Philanthropy news, updates and trends


  • Management Team Update

    The Trust Company has realigned its Philanthropy team to build and grow this business unit around a new partnership model.

    As a company, one of our key strategic goals is ‘to contribute to our community through Engaged Philanthropy’.  In 2011, we launched a new model for discretionary distributions and seeded 17 long-term strategic partnerships in the areas of positive ageing, socially inclusive education and living with disability.  We have now realigned our team to support the refinement and extension of our Philanthropy service offering around this important principle of partnership, and to support continued engagement with the sector.

    Simon Lewis, a member of The Trust Company Executive Team with prior experience in the Strategy and Communication portfolios, takes up the position of Head of Philanthropy and Community. Mr Lewis will lead the Australian team, focusing on building a Philanthropy practice that maximises the social impact for its clients – both philanthropists and philanthropic organisations alike. He will be based in Melbourne.

    Wendy Brooks, previously Head of Business Development Philanthropy, moves to a consulting position with The Trust Company. She recently qualified as a lawyer and is joining private practice at Moores Legal on 6 February. Wendy has been key in supporting the re-engagement of The Trust Company with philanthropists and the broader not-for-profit sector from Melbourne, and she will continue to play this important role on a consulting basis.  We wish Wendy all the best in her new career and are pleased to be maintaining a connection with both Wendy and Moores Legal.

    The Trust Company welcomes Marlene Macfarlane to the team on 31 January as Service Development Consultant. Marlene has extensive experience and legal expertise in the establishment, administration and governance of philanthropic trusts, with a speciality in Private Ancillary Funds and Foundations.  Marlene will bring a fresh perspective to positioning The Trust Company’s philanthropy service offering and support sector engagement from her Sydney base. We are delighted to be welcoming Marlene to the team.

    Based in Melbourne, Caroline Whitby will continue to manage the day-to-day operations of the Philanthropy Team, including administration and governance of over 350 charitable trusts currently under administration in Australia.

    Jane Ryan will continue to manage the Scholarships & Awards portfolio from Sydney which includes our responsibilities as trustee for the Miles Franklin Award, the Portia Geach Art Prize and the Marten Bequest Travelling Scholarships.

    Ravi Malhotra, State Manager in Perth, will assist our team as relationship manager with our new clients associated with the Western Australian Community Foundation.

  • 17 Strategic Partnerships in the non-profit sector worth over $5million announced

    The Trust Company is excited to announce the selection of 17 multi-year Strategic Partnerships worth over $5 million, as an outcome of its recent 2011 philanthropy funding round.

    The selected non-profit organisations fall into three program areas: Socially Inclusive Education, Positive Ageing and Living with Disability. From a broader social sector perspective, we are also looking at organisations that support social enterprise, innovation and capacity building. This is aligned with the core objective of the Engaged Philanthropy Strategy which is to maximise the discernable social impact for the benefactors who have entrusted us with their legacy.


    The 17 Strategic Partners and their funded programs are listed below, with commitments to these organisations worth $5 million over the next 3-5 years.


    Socially Inclusive Education:

    • Social Ventures Australia Education Collaborative - Director of Education
    • Australian Indigenous Education Foundation – Scholarship Program
    • The Kokoda Track Foundation – Archer Scholars Program
    • Foundation for Young Australians – National Indigenous Youth Leadership Academy
    • The Smith Family & Outward Bound - National Aspiring Leaders’ Summit
    • WA Community Development Foundation – Passport Program
    • National Gallery of Victoria – NGV Kids Space
    • Interplast – PNG Burns Unit Program

      Positive Ageing:
    • Mercy Health & Australian Catholic University - Chair in Aged Care
    • National Stroke Foundation – National Stroke Survivor Needs Survey
    • Florey Neuroscience Institute – Women in Science Fellowship & Brain Challenge Event

      Living with Disability:
    • Youngcare & Griffith University – Chair of Research
    • Lifestart – Early Learning Program & Kayak4Kids
    • Paraquad NSW – Primary Health Team

      Social Enterprise and Innovation:
    • Melbourne Business School - Centre for Social Impact Research Fellowship 
    • School for Social Entrepreneurs – Regional VIC Expansion
    • Public Interest Law Clearing House (PILCH) – National Call Centre
    • The discretionary funding for the 17 partners is distributed through the Fred P. Archer Charitable Trust, for which The Trust Company is Trustee. The Trust was established by Fred P. Archer prior to his death in 1977 after spending 54 years in Papua New Guinea. The trust deed directs distributions “For the relief of poverty within the Commonwealth of Australia including Papua New Guinea, for the advancement of education and for other like purposes”.
    • Organisations interested to engage with The Trust Company are invited to lodge an Expression of Interest via the website in 2012.
    • To view the media release click here.

  • Update on the 2011 Funding Round- October 2011
    The Philanthropy & Community Board at The Trust Company has signed-off on the successful 2011 applicants, comprising both one-off grants and multi-year Strategic Partnerships under our new strategy of “Engaged Philanthropy”.  Under this new strategy, The Trust Company is seeding several important multi-year Strategic Partnerships in the Program Areas of:

     

    • Socially Inclusive Education – organisations that promote the development of leadership, learning and skills within disadvantaged and marginalised communities (AU and PNG)
    • Positive Ageing – organisations that promote the health & wellbeing of seniors in Australia
    • Living with Disability* – organisations that support people with disability to achieve their full potential and to participate fully in society

    *The Board recently included this additional Program Area after closer consideration of the range of applications received, our perspective gained from our Health & Personal Injury clients, and the important developments in the disability sector such as the National Disability Insurance Scheme.  

    From a broader social sector perspective, we are also looking at organisations that support social enterprise, innovation and capacity building.

    Over 500 applications were received in 2011 totalling $34m in requests. From our discretionary trusts, including The Trust Company Foundation, we have committed over $3m in distributions for 2011 between:

    • 17 organisations that align with our focus Program Areas above to benefit from a multi-year Strategic Partnership
    • 48 organisations to benefit from a one-off grant for 2011 only

    Going forward, we will be migrating to a wholly strategic partnership approach, and will be complementing this initial selection of Strategic Partners with additional members in due course.

    If you have any queries, please email us at philanthropy@thetrustcompany.com.au  or call 1800 622 812.


  • Celebrating Philanthropy Dinner 20 September 2011
    The Trust Company launched its Engaged Philanthropy Strategy to 115 philanthropists and community leaders at the NGV on 20th September 2011. The event was hosted by The Trust Company in collaboration with the NGV to coincide with the 150th Anniversary of the NGV. The NGV was an ideal venue for this celebration because many of the clients of The Trust Company have supported the acquisition of art work over the years.

    The evening began with a welcome and a tribute to Dame Nellie Melba in the Kaffehaus Vienna in the Great Hall. Dame Nellie Melba was not only an outstanding cultural icon but a significant philanthropist. The Melba Trust artists, Stephen McIntyre and Stacey Alleaume, soprano presented a retrospective of Dame Nellie’s life.

    Guests retired to the Persimmon for dinner and were welcomed by Mr John Atkin, Chief Executive Officer.

    After entrée Mr Simon Lewis, Head of Communication, Partnerships and Community, spoke about the importance of philanthropy and urged a greater commitment to involvement by the community Click here to read the speech.

    Special guest, Mr Gordon Moffatt AM, former Chair of The Trust Company, presented a gift to the NGV and his lifelong dedication to philanthropy was acknowledged by Mr Bruce Corlett AM, Chairman.

    Mr Bruce Corlett AM announced that the Kids Space would be the first strategic partner under the socially inclusive education area of The Trust Company engaged philanthropy program.

    The Trust Company was thanked by Mr Allan Myers AO QC, Chair of the NGV.

    Dr Gerard Vaughan AM introduced the Vienna Art and Design Exhibition and invited guests to wander through at their leisure with volunteer guides.

    Guests enjoyed dessert and coffee to the sounds of the Melbourne Youth Orchestra string quartet and wandered through the Kids’ Space and the Vienna Art & Design Exhibition.

Table Setting

Celebrating Philanthropy Table Setting

Dame Nellie Melba Tribute in the Kaffehaus Vienna, Great Hall

Dame Nellie Melba Tribute in the Kaffehaus Vienna, Great Hall

Mr Gordon Moffatt AM and Mrs Beth Bruce enjoy the Melba Tribute

Mr Gordon Moffatt AM and Mrs Beth Bruce enjoy the Melba Tribute

The Trust Company Board and The Kids’ Space

The Trust Company Board and The Kids’ Space

Mr Simon Lewis, Head of Communication, Partnerships and Community gives the address

Mr Simon Lewis, Head of Communication, Partnerships and Community gives the address