Why We Fund

We believe that all Australian, regardless of their identity or circumstances, deserve opportunities to change their life trajectories. By funding organisations that serve children and young people, women, older Australians, people with disabilities, and migrants, we help create pathways for them to live with dignity, free from social, economic, geographical, and racial disadvantage.

Who We Fund

We fund purpose-driven organisations that support Australian citizens from five key cohorts, each facing unique challenges and deserving the opportunity to live with dignity, independence, and opportunity. Our funding focuses on the following groups:

• Children and Young People: Providing children and young people with the resources, education, and support needed to build a brighter future, free from disadvantage.
• Women: Empowering women to overcome barriers, achieve their potential, and live with dignity and independence.
• Older Australians: Ensuring older Australians have access to the care, resources, and opportunities they need to age with dignity, respect, and independence.
• People with Disabilities: Supporting individuals with disabilities to access opportunities, live fulfilling lives, and contribute to their communities.
• Migrants: Supporting Australian from migrant backgrounds to fully participate in society, access essential services, and create opportunities for a prosperous and fulfilling life.

What We Fund

We focus our funding on critical areas that empower individuals to improve their lives:

• Physical and Mental Health: Supporting access to essential health services that improve the quality of life for those in need.
• Education and Training: Providing opportunities for lifelong learning and education that lead to better outcomes for individuals and families.
• Necessities: Ensuring people have access to the basics such as safety, accommodation, food and clothing when they need it most.
• Paid Work: Creating opportunities for paid employment, entrepreneurship, or contracting to help individuals achieve financial independence.
• Culture: Supporting access to a wide range of cultural events and experiences that enrich lives, nurture the soul, and broaden horizons.

How We Fund

We are committed to supporting the leaders and organisations that are driving change through:

• Backing Leaders: We support community-focused leaders who are driving service innovation to improve lives. Our backing includes both funding and tailored organisational development support to help them grow their impact.
• Supporting Innovation: We assist leaders in for-purpose organisations with DGR Item 1 status to test new service improvements or approaches. This includes small charities (under $500,000 annual revenue), medium charities ($500,000–$3 million), and larger charities seeking support for a new and innovative initiative.
• Enabling Learning: By sharing stories of change and connecting with our funding recipients, we facilitate a culture of continuous learning.
• Exploring Funding Avenues: We collaborate with other funders to explore different funding avenues that create impactful change, testing innovative methods to achieve sustainable results.

We believe in supporting leaders of small to medium-sized for-purpose organisations with DGR Item 1 status who are committed to disrupting, innovating, and improving service systems for those experiencing disadvantage. Our leaders often share these qualities:

• They value and centre the insights of people with lived experience.
• They demonstrate strong community focus and thoughtful decision-making.
• They actively listen with empathy and compassion.
• They maintain a balanced sense of humility, ensuring their work prioritises the needs of the communities they serve.

We also believe in enabling factors that can amplify and accelerate the work of these leaders, including:

• Evidence-based or evidence-informed approaches.
• Capacity building to support organisational development.
• Encouraging collaboration between funding recipients and additional funding opportunities.
• Exploring diverse methods of funding distribution, such as fellowships, democratic funding, Shark Tank-style events, Hackathons, impact investing, and partnering with other funders.