Social innovation

Supporting a range of innovative initiatives.

Our approach

The Macquarie Group Foundation’s pioneering approach to philanthropy has supported a range of innovative initiatives, including cutting-edge research, establishing awards and fellowships to encourage innovative thinking, seed funding organisations with new ideas as well as collaborations between non-profits with shared objectives to addressing unmet community needs.

Spotlight on social innovation

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Expertise Articles

Volunteering

Youth unemployment a key focus on European study tour

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SYC is a not-for-profit organisation centred on employment, training and youth services.

Funding

Venture philanthropy: investing for stronger Australian communities

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Social Ventures Australia acts as an intermediary between private investors and the social sector, providing venture philanthropy funding, impact investing and advice.

Funding

Youth of today: the future of tomorrow

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The Foundation for Young Australians (FYA) is a national non-profit providing tools and connections that equip young people to change their world. 

Skills sharing

Breaking down barriers for more engaged lives

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Life Without Barriers (LWB) provides care and support services across Australia including family support and out-of-home care, disability services, home and community care for older Australians and support for refugees and asylum seekers. It also works in the areas of mental health, homelessness and youth justice.

Funding

Waste becomes fruitful in the right hands

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Substation33 is an electronic waste recycling social enterprise, providing a workplace where volunteers and employees gain confidence and skills to transition to sustainable employment.

Skills sharing

Empowering jobless and impoverished New Yorkers

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The HOPE Program empowers jobless and impoverished New Yorkers through skills training, jobs and career advancement. It combines training, adult basic education, industry certifications, work wellness services, internships and job placement with long-term support.

Funding

Medical collaboration may offer hope to millions

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JDRF Australia is the world’s largest charitable supporter of type 1 diabetes research, investing more than $A150 million a year globally into the search to find a cure for type 1 diabetes. It was awarded the 2014 Australian Charity of the Year in the Australian Business Awards.

Skills sharing

Down-under innovators share knowledge for global good

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Auditory Verbal UK is a national charity which teaches deaf babies and children to listen and speak as part of helping them achieve their full potential. Chief Executive Anita Grover won Macquarie’s 2014 David Clarke Fellowship in the UK.

Awards and fellowships

David Clarke Social Innovation Fellowships

The Macquarie Group Foundation’s biennial David Clarke Social Innovation Fellowships (valued at approximately $A20,000 equivalent in each jurisdiction), encourages non-profit CEOs to visit and research best practice social innovation internationally.

The Fellowships are open to non-profit CEOs in Australia, Hong Kong, the United Kingdom and selected US cities (New York, Chicago, Houston and Philadelphia). The next Fellowship application period will open in mid-2018.

Social Innovation Award

In 2017, Cerebral Palsy Alliance was the winner of the Macquarie Social Innovation Award. This biennial Award was established in 2010 to recognise a not-for-profit organisation which addresses an unmet community need within Australia.

Find out more about our 2017 Social Innovation Award Winner, Cerebral Palsy Alliance