Philanthropic Services Annual Review 2013
I am who I am independent of my wealth, I am a caretaker, a steward, Life itself is the greatest gift we have I am a caretaker of my life, I am a part of a great whole, The greatest impact I make is through the person I am, the values I live by, the actions I take. Ulrike Klein Contact the Philanthropic Services team by email: philanthropic@mfco.com.au, or phone: (03) 9207 3035.
1 Message from the Chairman While the Myer Family Company s success in investment and wealth management draws upon our family s legacy and experience, we are always looking to the future to ensure the next generation can share and learn from this success. Philanthropy is no different. The future of philanthropy in Australia is one of growth, impact and accomplishment. Philanthropy has the capacity to change lives, not just of the individuals and communities receiving funds, but also the lives of those giving. And so reflecting on the Myer Family Company s Philanthropic Services team achievements over the past year I am pleased to see that the future of family philanthropy remains an area we continue to grow and positively impact. Funds distributed by our clients rose by a further 14% over the period with in excess of $31m distributed to Australian and international causes. The Philanthropic Services team assisted many of these clients with strategy and research, helping families to articulate what is important to them as individuals, and how this could be applied to their giving. Reading this review you will see examples of our clients and their giving noting how impact for these families and recipients is directly tied to their individual values. I do hope you take as much pleasure in reading this review as I did. Martyn Myer AO Chairman, The Myer Family Company
2 Snapshot of Giving In 2012/13 our clients distributed over $31.5m in grants to community organisations in Australia and abroad. The following graphs depict some of the areas in which our clients are active. TOTAL GRANT DISTRIBUTION BY FOCUS AREA $31.5M Education 45.32% Arts, Culture & Humanities 14.28% Health, Wellbeing & Medical Research 8.62% Poverty and Disadvantage 6.29% International Development & International Relations 6.22% Community Development 3.55% Children/Youth at Risk 3.42% Indigenous Australians 2.81% Environment 2.28% Disability 1.82% Housing & Homelessness 1.78% CALD Community 1.27% Crime, Justice & Legal Issues <1% Animals <1% Civil Society <1% Science and Technology <1% Employment and Training <1% Ageing Futures <1% Religion and Spirituality <1% Recreation and Sport <1% Philanthropy, Volunteerism and Non-Profit Infrastructure <1%
3 TOP 5 FOCUS AREAS BY GRANT DISTRIBUTION Education 45.32% Arts, Culture & Humanities 14.28% Health, Wellbeing & Medical Research 8.62% Poverty and Disadvantage 6.29% International Development & International Relations 6.22% TOP 10 FOCUS AREAS ACCORDING TO NUMBER OF CLIENTS GRANTING Arts, Culture & Humanities Education Health, Wellbeing & Medical Research Children/Youth at Risk International Development & International Relations Poverty and Disadvantage Disability Indigenous Australians Community Development Environment
4 Message from the team Each year as we assess the work that we have done, where we have been and where we want to go, we are amazed at the broad range of programs that we have had the privilege of assisting. This year was no different. Our client list continued to grow with over 80 foundations having been created since 2004 as well as a number of established foundations seeking our assistance and guidance. The areas our clients are interested in cover a diverse range of focus areas, from arts and culture to poverty and disadvantage, local programs in clients own backyards to international projects in scope and delivery. Perhaps reflecting the mood of society more broadly, our clients increased their giving in areas such as asylum seekers, young people at risk and justice and legal issues. The area of education also saw a significant increase in investment while the arts remain a strong focus area for our clients. To compliment our client work, the team were also heavily involved in sector events and briefings. We developed and hosted several well attended forums on Social Investing, Does your Philanthropic Dollar Influence Govern ment?, and Families Changing the World; the latter of which was co-hosted with the Australian Communities Foundation. We were also pleased to partake in regular speaking engagements at both community and philanthropic sector events. With the view of raising awareness for iconic acts of philanthropy across the nation, the team developed and led the inspiring project Australia s Top 50 Philanthropic Gifts, which is discussed later in this review. At the end of 2013 we said goodbye to key staff members who took on new roles within the Company as well as in new cities. We thank Stacey Thomas, Nancy Piche and Lisa Jacobs for their valued contributions as well as welcoming our new team members Amanda Miller, Louise Doyle and Harriet Dwyer. Over the past year we have been privileged to work with some wonderful families and organisations across Australia and overseas. We d like to thank you for allowing us to be part of your philanthropic programs, seeking to make positive changes in our community. AMANDA MILLER, HARRIET DWYER, LOUISE DOYLE, PETER WINNEKE
5 Changing Lives, Changing Organisations Brad Cooke, Jawun The Eureka Benevolent Foundation recognises the significant contribution world-class education can make to the capacity of Australian non-profits. The Foundation offered Brad Cooke, Regional Director for Inner Sydney at Jawun, the opportunity of a lifetime: tuition and travel to attend Harvard University as a participant in the Performance Measurement for Effective Management of Non-Profit Organisations program. The Foundation provided Jawun a grant of $6,325, affording Brad the opportunity to develop his skills and maximise Jawun s impact. We spoke with Brad to learn more about how this opportunity helped him and Jawun grow. Can you tell us a little about your study at Harvard? The Harvard Executive Education programs operate on a case study basis. Each day we would be presented with up to three case studies on a variety of subjects that we then had to dissect using different tools and methods. It was a simple but very effective way of learning to be in a room with such high calibre non-profit staff from around the world. Each night was spent in my room getting through the large amount of reading required for the following day. How has studying at Harvard benefitted you personally? It really was a life-changing experience. As an Aboriginal man from La Perouse, to find myself studying at Harvard is something I, and my family, are incredibly proud of. Not only has it increased my own confidence, it has encouraged me to read more, allowing me to assess situations more clearly and quickly. What impact has this experience had on the way Jawun operates? It has made such a big difference in the way that we are able to communicate the importance of measurement and outcomes with our Indigenous partner organisations. With the new tools and information on why measurement is important, we have been able to assist these organisations to more accurately measure their own impact. In turn, allowing them to build capacity and develop relationships with their own funders.
6 Klein Family Foundation Engaging the Next Generation How do you bridge your personal philanthropy with the ideas and values of your children? How do you engage your children in something that is already well established? These were the questions that Ulrike Klein, successful businesswoman, philanthropist and mother asked the Myer Family Company to assist with in mid 2013. Bringing together Ulrike and her four adult children from around the world, we spent the session understanding what was important to each of these family members. Using inquiry to uncover the values of each participant, and story to understand their perspective and experiences, our session aimed to find common ground. Common ground on values, on what successful philanthropy could look like for the entire family and on how philanthropy could be a legacy to hand down to future generations. Having a dedicated time and space to consider how philanthropy is something that every family member can not only participate in, but also enjoy and value, allowed the family to see their Foundation in a different light. It went from being something that Ulrike established and ran, to something that Ulrike designed to unify the family through enjoyment and learning. PHILANTHROPIC VISION WORKSHOP PHILANTHROPIC The Philanthropic Services VISION WORKSHOP team has developed We successfully deliver a number of work shops The and Philanthropic refined the vision Services workshop team has over developed many and refined throughout the vision Australia workshop every year. over many Each workshop years. The years. key The outcomes key outcomes of the of workshop the workshop are to: are to: is personally tailored to suit the needs of both y Develop the Purpose of the Foundation; the individuals and family as a whole. y Determine the key focus areas; y Develop a draft giving strategy; and y Engage the next generation. We successfully deliver a number of workshops throughout Australia every year. Each workshop is personally tailored to suit the needs of both the individuals and family as a whole.
7 Telematics Trust Educating Victorians As foundations grow in both size and scope so too does the administration. The Myer Family Company acts as Secretariat for a number of foundations. We take up any number of tasks on behalf of our clients, from managing the paperwork and application process to monitoring reporting requirements. One of these foundations is the Telematics Course Students in action on the Motorvation simulator, a previous grantee of the Telematics Trust. Development Fund (Telematics Trust). This is their story. Telematics Trust is a public charitable trust and was founded in 1987 by then Premier of Victoria, John Cain. The Victorian State Government initially funded the Trust with a $3 million grant over a two-year period and its corpus has since grown. In 2013 the Trust distributed over $750,000. The Telematics Trust s aim was to benefit Victorians in technology based education and training. More than just a grant making body, the Telematics Trust can also provide loans, equity and debt based investments in projects that From simulators to the real thing; Motorvation meet the eligibility criteria. students and instructor. With two grant rounds per year the Telematics Trustees rely on the voluntary contribution of the Grants Advisory Committee, an expert technology and education panel that make grant recommendations to Trustees. Trustees assess these recommendations while acting as stewards of the Trust and its legacy across Victoria. As each year passes, with the Myer Family Company s Secretariat and admini strative support, the Telematics Trust reaches more organisations benefiting Victorians. For more information about the Telematics Trust please visit www.telematics.org.au.
8 Australia s Top 50 Philanthropic Gifts Throughout 2013 the Philanthropic Services team led a sectorwide initiative that became known as, Australia s Top 50 Philanthropic Gifts. Understanding the power of story to inspire others to give, we led a working group to uncover gifts across Australia, which regardless of size had far reaching impact. Asking the public to nominate their favourite gifts and stories, hundreds of ideas were forwarded to the working group for inclusion with the Philanthropic Services team researching and reviewing each one. The end result was 50 of the most inspirational stories on how philanthropy has created and changed Australia s cultural and societal landscape. Culminating in a launch and celebration in which most gifts were represented, a limited edition publication was created which is also available on our website. An Australian first in Bendigo Last year we were able to share an example of successful research led funding with The Yulgilbar Foundation s commitment to housing and homelessness in Bendigo, Victoria. Mr Baillieu Myer turning the first sod in Bendigo. As reported, after commissioning the Philanthropic Services team to conduct place-based research in Bendigo, the Foundation agreed to contribute $1m to an Australian-first housing initiative with Haven: Home, Safe. This was further leveraged by significant philanthropic funding and subsequently secured State Government funding of $4m. We are pleased to update you with the progress of this project. At the time of printing, the first sod has been turned and development of Sidney Myer Haven is underway. Completion is expected by December 2014.
The Ripple Effect How a small grant in Springvale led to reform in Thailand. In 2011 the issue of Unaccompanied Humanitarian Minors (UHM), young people under the age of 18 arriving as refugees without any parental support, was brought before the Melbourne-based Barr Family Foundation (BFF). In what way could this family foundation have an impact on such a complex, political situation? Entering into a three-year agreement with Foundation House, BFF agreed to provide $16,000 a year to enable a qualified migration agent to work one day a week from the Springvale Community Aid and Advice Bureau (SCAAB). This agent would provide free individual assistance to complete visa applications for UHM s for the purpose of family reunion. From the outset it was known that this work would not result in many of these minors being reunified with their families. Despite this, BFF acknowledged a young person s ability to settle in a new country could be increased by knowing they had applied for the relevant visas to potentially be with their loved ones again. The BFF Directors were pleased to learn recently, as a result of their modest grant and extra resourcing and advocacy at the SCAAB, the Thai government had recommenced registering Burmese refugees in Thailand. This is one small but important piece of the puzzle to ensure refugees are processed quickly and humanely and a wonderful example of the international ripple effect of a small Victorian grant.