Philanthropy invited to step into powerful shared work with First Nations communities

Right across the country, a powerful series of conversations and gatherings is reshaping the way philanthropy listens to and works with First Nations communities.  

From the emerging Blak Loungeroom conversations to the upcoming Common Threads First Nations Summit, a shared theme is clear. First Nations leadership is expanding, and philanthropy is being invited to step into a new kind of partnership. One that is grounded in respect, learning and accountability. 

Blak Loungeroom Conference 

The Blak Loungeroom National Philanthropy Conference, held on 7–9 April in Melbourne, will feature voices of cultural practitioners and community leaders,  creating a space where philanthropy can sit alongside First Nations voices in a genuine spirit of collaboration. The intention is to bring funders and First Nations leaders into the same room to explore what shared leadership can look like in practice.  

“First Nations people should not be sitting in isolation. Philanthropy needs to sit alongside us, because we all have a role in shaping this system,” said John Harding, a Ku Ku Yimidir man from Far North Queensland and an Erub, Darnley Island man from the Torres Strait, and CEO of Barmal Bijiril Foundation.  

“The work ahead cannot be done by government alone. Progress requires philanthropy to join First Nations communities at the table and to take part in shaping a more just and culturally grounded approach to investment and decision making.” 

Philanthropy Australia’s Executive Director Policy & Sector Development Krystian Seibert will be one of the more than 20 speakers at the Blak Loungroom Conference, sharing insights from the Productivity Commission’s philanthropy inquiry. 

Common Threads Summit and Redistribution Fund 

Common Threads is a new First Nations-led organisation and fund, building collective power for justice and self-determination.  

Its flagship event, the Common Threads Summit, will bring together 500 First Nations leaders, practitioners and community members on Kaurna Country in Adelaide on 12-14 May. The Summit is designed to strengthen connections across the First Nations ecosystem and collaborations for transformational change.  

Grounded in relationships across First Nations movements, Common Threads is also launching a Redistribution Fund to scale philanthropic investment in grassroots initiatives led by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. They envision a model where the priorities of First Nations communities shape the agenda for philanthropic giving, not the other way around. 

“Our vision is for an economically prosperous and culturally vibrant future for First Nations people and generations to come,” Common Threads CEO, Widjabul Wia-bul woman Larissa Baldwin-Roberts said. 

“Establishing the Cubawee Redistribution Fund is our long-term solution to the resourcing issues holding our movements back. We can remove barriers First Nations campaigners and community activists often face in accessing funding, and ensure that resources flow to grantees with big ideas, ambitious goals, grassroots solutions and early-stage initiatives.” 

Philanthropy is invited to join in partnership and back the leadership of First Nations communities to deliver transformative change for rights, community and protecting Country.  

First Peoples’ Assembly of Victoria elections 

This is also the broader context in which First Nations governance and voice are strengthening across the country. 

In Victoria, the upcoming Treaty Elections highlight an exciting democratic process, which centres Community choice and self-determination. 

Nominations for the First Peoples’ Assembly are open until 2 March for Traditional Owners of Country in Victoria who wish to stand as candidates. Voting will take place from 21 March to 12 April 2026, and eligibility includes Traditional Owners and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who have lived in Victoria for at least three of the past five years and are 16 or older. 

All the information about voting, nominations and eligibility are available on the Treaty Elections website. 

Ally organisations are being encouraged to support this moment by sharing election information through their networks, promoting the Treaty Elections website and highlighting key dates in newsletters and internal communications.  

Many are also contributing through volunteering, including staffing polling booths and participating in call campaigns that help ensure Community has access to clear and timely information. 

Connected pathway for philanthropy 

Across philanthropy, these actions reflect a growing understanding that partnership with First Nations communities must be lived through consistent practice. The Blak Loungeroom Conference, the Common Threads Summit, the Redistribution Fund and the Treaty Elections each offer a different but connected pathway for philanthropy and allies to stand with community and support a future shaped by strong and self-determined First Nations leadership.