There are few leaders in community services as experienced as Elizabeth Drozd OAM.

Having worked in the space for over 30 years, Elizabeth was recognised in the 2023 Australia Day Honours for her “significant service to the Polish and multicultural communities of Victoria”.

Since 2000, Elizabeth has headed up Australian Multicultural Community Services (AMCS) as CEO.

Celebrating its 40th anniversary this year, AMCS was founded by a group of community leaders who shared a vision of providing non-English speaking migrants with the same access to services and opportunities as other Australians.

With a focus on supporting immigrant communities, AMCS exists to improve the lives of people in these communities through “care, support and empowerment,” Elizabeth explains.

With more than 240 employees and 185 volunteers, AMCS services include supporting seniors to live safely at home for as long as possible through to assisting with employment pathways and adult community education.

Over the last decade, the organisation has used a Future Fund at Australian Communities Foundation to build its long-term sustainability.

“What drew us to Australian Communities Foundation was its mission to create a fairer Australia and its alignment with what we do at AMCS,” says Elizabeth.

In this recent conversation, Elizabeth shares how a Future Fund is supporting AMCS to continue its mission into the future.

Why did you decide to open a Future Fund at Australian Communities Foundation?

When you work in a not-for-profit, this whole idea of giving and of connecting with philanthropies and trusts is part of what we do.

I came across Australian Communities Foundation when a colleague did some research about the various options [for building an endowment], and we decided to establish a Future Fund rather than a separate legal entity to avoid the reporting and administrative requirements of a charitable fund or trust. And there’s the low fees as well.

Another criteria was that we wanted our sub-fund not to be in perpetuity. We knew that we had at least one large community project coming up, and we wanted to make sure we were able to get some of the funds granted back to us to invest in this initiative for community benefit.

What do you like most about being part of Australian Communities Foundation?

I remember the process to get set up was easy – that was particularly beneficial because community organisations like ours are busy focusing on their own mission, so anything that’s easy and saves time is helpful.

We’ve been very pleased since then. We like the donor events, talking to other donors, and just generally being part of the giving community.

There’s also the fact we can ring up any time and get support from the team. We always feel welcome.

What are your hopes for the AMCS Future Fund?

Firstly, we hope to continue using the Fund to provide grants to multicultural communities, including refugees and asylum seekers.

Additionally, as the fund grows, we will continue granting back to our organisation. We are working on the upgrade of a community centre that was donated to us. The cost of the upgrade will be just over $6 million, but it’s an investment that the community will benefit from for decades, so it’s great to have that option to grant back.

As any not-for-profit team knows, funding can be uncertain, especially during transitions. For us, the Future Fund gives us peace of mind because we know that at least once a year we can access the money in our Fund to help us through a transition period, whatever it may be.

Support AMCS

If you are interested in helping AMCS support culturally and linguistically diverse communities, you can donate to the AMCS Future Fund here.

If you are interested in learning more or partnering with AMCS, head to the website and get in touch: amcservices.org.au

To learn more about opening a Future Fund, click here.