Our focus on equity

Year in review

Inherent to the Foundation’s work is a focus on equity, ensuring people who face systemic barriers are supported to overcome these challenges and thrive. The Foundation acknowledges current and historic inequities in the philanthropic and community sector, and during FY2023 has taken steps to strengthen the diversity, equity, and inclusivity of its grantmaking processes and practices globally. 

• We’re prioritising funding to organisations that are reflective of the identities and lived experience of the people whom we hope to serve through our grantmaking. A recent grant to Asia Pacific Mission for Migrants demonstrates this approach, with funding supporting a grassroots community movement of migrant domestic women, supporting them to advance their rights, promote their collective wellbeing, and bring them together for mutual support and learning. 
• We have reaffirmed our approach of making multi-year funding commitments to community organisations and have a preference to support an organisation and its overall mission, rather than specific projects where appropriate.
• We have streamlined our grantmaking forms so that applicants can spend less time writing and more time focussing on mission driven activities. We now write the first draft of the grant application and work in partnership with the grant seeker to finalise the application.
• In addition to the Racial Equity Fund in the Americas, the Foundation is increasing funding to community organisations around the world that are promoting a more equitable and just society for all. We’re supporting Baobab to create a grantmaking organisation in the UK that is led ‘by and for’ Black people, ethnic minority communities and those affected by racism. In Australia, we’re funding the Centre for Social Impact to document the current state of cultural diversity representation in the Australian philanthropic sector and provide actionable recommendations on how funders can improve their practices.