002 at 12pm AEST on 24 August.

Event Information

Thursday 24 August
12:00pm – 1:30pm AEST

This event will be held in person at our Community of Giving and online. Online registrants will be sent a link on the day to join via Zoom.

Speakers

Ellen Koshland, Founder and Director, Australian Learning Lecture

Ellen Koshland has worked for over three decades to contribute to quality education for all Australians. She has been instrumental in establishing many initiatives including, Education Foundation and the Global Education Leaders Partnership – a powerful alliance of global education leaders who seek to transform education. Ellen was inducted onto the Victorian Honour Roll for Women and received an Honorary Doctorate of Education from Swinburne University in 2018. She is also a founding donor of the Stella Prize.

Tom Greenwell, Author, Waiting for Gonski: How Australia Failed Its Schools

Tom is co-author with Chris Bonnor of Waiting for Gonski: How Australia Failed Its Schools (UNSW Press 2022). He writes about Australian education policy for Inside Story and The Canberra Times and teaches history and politics in the ACT public education system. He previously worked as a research officer for the Australian Education Union.

Register

This session is open to Australian Communities Foundation fundholders and our friends in the philanthropy sector. Contact us to register.

Later this year, Australians will vote in a referendum that asks a simple question: should we recognise Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the Constitution? 

At Australian Communities Foundation, we are listening closely to our First Nations advisers and working to provide you with opportunities to learn from First Nations leaders about the upcoming Referendum.

Join this online session hosted by our First Nations Advisory Group to learn about the upcoming Referendum and how Australian Communities Foundation will be working with First Nations communities this year. This is your opportunity to hear from First Nations leaders on the important work that lies ahead.

EVENT INFORMATION

Wednesday 29 March
12:00pm – 1:00pm AEDT

Please note: This is an online event only.

REGISTER

This session is open to Australian Communities Foundation fundholders and clients, members of Community Foundations Australia, and our friends in the philanthropy sector. Contact us to register.

As global inequity continues to increase, international giving is resourcing local communities abroad to create their own solutions to the challenges this presents.

With international giving steadily on the rise at Australian Communities Foundation (almost 10 per cent of our granting in 2021/22), we’re inviting our giving community to hear from those finding innovative ways to get dollars overseas where they’re needed most.

Join us at our next Tackling Inequality Learning Circle to learn about the traditional barriers to international giving and how they are being addressed; the change-makers, innovators and best-practice organisations in the international development sector – on both the ‘doing’ and the ‘giving’ side; and the various channels that can ensure your donation is impactful.

We’ll be joined by Emily Umbers (Marketing & Operations Manager, Australian International Development Network (AIDN)), Mark Cubit (Co-Founder, AIDN) and Anita Toy (Chief Representative, Give2Asia).

EVENT INFORMATION

Thursday 16 March
12:30pm – 1:30pm AEDT

Please note: This is an online event. To register for the in-person event on 9 March, click here.

SPEAKERS

Emily Umbers, Marketing & Operations Manager, Australian International Development Network

Emily has over 15 years of experience with a range of organisations across the international development, education, welfare and disability sectors. In addition to her work with AIDN, she is the Portfolio Marketing & Development Manager at Partners for Equity, working with grassroots international organisations (predominantly in East Africa) to strengthen their marketing, fundraising and communications capacity. Emily spent two and half years living in Arusha, Tanzania and she holds a Bachelor of International Development. 

Mark Cubit, Co-Founder & Steering Committee Member, Australian International Development Network 

Mark has been active in the international giving space since 2005. In that time, the foundations he has managed have supported over 200 NGOs in 38 countries. Mark is one of the co-founders of AIDN and sits on the Steering Committee. His other responsibilities are with Partners For Equity, Cubit Family Foundation, Ripple Foundation, Planet Wheeler Foundation, Crap Foundation and he is Chair of The School of St Jude. Prior to his involvement in the philanthropic community, Mark was Managing Director, Australian Equities at Merrill Lynch Equities for 15 years. 

Anita Toy, Chief Representative, Give2Asia

Anita Toy is the founding Chief Representative of the new Give2Asia Australia charity, a new charitable organisation enabling Australians to support poverty alleviation in 20+ countries across Asia and the world. The Melbourne-based non-profit will offer philanthropists, corporations, and foundations a trusted, tax-friendly pathway to support charitable causes overseas. Anita has over 13 years’ experience in corporate giving and private philanthropy. Prior to joining Give2Asia, Anita worked for the Australia and New Zealand Banking Group for 14 years where she managed the organisation’s community investment program across 32 countries and strategically partnered with charitable organisations to achieve social impact. Anita holds a bachelor’s degree in business.

REGISTER

This session is open to Australian Communities Foundation fundholders and our friends in the philanthropy sector. Contact us to register. Please mention whether you are interested in attending the online or in-person session.

As global inequity continues to increase, international giving is resourcing local communities abroad to create their own solutions to the challenges this presents.

With international giving steadily on the rise at Australian Communities Foundation (almost 10 per cent of our granting in 2021/22), we’re inviting our giving community to hear from those finding innovative ways to get dollars overseas where they’re needed most.

Join us at our next Tackling Inequality Learning Circle to learn about the traditional barriers to international giving and how they are being addressed; the change-makers, innovators and best-practice organisations in the international development sector – on both the ‘doing’ and the ‘giving’ side; and the various channels that can ensure your donation is impactful.

We’ll be joined by Emily Umbers (Marketing & Operations Manager, Australian International Development Network (AIDN)), Mark Cubit (Co-Founder, AIDN) and Anita Toy (Chief Representative, Give2Asia).

EVENT INFORMATION

Thursday 9 March
12:30pm – 2:00pm AEDT

Please note: This is an in-person event. Lunch will be provided. To register for the 16 March online session, click here.

SPEAKERS

Emily Umbers, Marketing & Operations Manager, Australian International Development Network

Emily has over 15 years of experience with a range of organisations across the international development, education, welfare and disability sectors. In addition to her work with AIDN, she is the Portfolio Marketing & Development Manager at Partners for Equity, working with grassroots international organisations (predominantly in East Africa) to strengthen their marketing, fundraising and communications capacity. Emily spent two and half years living in Arusha, Tanzania and she holds a Bachelor of International Development. 

Mark Cubit, Co-Founder & Steering Committee Member, Australian International Development Network 

Mark has been active in the international giving space since 2005. In that time, the foundations he has managed have supported over 200 NGOs in 38 countries. Mark is one of the co-founders of AIDN and sits on the Steering Committee. His other responsibilities are with Partners For Equity, Cubit Family Foundation, Ripple Foundation, Planet Wheeler Foundation, Crap Foundation and he is Chair of The School of St Jude. Prior to his involvement in the philanthropic community, Mark was Managing Director, Australian Equities at Merrill Lynch Equities for 15 years. 

Anita Toy, Chief Representative, Give2Asia

Anita Toy is the founding Chief Representative of the new Give2Asia Australia charity, a new charitable organisation enabling Australians to support poverty alleviation in 20+ countries across Asia and the world. The Melbourne-based non-profit will offer philanthropists, corporations, and foundations a trusted, tax-friendly pathway to support charitable causes overseas. Anita has over 13 years’ experience in corporate giving and private philanthropy. Prior to joining Give2Asia, Anita worked for the Australia and New Zealand Banking Group for 14 years where she managed the organisation’s community investment program across 32 countries and strategically partnered with charitable organisations to achieve social impact. Anita holds a bachelor’s degree in business.

REGISTER

This session is open to Australian Communities Foundation fundholders and our friends in the philanthropy sector. Contact us to register. Please mention whether you are interested in attending the in-person or online session.

As evidence mounts as to how the current laws for possession of illicit drugs increase harm, there is a push to look for new and better ways to respond to this complex issue

We’re at a crossroads on this issue in Australia. The ACT Government is preparing to decriminalise the possession of small amounts of illicit drugs, Australia’s first pill and drug testing clinic pilot has launched in Canberra, the Queensland Government is reforming drug driving laws, and the NSW Government is reviewing its drug policies.

Join us at our next Tackling Inequality Learning Circle to learn about international models effectively treating drug use as a health issue, rather than a criminal one.

EVENT INFORMATION

Thursday 27 October
10:30am – 12:00pm AEDT

This event is online only. Registrants will be sent a link on the day to join via Zoom.

SPEAKERS

Dr Erin Lalor AM, Chief Executive Officer, Alcohol and Drug Foundation 

Erin Lalor has led the Alcohol and Drug Foundation since 2017, and brings a breadth of knowledge and expertise to the organisation. She is a recognised leader in the health policy and not-for-profit sectors with over 20 years of experience as a clinician, researcher, advocate, and leader. Erin is also the current Deputy Chair of the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare and a member of the Australian National Advisory Council on Alcohol and Drugs.  

Marion McConnell OAM, Founding Member, Families and Friends for Drug Law Reform  

Marion McConnell OAM, along with her late husband Brian, is a founding member of Families and Friends for Drug Law Reform, which advocates for harm reduction and for addiction to be treated as a health and social issue. Her interest in drug law reform began in 1992, following a tragic incident in which her son had overdosed on heroin and the negative treatment their family received from police following the incident, sharing her story in “the Drug Law Wars: Twenty years of families fighting at the front”. Marion has since been an active advocate in this space and received an OAM in 2017 for her work in drug law reform.  

Dr Will Tregoning, Chief Executive Officer, Unharm 

Will Tregoning is co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Unharm and co-founder of drug-checking organisation, The Loop Australia. Will came to drug law reform from a background in social policy research, communications consultancy and health equity program management. He completed a Bachelor of Arts and a PhD in Cultural Studies at the University of Sydney before beginning a career as a research and evaluation consultant to Australian government departments and agencies, focusing on alcohol and other drugs. 

Dr Caitlin Hughes, Associate Professor in Criminology and Drug Policy, Flinders University

Caitlin Hughes is an Associate Professor in criminology and drug policy and Matthew Flinders Fellow at the Centre for Crime Policy and Research at Flinders University. Her research seeks to advance Australian and international drug policy by improving the evidence base on the effects of different legislative and law enforcement approaches to drug use and supply by working directly with policymakers. Caitlin has spent over 18 years researching drug and alcohol policy, including nearly 13 years at the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, UNSW, working as part of the Drug Policy Modelling Program – one of the leading drug policy research centres in the world.

REGISTER

This session is open to Australian Communities Foundation fundholders and our friends in the philanthropy sector. Contact us to register.

The critical role of income support is more apparent than ever. Over 1.4 million Australians relied on payments during the pandemic – a life raft to get through tough times and avoid falling into poverty.

But what happens when the system enabling this critical lifeline fails us?

Join us at our next Strengthening Democracy Learning Circle, presented in partnership with Mannifera, to learn about the reforms needed to make accessing and navigating our social security system easier and less punitive.

We will hear from Leanne Ho (CEO, Economic Justice Australia), Edward Santow (Industry Professor and Co-Director, Human Technology Institute UTS, and Former Human Rights Commissioner) and Paul Henman (Professor of Digital Sociology and Social Policy, University of Queensland), as well as funders who support this important work.

Our speakers will discuss how we can seize the opportunity of the Robodebt Royal Commission, as well as pathways to changing the law to ensure people experiencing domestic violence can make the choice to leave without plunging themselves and their children into poverty.

Event information

Thursday 20 October
1:00pm – 2:00pm AEDT

This event is online only. Registrants will be sent a link on the day to join via Zoom.

Speakers

Leanne Ho, Chief Executive Officer, Economic Justice Australia

Leanne Ho is a human rights lawyer and leader in the community and pro bono legal sectors. She has been leading Economic Justice Australia since 2017, having previously worked in various roles at the Welfare Rights Centre in Sydney, most recently acting as Principal Solicitor for several months on secondment from a law firm. Leanne also works as a pro bono consultant, currently working as Special Counsel at Wotton + Kearney, developing the pro bono programs of large corporate law firms to provide legal assistance to vulnerable and disadvantaged groups including refugees and people seeking asylum in Australia. She has previously worked as the legal adviser to United Nations peacekeeping missions and its Human Rights Advisory Panel. 

Edward Santow, Industry Professor and Co-Director, Human Technology Institute UTS, and Former Human Rights Cmmissioner

Edward Santow is the Director, Policy and Governance at the Human Technology Institute, and Industry Professor – Responsible Technology at the University of Technology Sydney. From 2016-2021, Ed was Australia’s Human Rights Commissioner, where he led the Commission’s work on AI and new technology. Ed is leading a number of major initiatives to promote human-centered artificial intelligence. This approach aims to uphold human rights by ensuring that new technology delivers results that are fair, accurate and accountable. Ed’s areas of expertise include human rights, technology and regulation, public law and discrimination law. He has recently been appointed to the panel of experts undertaking an expansive audit of MyGov.  

Paul Henman, Professor of Digital Sociology and Social Policy, University of Queensland 

Paul Henman is Professor of Digital Sociology and Social Policy at the University of Queensland, and is a Chief Investigator of the Australian Research Council’s Centre of Excellence for Automated Decision Making and Society.

Paul holds degrees in both computer science and social science, and previously worked in the Australian Department of Social Security. He has studied the use of computers and digital technologies in social security systems for 30 years. Paul’s work includes the use of new digital research methods, including web-crawling, social network analysis, and online user experiments. Paul is author of Governing Electronically (2010), Performing the State (2018) and Administering Welfare Reform (2006).  

Register

This session is open to Australian Communities Foundation fundholders and our friends in the philanthropy sector. Contact us to register.

Climate change is happening in front of our eyes.

As funders, some of us focus on the urgent need to shut down coal and gas rather than helping people at the pointy end of the climate crisis. And those of us motivated by inequality may support people over climate solutions, feeling like the latter need is too huge. 

At this upcoming Learning Circle, we will discuss how supporting those living with the most severe impacts of climate change can also pave the way to preventing it from getting worse.

Join Emma Bacon, Founder of Sweltering Cities in conversation with David Ritter, CEO of Greenpeace Australia, and Professor Jane McAdam AO, Director of the Andrew and Renata Kaldor Centre for International Refugee Law, UNSW.

Our guests will discuss the importance of talking and consulting with those most affected by climate change, and how we can inspire rapid climate action from those who may otherwise find it hard to relate to traditional campaigns.  

By acknowledging where people are coming from, and listening to their concerns, we can design a world that makes sense in a changing climate. In turn, this work leads to climate-friendly solutions.

Our speakers are working on solutions at all levels, from the micro, such as making sure bus stops have shelters so that they are easy to use in sweltering weather, to the macro like working with Pacific nations to focus the region’s attention on where people will go as sea levels rise.

Event information

Wednesday 10 August
12:00pm – 1:30pm AEST

Community of Giving
Level 6, 126 Wellington Pde
East Melbourne VIC 3002

Guests can also join via Zoom.

Register

This session is open to Australian Communities Foundation fundholders and our friends in the philanthropy sector. Contact us to register.

Raising the rate of income support to keep Australians out of poverty

The campaign to Raise the Rate for Good is key to reducing poverty and inequality in Australia. The goal of the Raise the Rate for Good campaign is to fix our social security safety net for good so that it keeps people out of poverty, with an income of at least $70 a day.

ISSUE

Australians relying on unemployment payments are at significant risk of living in poverty, living on a base rate of $40 per day before Covid-19. Prior to adjustments made in response to Covid-19, these payments had not increased in real terms in 25 years, making it difficult for people receiving them to afford the basics. The low rate of government allowances, even taking into account the recent Covid-19 adjustments, continues to contribute to inequality in Australia, causing people who rely on payments to fall further behind.

RESPONSE

The Raise the Rate for Good campaign seeks to change the prevailing public narrative about people who rely on income support. It works to do that by building a grassroots and online campaign and mobilising a diverse range of high-profile influencers to build parliamentary support for change. The campaign is informed by research generated through the ACOSS and UNSW Poverty and Inequality Partnership with UNSW (also supported by the Impact Fund).

PROGRESS UPDATE

UPDATED MARCH 2022
  • Community voices amplified: Over 15,000 supporters have signed onto the campaign with an unprecedented number of people with lived experience engaging in the campaign.
  • Permanent increase to income support achieved: In response to pressure built through the campaign, heightened by the impacts of Covid-19, the Federal Government announced a permanent $50 increase to fortnightly income support payments. While criticised as being insufficient and continuing to allow Australians to live below the poverty line, the increase is significant and represents an additional $3 billion a year in support for vulnerable Australians.

WHAT THE IMPACT FUND’S SUPPORT MEANS

“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.” – Dr Cassandra Goldie, CEO, ACOSS

Read case study in Making Change Together: Five years of the Impact Fund

GRANTS

  • 2019 Large Grants round: $150,000 in campaign support
  • 2020 ‘Supporting Our Partners’ Covid-19 Agile Grant: $55,000 in campaign support

Contact Us
Level 6, 126 Wellington Parade, East Melbourne VIC 3002

We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the first inhabitants and Traditional Custodians of the lands on which we live, learn and work. We pay our respects to Elders past and present.

Australian Communities Foundation is a proudly inclusive organisation and an ally of LGBTQIA+ communities and the movement toward equality.