Australian Communities Foundation recently hosted a
week-long Ambassadors for Philanthropy tour, introducing two inspiring and
engaging speakers from the global philanthropy field to philanthropists,
professional advisors, and community foundations, the philanthropic, corporate
and not-for-profit sectors in Melbourne, Sydney and Perth. It was a terrific
opportunity to exchange, dialogue and share information ideas and stories
around giving/social investments.
·
Kevin Murphy is President of the US Council on
Foundations and CEO of Berks County Community Foundation.
·
Dame Stephanie Shirley, is UK’s Founding
Ambassador for Philanthropy. Dame Shirley prepared a specially taped message to
be used during the tour.
The visit to Australia by Roberta and Kevin brought not only
to bring fresh faces to the philanthropy debate and dialogue in Australia but
also the opportunity to hear about latest trends in the development of emerging
global philanthropic networks and to encourage more positive storytelling of
personal journeys in philanthropy.
Events in Melbourne, Sydney and
Perth explored and discussed;
developing “the philanthropist voice” by
encouraging individuals to speak about their giving and share their experiences
is a clear strategy to create and sustain models of influence for any thriving charitable nation.
the value of
community philanthropy and community leadership; trends in giving and
philanthropy; government policy changes
and challenges
the move by philanthropists to “come out of the
closet” if they want to be effective with their giving; the vital role played
by professional advisers in unleashing philanthropy; it’s not always about more, but better
philanthropy;
Australian Communities Foundation partners and event
supporters for the tour were Sydney Community Foundation, Myer Family Company, Ernst and Young, Macquarie Bank,Commonwealth Bank, Lottery West and the Fremantle Foundation
Commencing in Melbourne on Tuesday 16 April, Kevin Murphy
was the guest speaker at the Philanthropy Australia AGM. Kevin spoke on what he
sees as the three emerging trends in philanthropy
·
the globalisation of philanthropy - companies
like IBM, for instance, seek to be global citizens.
·
changing relationships between philanthropy and
government
·
changing relationships between donors and their
philanthropic legacies.
Kevin and Roberta were joined by
Ellen Koshland, Simon McKeon AO and Hayden Raysmith AM (in Melbourne) and Rob McLean
and Dr Catriona Wallace and Fran Kelly (in Sydney) to discuss Global Trends, Local Challenges, Better
Giving and the Australia Leadership Challenge
At events for professional advisors
in Melbourne, Sydney and Perth, Roberta and Kevin explored the theme
The Power of the Professional Adviser – how
to unleash the philanthropist in your client
In Melbourne and Sydney briefing
and discussions were held with state governments, around the themes of philanthropy
and social investment and inspiring philanthropists to work more closely with
Government.
In Perth, Roberta and Kevin met
with professional advisors, business leaders, philanthropists and the not for
sector discussing global trends and challenges and what they mean for WA.
Themes included WA’s diverse landscape of giving including corporate social
investment, Indigenous foundations, volunteering and bringing Western
Australian perspectives to global conversations.
In February 2013, the Australian Communities Foundation and
Pitcher Partners co-hosted the Melbourne pilot of The Funding Network. Led by
Lisa Cotton, Dr Fred Mulder, Eugenie Harvey and Allan English, pilots of The
Funding Network were held in Sydney, Melbourne and Perth.
At these events $218,000 was pledged by 220 people for 12
social change projects!!
Based on a successful UK model, The Funding Network is a new
way to raise funds for innovative social change projects through collaborative
giving. Donating in a friendly, open environment inspires people to raise more
as a group than they could as individuals, and encourages them to do more than
just give money.
The success of the event in engaging community support is
evident in the words of an Australian Communities Foundation donor “I attended the pilot session in Melbourne
and can see how The Funding Network can engage people on philanthropy who might otherwise see themselves as nit
having the resources to be involved. The message that you don’t need to be rich
to give is very important”.
For more information about The Funding Network Model and the
projects recently supported in Sydney, Melbourne and Perth http://www.thefundingnetwork.com.au/
On 1 March 2013, the Twenty
Years: Twenty Stories project was launched by the Governor General, Her
Excellency Ms Quentin Bryce AC CVO at Admiralty House in Sydney.
A launch in Melbourne will be held on 1 May 2013. Full details and RSVP are available here.
There are
currently over 4 million Australians with a disability. Twenty years ago on 1stMarch 1993, the Disability Discrimination Act, (DDA) came into effect and
made disability discrimination unlawful, improving the lives of people with a
disability across Australia.
To celebrate the Disability Discrimination Act's twentieth birthday, the
Australian Human Rights Commission (AHRC), Disability Discrimination
Commissioner Mr Graeme Innes, AM in partnership with the Sydney Community
Foundation developed the Twenty Years: Twenty
Stories project.
The Twenty
Years: Twenty Stories project tells the stories of 20 people who have used
the Disability Discrimination Act to change the lives of many. Through short films, the project will tell 20
inspiring stories of people who have used the Act to improve the lives of
people with disability around Australia. Twenty
Years: Twenty Stories will herald the progress of disability rights in
Australia and encourage greater participation in disability issues.
2011-12 was a great year for Australian Communities Foundation.
Not only did we celebrate our 15th anniversary, we also awarded $3.8 million in grants to some exceptional projects and not-for-profit organisations in Melbourne and across Australia. Donors also gave generously last year, enabling us to record a corpus of $52 million at 30 June which will benefit Australian communities in years to come. The board and staff thank everyone involved.
The AGM was held last week at KPMG where we proudly reported on the financials and other activities during the year and launched the Annual Report.
Farewell as Chair of Australian
Communities Foundation (ACF)
Speech of acknowledgement by Hayden
Raysmith AM
Fitzroy Town Hall, 30 April 2012
Overview
Before
acknowledging the unique contribution Marion has made to the establishment of
Melbourne Community Foundation, its evolution to the Australian Communities
Foundation and to philanthropy more broadly it is important that I outline for
you the breadth and depth of Marion’s knowledge of this field.
Without
unveiling all of her past, Marion was the founding Executive Director of the
Australian Association of Philanthropy (AAP), 1988-91, which became the now
prominent peak body, Philanthropy Australia (PA).
This was
soon followed by her senior role as Manager, Charitable Trusts at ANZ. In that
role she developed a detailed knowledge of charitable trusts in Australia,
supported the Victorian Community Foundation (VCF), which was established in
1983, and developed international contacts that proved invaluable in the
creation of Melbourne Community Foundation.
In 1995,
together with Pamela McLure, the Executive Officer of the VCF, Marion went to
the International Conference on Community Foundations in Washington. This led
to a visit from the delightfully named US lawyer, Eugene Struckoff who suggested
seeking a grant from the Mott Foundation in Flint, Michigan. The approach was
successful and in 1996 Doug Jansson from the Milwaukee Foundation and George
Hepburn from the Tyne & Wear Foundation in the UK undertook a two week
consultancy that led to the creation of a new independent trustee and the
Melbourne Community Foundation. These connections again proved invaluable when
Marion arranged for Dorothy Reynolds to join us for a board retreat in 2004 at
which MCF moved to establish strategic projects, one of which was
MacroMelbourne and when we borrowed from Dorothy the slogan “For Good, For
Ever”.
In 2003
Marion spent a year as the Locum Director of Community Foundation Network in
the UK which was followed by her gaining a senior fellowship to City University
New York where she wrote a thesis on Community Foundation Sustainability.
Marion is
currently guiding philanthropic initiatives in New Zealand and Tasmania as well
as chairing Changemakers and Fitted for Work, which she founded with Renata Singer.
This gives
you a sense of the knowledge and wisdom Marion has brought to her role as a
director since 1997 and Chair from 2005 to 2009 and again in 20011/12.
A Unique
Contribution
Let me then
move on from that snap-shot to convey the importance of the role Marion has
played.
Whilst
Marion has held senior roles it has never been about Marion, there is a thread
of generosity and support for others that runs through all of the roles Marion
has played and the positions she has held. I, for one, have been a beneficiary
of both. Satisfaction comes from working with people of like mind, people in
whom you put your trust, who pull their weight and whose company you enjoy.
Marion
always had a clear vision of what a community foundation was, what it should be
and what the characteristics were that would make MCF different;
·
It was a vehicle for small donors
·
It was about building relationships
·
It was active philanthropy
·
It was about community
·
It was having a clear sense of social purpose
In Marion’s
own words in her forward to the 2005/6 annual report her stated aim was to “...position MCF as a community driven
philanthropic funder....to create a community of likeminded donors working
collaboratively and independently to address issues of disadvantage...to create
better communities for future generations.”
MCF was not
going to be an agnostic, hollow, financial structure for giving people tax
deductions and managing their money. And although this may seem surprising, it
was not just about servicing donors.
In many ways
Marion has been the spiritual leader of MCF and community foundations in
Australia. From her vast experience she understood them, she knew why they were
important and what made them different. She was also willing to put in the hard
yards, ride the ups and downs and make it happen.
It is true
that MCF literally started in Marion and Michael’s spare bedroom in South
Melbourne. With the decision to draw stumps on the VCF initiative in 1996, part
company with ANZ and start all over again it felt like we had the clothes we
stood up in and nowhere to go. Marion filled the void and used all of her
contacts to begin to look credible, as we hankered for our first million and
set the ambitious target of $5m at which point we thought we would be able to
cover the cost of administration and be sustainable. It came down to believing
in and selling an idea. Marion was a tower of strengths on both counts. I wont
say that there were never moments of doubt but I can say that Marion never lost
her belief in what we were trying to achieve nor her vision of what that was.
There have
been highs and lows. The day Jim Hart became our first six figure donor and set
a new benchmark; the dinner for David C L Gibbs sponsored by the ANZ at their
headquarters in Queen Street; negotiating the terms of departure from the ANZ;
making our first grants; the Dorothy Reynolds visit; and creating initiatives
such as MacroMelbourne. These were magic moments. The flip side was our
inability to take the funds raised through the VCF with us; donors who withdrew
their funds to create PPFs; and the lack of broad based support for a community
driven initiative. But these fade as patience and persistence enables the idea
to take hold and success builds on success.
In the end
community foundations are about people, about trust and that rich bond that
comes from struggling to achieve something that you overwhelmingly believe to
be worthwhile. And it has to be personally satisfying and enjoyable. The sort
of enjoyment that only comes from hard work, from risk taking and achieving
something that was never a given or a certainty.
Marion has
been a relationship builder. She has strengthened the bonds between us all. She
has built trust and increased the enjoyment that others have derived from their
involvement.
But – and,
all good organisations evolve. Sometimes you can plan the change other times
you must respond to external change. Always you endeavour to steer the ship
maintaining a true course whatever the weather and whichever way the wind
blows. Marion has been both navigator and captain. She has helped steer this
ship form the day it was launched. We all know how important that has been and,
might I say, how successful it has been. From bedroom to the old Fitzroy town
hall and from nothing to over $30m with 180 sub-funds. It is time to hand the
sexton and the tiller over to Annie and Clare and all those who will now man
the ship. An exciting new era emerges.
Marion has
very much shown the way. Both Australian Communities Foundation and the community
foundation movement will go on to achieve much, in large part because of the
commitment and the vision of the person we honour tonight.
Marion, for
your friendship, leadership and generosity I personally and on behalf of
everyone here and some who wish they could have been here....thank you. You
leave a truly wonderful legacy.
Steve Lawrence, who recently established the Steve Lawrence Social Innovation Fund at Australian Communities Foundation, has passed away at his home in Sydney after a long illness.
Steve is commonly referred to as the 'Grandfather of Social Enterprise' . He has a long association with the UK School for Social Entrepreneurs and was instrumental in bringing it to Australia.
Steve worked tirelessly his whole life in service of others and never shied away from complex issues or challenges. Social change was more than a job; it was his vocation which he approached with bravery, intensity and positivity.
In the past year Australian Communities Foundation has
continued to carry out its vision to build healthy resilient communities and positive
social change. At the AGM on Monday 21
November we presented the financial performance for 2010-11 and launched the
2011 Annual Report.
In 2010-11 we made 325 grants worth $2.56M. Whilst 46% of
our grants were made to organisations and projects in Melbourne, grants made
Australia wide increased to 34% from 28%.
We welcomed 16 new sub-funds and 13 Gumnut Accounts. Our community of donors has continued to grow
from all over Australia. The financial
reports and AGM presentation are available for viewing or download on our
website. www.communityfoundation.org.au
The focus of the Annual
Report 2011 is Diversity. As Australia’s
premier community foundation, we highlight the range of products and services
which facilitate anyone interested in philanthropy to be become a donor. The Report also has a number of donors’
stories including profiles on the Grocon workplace giving program and a
longstanding donor who established a sub-fund 10 years ago and has made over
160 grants.
As we near the end of 2011, we are settling into our new
name, Australian Communities Foundation.
The transition has been smooth and we have been delighted by the
feedback that it more positively reflects the Foundation. The logo in particular has been a huge hit!!!
We will start off 2012 with new staff. Rebekah Lautman joined us in November as
Philanthropy Manager. She will be
supported by Leonie Mugavin our Grants Officer.
Together they will work with donors to support their grantmaking
interests.
We will also be welcoming a full time Administration
Officer, Christine Selle and we look forward to her coming on board in February.
Another exciting change is that we have secured new
premises. In 2012 we are on the move to
the offices accessible for community organisations by the Yarra City Council,
at the Fitzroy Town Hall. We will have
additional much needed office space and even more exciting is that we have
access to all of the meeting and function facilities at the Town Hall.
In this newsletter we have chosen some lovely donor and
grant stories for you to read, as well as a report on the 2nd Ethics
in Philanthropy Debate held at the BMW Edge at Federation Square in
October. We hope you enjoy!!
Andrea Heffernan
Acting CEO
Second Annual
Ethics in Philanthropy Debate: Philanthropy – A Class Divide?
Our annual Ethics in Philanthropy debate has quickly
established itself as a major event in the philanthropy calendar. Held on 27th
October at BMW Edge and with an audience of over 300 people, this year’s debate
bought together a diverse and lively panel to wrestle with the question of
whether philanthropy emphasises the gulf between those that give and those that
receive.
Hosted by Peter Mares of ABC Radio’s The National Interest, the panel, consisting of Stephanie
Alexander, Dennis Altman, Rod Quantock, Dorothy Scott and Cath Smith, debated a
range of issues exploring whether philanthropy in the 21st century continues to
be the province of the very wealthy distributing alms to the deserving poor or
whether it has become a more progressive and thoughtful reallocation of wealth
for positive social change in society.
As with the previous year’s debate, there was considerable
audience participation, with thorny questions about philanthropy’s reluctance
to fund projects in areas of high social stigma and would donors still give if
they didn’t get a tax deduction.
If you weren’t able to be there, but are interested in
listening to the debate it will be broadcast as part of the summer series on
Radio National. We will advise of time and date once the programming is
finalised.
There is also a thoughtful summary of the debate and
comments by people who attended the
session on the ozphilanthropy blog at ozphilanthropy.com
Corporate Funds
Unico Community Fund was established in 2008 and is one of
the most active and engaged corporate funds at Australian Communities
Foundation. To date, the organisation
has made 30 grants from their Workplace Giving program, mainly to organisations
in the greater Melbourne region but the sub-fund has also made a small number
of grants to organisations based in NSW and has recently supported the United
Nations Childrens Fund East Africa famine appeal.
Some recent grant recipients include:
FareShare
FareShare provides
free, tasty, nutritious meals to the hungry and the homeless using donated food
not needed by wholesalers, catering companies and food outlets. FareShare’s Abbotsford kitchen has
reached production capacity and FareShare
will move to bigger premises in 2012 to double kitchen capacity and produce one
million meals a year. www.fareshare.com.au
Action on Disability
within Ethnic Communities
Action on Disability
within Ethnic Communities will hold their annual art exhibition ArtAbility
at Federation Square from the 5th - 12th of December. ArtAbility showcases
works, often for the first time, from aspiring artists living with a disability
from ethnic backgrounds. As ArtAbility focuses on the ability of the artist,
rather than their disability; it gives the artists, their carers and family as
well as the general public, the opportunity to view these people first and
foremost as artists, rather than someone with a disability. www.adec.org.au/ArtAbility.html
Open Family’s
Chatterbox Bus Open Family’s
Chatterbox Bus is a mobile youth outreach bus and operates in Sydney’s western
suburbs and frequents youth "hot spots" in the Warwick Farm,
Liverpool and Fairfield regions where at risk and/or homeless youth tend to
congregate at night. It provides young people between the with services such as
material aid, referrals to service providers, counselling, internet and
computer facilities and health and welfare information. The recent grant from
the Unico Community Fund will support the recruitment and training of 20 new
volunteers to the service in NSW. www.openfamily.com.au
Donor Stories
Making a difference
in International Education
Professor Tony Adams was revered as
a policy innovator, leader, mentor and role model by generations of staff in
international offices and education abroad centres across Australia. Many
Australian students would never have been places and seen things without Tony's
inspiration.
Tony was the
key figure in the creation of the International Education Association of
Australia, the industry's professional body. On the global stage, he was joint
editor of the Journal of Studies in International Education, and was committed
to bodies such as NAFSA and the European Association for International
Education. In Australia in 1997 he was awarded the inaugural IDP award for
excellence in international education and in 2006 was recognised by the
Association of International Education Administrators.
In September family and friends set up a sub-fund in his memory at
Australian Communities Foundation . The
Tony Adams Fund aims to continue the work of Tony in international education by
supporting activities in the areas of research, professional development and
student mobility.
Annual grants will be provided to help support individuals seeking to
undertake research in international education, participation in professional
development activity or participation in international study experiences.
Granting in Action
St Kilda Gatehouse
Street sex work continues to be an option sought by those
who have experienced childhood trauma, poverty and a lack of traditional
supports. The engagement in street sex work tends to be closely linked with
drug addiction and homelessness and sex workers often find it difficult to
access mainstream services and exit from street sex work.
St Kilda Gatehouse works with street sex workers,
providing immediate material aid and support and building trust and
relationships. Navigate is a program
developed at St Kilda Gatehouse which provides relationship based support to
individuals, assisting them to navigate the often daunting world of government
and non-government agencies and
services.
Staff work with individuals to set up appointments and
accompany them, as needed, to agencies such as DHS and Centrelink, provide
advocacy, assist with transport and network with other agencies and introduce
individuals to key service providers. Staff assist women to develop skills and
undertake training to find employment other than sex work. Supporting young women to access mental
health services, the Navigate program also aims to reduce the extent to which
young women self medicate through use of illicit substances.
Funding for the Navigate
program from the Vicki Standish Family Fund will support around 50 young women
through the program over a three year period. The primary expected outcomes of the
program include:
A reduction in the number of young women
involved in street sex work
An increase in the number of young women
involved in education and/or meaningful employment
An increase in the level of community support
for acutely vulnerable young women
A range of anticipated improvements in the
opportunities available to the young women are also identified, including:
increased skills and confidence; reduced risk of sexual exploitation and
substance dependence; increased likelihood of accessing stable accommodation.
Australian Communities Foundation held its AGM on Monday 21 November at KPMG.
Chris Lovell, Chair, reported that as well as changing names the Foundation had another busy and successful year.
A new sub-fund registry system is now in place with Computershare. Donors will be able to log on to their sub-funds at anytime to see the transactions. This facility in addition to other proposed new donation facilities will be up and running in the new Year.
On behalf of the Board, Chris expressed sincere thanks for all the work Sarah Davies has done in the past 4 years as CEO of Australian Communities Foundation and wished her well in her new position at REACH .
We've changed names and our look! Since 1997, we've been working with individuals, families, and corporations to build healthy, resilient communities and positive social change. Our grantmaking and in-depth knowledge of community issues has helped us to grow nationally and support global projects. To reflect this growth we changed our name from Melbourne Community Foundation to Australian Communities Foundation on 1st July 2011.
As Australia's premier community foundation this positions us well for future growth as a national entity, as we continue to set the benchmark for best-practice philanthropic services and products in Australia.
Employment Opportunities Currently we have two full time positions available at Australian Communities Foundation.
Closing date for applications for both positions: Friday 26 August, 2011.
Further details including the positions descriptions and application process is available at Employment Opportunities on www.communityfoundation.org.au
Corporate Funds
iPad/myWorld!!! Slater & Gordon, lawyers, established their first sub-fund in 2001. The Slater & Gordon Community Fund has made over 30 grants to a wide range of charitable organisations and continues to grow through donations being made by both partners and staff engaged in their workplace giving program.
In 2005, Slater & Gordon established a second sub-fund, The Slater & Gordon Asbestos Research Fund. This sub-fund primarily supports medical research to find a cure for asbestos related diseases, particularly mesothelioma. This sub-fund has already granted over $1M to research-based organisations across Australia.
In June 2011, the Slater & Gordon Community Fund made a grant to Spinal Cord Injuries Australia for the IPad/myWorld project. The funds have allowed the purchase of iPads 2s for eight Education and Peer Support Officers to streamline their work, particularly in the spinal units at the Prince of Wales and Royal North Shore hospitals in Sydney. For the first time they will have a truly mobile office!
The accessible technology and the array of apps available makes for a more inclusive world and will guarantee quick and accurate answers to urgent questions, making an extraordinary difference to clients in intensive care, acute care and in the rehabilitation units.
The Education and Peer Support Officers will be able to demonstrate the best technologies available as part of their interaction with clients, from hospital to rehab to home.
Donor Stories
N E Bequest Fund In June 2006 Nick Renton AM established the NE Renton Family Fund. For three and a half years the sub-fund made grants to organisations supporting mental health, heart disease and cancer research.
In April 2010 Nick passed away and left a bequest to his sub-fund at Australian Communities Foundation. Nick was a leading actuary, investment and finance activitist and participated in dozens of causes and organisations that supported intellectual liberty and personal freedom. Nick had a passion for simplicity and fairness in taxation that led him to write extensively on taxation matters and to make substantial submissions to federal and state governments. He also wrote for dozens of publications and published more than 70 books. In 2004, he was made a Member of the Order of Australia, for services to the insurance and securities industries and to the community, as a contributor to the development of shareholder organisations.
Australian Communities Foundation will continue to make grants from the family fund and the bequest, working closely with his widow Jennifer. Jennifer also has grantmaking interests and is looking forward to becoming more involved.
Dare to dream John Cummins was a social and political activist. Throughout his life John was devoted to supporting young people, in particular those experiencing disadvantage and was instrumental in placing numerous young people in jobs in the construction industry. He was a committed advocate for young people in his local community, often called on to advocate for those who found themselves in difficulty with authorities; a passionate believer that "you can turn a bad thing into a good thing". John valued the importance of education, believing that all young people should be afforded the opportunity of reaching their potential.
Following John's death from a brain tumour, in 2007, Australian Communities Foundation established a sub-fund, the John Cummins Memorial Fund at the request of family, friends, colleagues and comrades. They have established an advisory Committee, 'Cummo's Committee.
Since inception, it has made grants to Austin Health. With matching funds from a bequest received at Austin Health, they are able to employ a permanent Brain Tumour Support Officer. This unique position provides support for patients diagnosed with a brain tumour as well as their families and carers.
In addition, for the past two years the John Cummins Memorial sub-fund has been making scholarships available to students in the Northern suburbs. The scholarships are awarded to support young secondary school students who display determination, commitment and passion. The scholarships support students who are experiencing financial disadvantage and who are striving to achieve their potential.
In total 61 scholarships have been awarded since 2008 to students in need, providing students with items including yearly travel cards to much needed school books and extra tuition.
Application forms and further details will soon be available at www.cummo.com.au. Closing date is Wednesday 19 October, 2011.
Granting in Action
AFUW Scholarships AFUW Victoria is part of a national federation of the associations of graduate women in all states and territories of Australia. It is one of 72 member national federations and associations of the International Federation of University Women.
The Federation works for the advancement and equality of opportunity of women worldwide through initiatives in education, friendship and peace.
AFUW Victoria was founded in 1920 as an association of women graduates and established a sub-fund with Australian Communities Foundation in 2003.
AFUW Victoria places priority on providing financial assistance for women to undertake university studies in Victoria and has developed an annual program of scholarships for women who are experiencing financial difficulty.
This year scholarships ranging from $2,000 to $5,000 were awarded to 13 women studying at University campuses across Victoria, including RMIT University, Deakin University, University of Melbourne, Victoria University and Monash University.
For more information on 2011 scholarship recipients and AFUW Victoria, visit www.afuwvic.org.au
Save the Murray – Environment Victoria Despite recent rains and floods, the urgency to protect and restore the Murray River remains. Boom and bust cycles of drought and flood are a reminder of the kind of weather climate scientists have been telling us to expect. Water in the Murray needs to be secured now, so that when the next dry weather comes, the river stands a chance.
The Windsor Inquiry into the socio-economic impacts of the Murray-Darling Basin Plan was announced in the aftermath of the release of the Murray-Darling Basin Authority Guide last October. The findings of the Inquiry have been released with one of the recommendations being to suspend all 'non-strategic water buybacks'. In contrast, Environment Victoria believes that voluntary water buybacks must continue as they are the most effective and efficient way of returning water to the environment. The Wentworth Group of Concerned Scientists has also been critical of the Windsor report, which they say won't save the Basin.
In this year's State budget, it was announced that Environment Victoria, one of Victoria's major non-government environment groups, has lost a considerable portion of its State Government funding. This means that it's various campaigns and education programs are even more dependent than before on philanthropic and community support.
Environment Victoria is campaigning to have 7600 billion litres of water returned to the Murray-Darling Basin. They argue that any less will put rivers and the communities that depend on them in jeopardy. A healthy Murray-Darling Basin would deliver almost $10 billion in environmental, social and economic benefits to Australians.
In the lead-up to the release of the Murray Darling Basin Plan later this year, Environment Victoria will be hosting a series of workshops in regional Victoria, to highlight the benefits to all communities of restore the Murray.
Funding Request Directory The new Funding Request Directory facility launched on our website last month has really proven popular. We are delighted with the number of not-for-profits that have already submitted a request and the feedback has been very positive on the simplicity of the form. Our donors have also reported how useful it is to be able to access the requests through the website’s donor only area ‘Donor Central’ .
Attention PAF’s 30 June is fast approaching, the deadline for making grants from private ancillary funds. Melbourne Community Foundation’s grantmaking consulting can assist with grant research to match donor’s area of interest with projects Australia wide and overseas.
Influencing Government Policy Melbourne Community Foundation Chair, Chris Lovell and CEO, Sarah Davies met with Prime Minister & Cabinet and Treasury to discuss the role of community foundations in Australia including the current Treasury review of Public Ancillary Funds. Following this an invitation was extended for MCF to participate in a consultation in relation to a Commonwealth Government proposal for addressing issues of disadvantage and social inclusion in communities of 5,000 inhabitants or less.
Corporate Funds
Dina Grollo Community Fund Recently Melbourne Community Foundation presented to staff at Grocon’s Sydney Office and at one of their major construction sites, to update them on their workplace giving program and to encourage participation. We also to reported on some of the projects Grocon has supported through the Dina Grollo Community Fund in NSW including the Salvation Army Oasis Centre in Surry Hills and Father Riley’s Youth off the Streets - Step Up program at Chapel School. This is an accredited high school which offers a flexible curriculum with a focus on literacy and numeracy for young people disconnected from mainstream education.
Grocon also invited the Salvation Army to talk about the Oasis Centre and other projects including the "Get skilled for work" and the "Drivin'4 Employment" Program. Photo: Stephen Nicoll (Grocon), Andrea Heffernan (MCF) and Major Robbin Moulds AM (Salvation Army)
Donor Stories
Phyllis Budd Fund Phyllis Budd (or Aunty Phil as she was affectionately known) came to Australia as a cook/nanny in July 1958 and soon took up a chef’s position at a suburban hotel in Melbourne’s west run by the Caneva family. The family recently established a sub-fund to support second and third year apprentice chefs who might be disadvantaged through financial or family circumstances.
From Gumnut to a Sub-fund Melbourne Community Foundation Gumnut Accounts were introduced just over two years ago and this month our first Gumnut Account matured and was transferred into a sub-fund. To date we have opened 26 Gumnut Accounts and with 30 June fast approaching now is the perfect time to make a tax deductible donation…why not think about your own philanthropic savings accounts.
Donor Granting In Action
Clemenger Staff Fund & Green Gecko The international organisation Green Gecko has been established to benefit the lives of street children in Siem Reap, Cambodia. Located in the north-west of the country, Siem Reap is home to the world’s largest religious site ‘Angkor Wat’.
The Clemenger Staff Fund has supported, the Green Gecko literacy program for upper primary school aged children to learn, write and comprehend the Khmer language.
The goal of the program is to increase the children’s level of confidence in Khmer literacy and their desire to learn Khmer through formal schooling, and to provide additional tutoring to support their studies and accelerate their progress. Khmer literacy is an integral part of the Green Gecko education program, and is an especially strong focus because many of the children – due to their turbulent pasts as street children – are 3 to 7 years behind their equivalent peers.
The literacy program is a creative, interactive approach to Khmer literacy, supporting formal schooling with extracurricular activities and moves away from the more formal rote approach of the Cambodian education system. Photo: Green Gheko.
Upcoming Events
MCF ‘Get Together’ Thursday, 2nd June 2011 at Arts Access
(Donors and Invite Only)
Marketing and Fundraising – Do’s and Don’ts Thursday, 21st July 2011 Venue TBC
(Donors Only)
Donor Information Session – International Aid & Development July 2011 Venue TBC
(Donors Only)
Annual General Meeting 2011 Tuesday 25 October 2011 5.30-7.30pm
KPMG 147 Collins St, Melbourne
Great Philanthropy Debate No 2 November 2011 at Fed Square
Welcome to the new Melbourne Community Foundation newsletter.
This is a regular newsletter we will be using to better inform you about news and events related to Melbourne Community Foundation, including updates on philanthropic and charitable issues.
In the News
New redeveloped Melbourne Community Foundation Website online
The Melbourne Community Foundation website has had a refresh. It was launched on 25th February 2011. The new site includes a new area for donors and a function for grant seekers to submit an online form for fund support.
MacroMelbourne 2011
A little over a year ago, in December 2009, you were invited to the launch of Melbourne Community Foundation’s MacroMelbourne Initiative. On the basis of research undertaken by Melbourne University, the Initiative focussed on mobilising support for organisations working to build healthy and well serviced communities on the urban fringes of Melbourne. 14 inspirational projects were outlined in the MacroMelbourne booklet.
Click here for a short update on the progress of the Initiative. We are delighted that over $1 million has so far been directed towards the projects and as a result many of them are being currently implemented. However, there are some that still need funding in order to start, whilst others need additional funding to continue or expand their activities.
If, after reading the update, you would like to talk about how you or your organisation could be part of MacroMelbourne’s vision of building strong communities on the urban fringes of Melbourne, please contact us.
Philanthropic Consulting Service
Melbourne Community Foundation provides comprehensive consulting, grant research and philanthropic advisory services for clients, drawing on our unique experience, connections and expertise.
A day in the sun
What better welcome to Australia than a trip to the seaside.
WHK Community Investment Fund
WHK is the fifth largest accounting business in Australasia (Source: BRW) and the largest provider of accounting services to small medium enterprises and high net worth clients. As part of their Community Investment Programme, which aims to increase staff engagement and benefit the organisation as a whole, WHK Melbourne has opened the WHK Melbourne Community Investment Fund with Melbourne Community Foundation. Starting with an initial company deposit the fund will be supported by both staff workplace giving and matched donations from the company.
Donor Stories
Spend It Well
Spend It Well is a small charity achieving big outcomes.
Annual Swinburne Scholarships
A number of Melbourne Community Foundation donors have established ongoing scholarships or awards with tertiary institutions, either to commemorate family members with a link to the institution, to support particular target groups of students ( Indigenous, disadvantaged) or those who are undertaking studies in the area of the donors’ business or other interests.
The audio from the Ethics in Philanthropy debate, "Philanthropy - A Class
Divide?", organised by Australian Communities Foundation in collaboration
with the Melbourne Writers Festival and Federation Square October 2011 is now
available from the ABC. Participants included Dr Dorothy Scott, Stephanie
Alexander and Cath Smith.
September 2011 The John Cummins Memorial Fund is proud to offer scholarships for secondary students in 2012. The scholarships support students who are experiencing financial disadvantage and who are striving to achieve their potential.
John was a social and political activist. Throughout his life John was devoted to supporting young people, in particular those experiencing disadvantage. He was instrumental in placing numerous young people in jobs in the construction industry. He was a committed advocate for young people in his local community often called on to advocate for those who found themselves in difficulty with authorities; a passionate believer that "you can turn a bad thing into a good thing". John valued the importance of education believing that all young people should be afforded the opportunity of reaching their potential.
The aim is to support young people in secondary schools to complete their education, training or apprenticeship.
Criteria include:
• Show promise/passion/ and motivation to pursue their talent.
• Currently attending secondary (yrs 7-11) or training school.
• Evidence of financial need – Youth Allowance, Education Maintenance Allowance etc.
• Grants of up to $1000 per individual (supporting evidence required).
• Nominations to be approved by School Principal.
• Grants of up to $5000 per school & $1000 per individual.
• Australian citizens or Australian permanent residents of Australia.
Priority will be given to students who attend government schools.
Application forms and further details can be obtained by visiting www.cummo.com.auApplications Close: Wednesday 19 October 2011
May 2011 Windermere Child and Family Services, supporting families in the City of Cardinia, was recently awarded the 2nd annual Rotary Community Service Award.The award recognised the partnership between Windermere, Cardinia Shire Council, Monash University and the schools involved in the project Building Harmony in the Growth Corridor. The project works with young people from migrant and refugee backgrounds to live harmonious and productive lives in a newly established community in the Cardinia growth corridor. It is one of the fourteen MacroMelbourneinitiatives and has been supported in 2010 and 2011 by the Sunshine and Crocodile Fund.
September 2010 In the lead up to the Federal election, Sarah Davies, CEO, Melbourne Community Foundation, describes how community foundations and philanthropy work together.
September 2010 When it comes to philanthropy, Australians perpetuate the myth that we are generous, but it seems we have much to learn when it comes to giving, writes Claire Halliday.
Engaged, Transformational Philanthropy: How Financial, Program and Human Capital Work to Achieve Social Change
Fitzroy Town Hall, Monday 6th May, 2013
Australian Communities Foundation is hosting with the
Asia Pacific Centre for Social Investment and Philanthropy at Swinburne
University of Technology and Social Venture Partners. Lance Fors of
Social Venture Partners International will be speaking on how financial,
program and human capital can work together to achieve greater social
change.
The event will be held at the Fitzroy Town Hall, Monday
6th May, commencing 9.30am. Full details are included here
In February 2013, the Australian Communities Foundation and
Pitcher Partners co-hosted the Melbourne pilot of The Funding Network. Led by
Lisa Cotton, Dr Fred Mulder, Eugenie Harvey and Allan English, pilots of The
Funding Network were held in Sydney, Melbourne and Perth. 
