Invest early, change everything: Why adolescent girls are philanthropy’s greatest untapped investment
By Conor Costello, Associate Director, Policy & Advocacy at Plan International Australia
Fri, 7 Aug 2026
Every philanthropist wants to invest where the return is greatest. The evidence suggests there are few opportunities with greater long-term impact than investing in adolescent girls, as Conor Costello from Plan International Australia writes.
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Historic Treaty For Victoria promises ‘tomorrow can be better than yesterday’
Dee Rudebeck, Advisor, News & Storytelling
Fri, 31 Oct 2025
In a landmark session in the Victorian State Parliament last night, the only treaty with First Peoples in Australia was passed into law by the Upper House after a decade-long movement and years of negotiations between the Assembly and government. The Treaty will centre First Peoples in the decision-making process of any legislation involving Aboriginal people.
Hugh de Kretser: ‘When human rights are respected, our societies are stronger, healthier and safer’
Dee Rudebeck, Advisor, News & Storytelling
Fri, 5 Sep 2025
The President of the Australian Human Rights Commission shares how he's seen philanthropy become more confident in backing advocacy and how important the impact has been. Hugh spoke at the Philanthropy Leadership Summit 2025 and says human rights principles provide a framework for navigating the polycrisis, societal polarisation and rise in racism we're seeing in Australia.
Catch up on Philanthropy Leadership Summit 2025 breakout sessions – Part 2
Fri, 5 Sep 2025
Here’s your chance to catch up on what you missed in the second set of our ‘Deeper dive into real life leadership’ sessions. Read reflections on investing in leadership to collective solutions to climate change and emerging approaches to addressing inequality.
From privilege to possibility: leadership in an age of inequality
Rachel Ball, CEO, Reichstein Foundation
Fri, 25 Jul 2025
In this era of economic inequality, the philanthropic sector is not a spectator. We contribute to and benefit from a flawed economic system that fuels inequality, condemns people to poverty and perpetuates discrimination. As privileged participants in this system, we have an opportunity and responsibility to change it, writes Rachel Ball, CEO of the Reichstein Foundation.
Sydney Women’s Fund emergency domestic violence appeal was ‘saving lives’ in weeks
Dee Rudebeck, Advisor, News and Storytelling
Fri, 27 Jun 2025
Sometimes there’s only a window of a few hours to get locks changed and save a woman’s life. Weave Youth & Community Services, a Sydney not-for-profit that works at the ‘pointy end’ of keeping women and children safe from domestic violence, has a trusted team of trauma-informed tradies on call to do the job. The work is funded in part from an emergency appeal by the Sydney Women’s Fund that was in Weave’s hands within weeks.
Sector leaders react to Gates Foundation’s historic plan to spend down US$200bn
Fri, 16 May 2025
Bill Gates has announced that the Gates Foundation plans to spend its endowment and ‘virtually all’ of his personal wealth totaling US$200 billion in the next 20 years to accelerate its mission of ‘saving and improving lives around the world’. Here, four leaders from the Australian philanthropic sector, Daniel Petre, Audette Exel, Peter Johnstone and Maree Sidey react.
