Victoria’s first new community foundation in eight years, the Southside Community Foundation, is bringing donors together for local action in the Port Phillip area.

St Kilda in Melbourne – part of Port Phillip – is known for its popular beach, its Sunday market on the esplanade, Luna Park, and the cake shops of Acland Street.

And while the Port Phillip area has plenty of affluent people, an estimated 9,000 locals live in poverty. It is home to one of the largest food banks in Victoria, and other challenges exist in mental health, climate change, and the creative industries. Southside Community Foundation has been established to address these issues.

Southside’s first grants will be guided by a Vital Signs report produced by the Foundation. Grants will support the identified areas as well as supporting local First Nations communities to come together and identify needs, priorities and better ways to engage.

The Interim Chair of SCF, John Spierings, has a long connection with the Port Phillip area, which also includes Balaclava, Ripponlea, South Melbourne, and most of Port Melbourne. The Foundation may extend to adjoining local government areas over time if the need arises.

“Independent, democratic and transparent community foundations are increasingly important as communities fragment and economic disparities grow,” says John.

“Many communities are innovative in responding to these challenges and community foundations are essential to enabling more of this to happen. 

“They provide crucial social infrastructure and community capital for the long-term health and sustainability of civil society and local charities. We are thrilled to launch Southside in Victoria.”

One-third of renters in Port Phillip are in housing stress, meaning more than 30 percent of household income is spent on rent. Rental housing affordability and quality are major issues for the area.

Some other key findings of the Vital Signs report are:

• Renters make up half of all residents, one of the highest proportions in Australia
• Only 6.4% of dwellings are classified as social housing, a low proportion for the inner city
• More older men (over 30) are homeless compared to Greater Melbourne 
• Of 9,000 people experiencing food insecurity, 60% are women
• One in three residents live with a long-term health condition
• More than 10% of the adult population report experiencing very high levels of psychological distress
• Loss of tree canopy cover on private land is outstripping gains on public land, and 
• One in five arts and recreation jobs from 2016 no longer exist.

Key ACF figures, the late Marion Webster AM (Co-Founder and Patron) and Trudy Wyse (former staff), considered the feasibility of a southside community foundation more than a decade ago.

“It has taken a while, but Southside Community Foundation is now a living entity thanks to that early research,” says John, “and all the crucial advice, enthusiasm and practical assistance from the ACF Board and staff over the past 18 months. It is a great partnership.”

Andrew Binns, ACF CEO, says the partnership is a great example of ACF’s backend support for emerging philanthropic initiatives.

“Our support through ACF Advisory has ranged from undertaking compliance and acquittal logistics through to advice about long-term sustainability and planning.”

How will the Southside Community Foundation work? 

Southside is a sub-fund of Australian Communities Foundation. All donations over $2 are tax-deductible.

It is established in perpetuity and is committed to developing long-term community capacity and adaptability. It is a great option for individuals, families and businesses considering their estate and financial planning and who wish to give back to a community that has given them so much.

As demonstrated by its first grant round, Southside is listening closely to the community to anticipate future needs, and fund longer-term systemic interventions.

 “The Southside Community Foundation aims to build a long-term financial asset for giving and responding to need in Port Phillip,” says Interim Board member Sarah Hardy. “It is an exciting new way to help donors be more effective by ensuring every dollar donated, whether large or small, is leveraged to achieve greater impact at a local level.” 

Who is on the Southside Community Foundation Board?

The Interim Board comprises

• John Spierings (Interim Chair), whose career has included higher education, local and federal government, philanthropy and consultancy. 
• Gina Fiske, who has a background in community and human services sector program management and direct service delivery. Her work has led to improvements in the lives of children, youth and families. 
• Lorraine Grove, who has worked in infrastructure finance, investor relations, and as a technical writer/editor. She volunteers at Port Phillip Community Group and PBSfm community radio station.
• Sarah Hardy is the CEO of the R E Ross Trust, and is skilled in governance, finance, strategy and risk, grant making, communication, fundraising and executive leadership.
• Elizabeth Jennings, former Chief Financial Officer at Victoria Legal Aid, Head of Strategic Finance at World Vision Australia, and the Director of Corporate and Community Services at the Shire of Yarra Ranges.
• Aaron McNeilly, the Engagement and Advisory Lead at ACF, who has also held roles with the Enterprise Network for Young Australians, the G20 Young Entrepreneurs Alliance, The Prince’s Charities Australia, The Prince’s Trust and Arts Centre Melbourne. 

Briony Stocker, who has a background in higher education, most recently at Monash Business School, is Southside’s part-time Project Manager.

A skills-based Board will continue to be built early in 2025.

Learn more: southsidecf.org

Get involved: Southside Community Foundation is keen to hear from individual donors, families, businesses, community organisations and civil society interested in supporting, knowing more about the foundation or alerting Southside to local needs. Contact the Southside team here.

The Southside Community Foundation recognises that Port Phillip is located on the lands of the Kulin Nation and has been inhabited by its peoples for more than 40,000 years. We pay respect to Elders, past and present, and acknowledge that lands have never been ceded.

Feature image (L-R): Project Manager Briony Stocker with Interim Board members, John Spierings (Interim Chair), Lorraine Grove and Sarah Hardy, in East St Kilda.