Our global grantmaking focuses on breaking down barriers to employment for those who need it most. Grantmaking in each region focuses on issues of local relevance, and garners additional support from employees through mentoring, training, knowledge sharing and employability programs.
In FY2023, the Foundation increased its granting allocation across all regions and made new grants totalling $A8.9 million, adding to a multi-year grant portfolio that now consists of over 40 organisations1. This year we expanded our grantmaking into new countries, including Germany, Italy, Spain and Brazil. We also made our first global employment focused grant to Generation You Employed, which will continue to support jobseekers in Australia, and the UK, and extend our grant support to people in France, Brazil and India.
We continue to deepen our understanding of the barriers to employment faced by communities around this world. This helps us make evidence-based funding decisions that have a high likelihood of influencing employment outcomes and future social and economic mobility. We’re tracking the number of people supported with employability uplifts across our grantmaking portfolio (for example education, training, technical and soft skills, wraparound support) as well as employment outcomes where relevant.
The Foundation’s global grantmaking focuses on breaking down barriers to employment for those who need it most. Generation’s mission is to transform education-to-employment systems to support adults to achieve economic opportunity and mobility through a career. The Foundation has previously supported the establishment and scale of Generation in Australia, and the creation of the Generation green jobs program in the UK.
In FY2023 the Foundation’s committed to support Generation learners into employment in the green, technology and health sectors in Australia, the UK and France. In Brazil and India, Foundation funding will support Generation to develop and test the effectiveness of a digital mentorship platform which will ultimately improve Generation learner outcomes globally.
In Australia, the Foundation focuses on supporting better employment outcomes for young people. Foundation funding supports the core operating expenses of the Social Ventures Australia (SVA) Employment team, who work to drive change by empowering employers to create more and better career opportunities for young people at risk of exclusion in Australia. The SVA Employment team also works with a range of stakeholders, including government officials and peak industry bodies, to promote quality employment outcomes for young people.
In the Americas, the Foundation supports organisations promoting college access, success, and career attainment for underrepresented youth. The United Negro College Fund (UNCF) is a philanthropic organisation driving educational achievement for Black students. The Foundation’s funding is supporting UNCF’s Institute for Capacity Building’s work partnering with eight Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and Predominantly Black Institutions (PBIs) to engage 3,600 Black students in re-enrolment coaching. The goal is to re-enroll students who dropped out during the COVID-19 pandemic and also build the capacity of HBCUs to better serve students, measured through improved student success and career outcomes.
In Asia, the Foundation focuses on supporting better migration outcomes for migrant domestic workers and young people.
Aidha helps migrant domestic workers and low-income women achieve economic independence through a holistic approach to financial education including skills building in money management, communication, digital literacy, and entrepreneurship. In FY2023, the Foundation renewed the partnership with Aidha and will support it to significantly scale its operations, with the aim of engaging 10,000 people across the three-year grant period.
In EMEA, the Foundation supports people (16-80yrs+) to achieve their social mobility aspirations through employment, with an emphasis on enduring jobs and meaningful work. The Social Mobility Foundation (SMF) supports high-achieving young people from low socioeconomic backgrounds to attend top universities and professions. Foundation grant funding has enabled SMF to reach more young people in social mobility ‘coldspots’ in the UK, including Birmingham and more recently in Cardiff through the Aspiring Professionals program.
Our grant partners receive additional support from employees through mentoring, training, knowledge sharing and employability programs.
The Foundation convenes our grant partners in each region to encourage networking, ideas sharing, learning, support and leadership. Our grant partners help create the agenda for these dynamic sessions to maximise the learning for everyone, including our Foundation team.