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Five years of the Impact Fund

How it works

Adrianne Walters (second from left), Acting Legal Director at the Human Rights Law Centre (HLRC), has been crucial to HRLC’s successful work in protecting reproductive rights, which was supported by the Impact Fund in 2018. Credit: HRLC.


MAKING CHANGE TOGETHER
FIVE YEARS OF THE IMPACT FUND

How it works

1.

SUPPORTING THE WORK

Your donation to the Impact Fund is pooled with others. All donations are responsibly invested and income from investments helps grow the Fund. This is just one way you can show your support. You can also contribute directly to the work of Impact Partners (co-funding) or support the work behind the Fund. Jump ahead to Get Involved for more details.

2.

IDENTIFYING OPPORTUNITIES FOR CHANGE

Australian Communities Foundation works with the Impact Fund community and civil society experts to identify priority issues and windows of opportunity for change across four Impact Areas: inequality, democracy, Indigenous self-determination, and the environment. 

3.

MAKING CHANGE TOGETHER

Once we identify an organisation or project working on a priority issue, Australian Communities Foundation commits funding from the Impact Fund, which is pooled with contributions from Impact Funders towards the Impact Partner’s work. 


1.

Supporting the work

Your donation to the Impact Fund is pooled with others. All donations are responsibly invested and income from investments helps grow the Fund. This is just one way you can show your support. You can also contribute directly to the work of Impact Partners (co-funding) or support the work behind the Fund. Jump ahead to Get Involved for more details.

2.

Identifying opportunities for change

Australian Communities Foundation works with the Impact Fund community and civil society experts to identify priority issues and windows of opportunity for change across four Impact Areas: inequality, democracy, Indigenous self-determination, and the environment.

3.

Making change together

Once we identify an organisation or project working on a priority issue, Australian Communities Foundation commits funding from the Impact Fund, which is pooled with contributions from Impact Funders towards the Impact Partner’s work. 

“The Impact Fund harnesses a collective process to identify worthwhile projects and bring together groups of donors to provide significant donations to organisations.”

Paul O’Shea (O’Shea-Thompson Fund), Impact Funder 

“I like finding out about new opportunities for change and being able to come together with other funders to make it happen.”

Karen Mahlab AM, Impact Funder 

The making of the Impact Fund

At Australian Communities Foundation, we recognise collective giving as a force for change.

That’s why, with the support of significant bequests, we launched the Impact Fund – to help more people give together and maximise their impact. 

Read more
Impact Funders and Partners at the Impact Fund 2019 Showcase.  

The making of the Impact Fund

At Australian Communities Foundation, we recognise collective giving as a force for change.

That’s why, with the support of significant bequests, we launched the Impact Fund – to help more people give together and maximise their impact. 


Types of grants

What types of work do Impact Funders support? There are many routes to positive systemic change. The Impact Fund community’s strongest focus to date has been on building public awareness of issues and advocating for policy change. This is closely followed by the community’s focus on building and strengthening social infrastructure. In addition, a quarter of work supported has focused on collaboration between different civil society groups. 

Large Grants

Impact Funders join forces annually to give meaningful support to community organisations. These grants are often over several years, which gives our Partners much-needed stability, and usually range from $50,000 to $250,000. 

Agile Grants

Impact Funders often step in to give rapid agile funding to urgent needs. We work hard to get agile funds out the door quickly so we can make full use of unexpected opportunities to advance a fairer and more sustainable Australia.

Impact Funders showed the power of collaboration during the Covid-19 pandemic, when they came together to support our cohort of Impact Partners to respond quickly to the fast-changing environment. 


Types of grants

What types of work do Impact Funders support? There are many routes to positive systemic change. The Impact Fund community’s strongest focus to date has been on building public awareness of issues and advocating for policy change. This is closely followed by the community’s focus on building and strengthening social infrastructure. In addition, a quarter of work supported has focused on collaboration between different civil society groups. 

Large Grants

Impact Funders join forces annually to give meaningful support to community organisations. These grants are often over several years, which gives our Partners much-needed stability, and usually range from $50,000 to $250,000. 

Agile Grants

Impact Funders often step in to give rapid agile funding to urgent needs. We work hard to get agile funds out the door quickly so we can make full use of unexpected opportunities to advance a fairer and more sustainable Australia.

Impact Funders showed the power of collaboration during the Covid-19 pandemic, when they came together to support our cohort of Impact Partners to respond quickly to the fast-changing environment. 

“We are so grateful that Impact Funders understand the need to act when windows of opportunity arise to support positive reform, but also to respond when threats impact LGBTIQ+ people, women and other vulnerable communities.” 

Anna Brown, CEO, Impact Partner Equality Australia 

MAKING CHANGE TOGETHER

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