Issue 55, December 2025
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The Ian Potter Foundation offers its profound sympathies to all those affected by the horrific attack on members of our community in Bondi last weekend. It is the right of all Australians to feel safe and valued as we go about our lives, our work and our cultural celebrations.
We hope that this tragic event will encourage all Australians to support one another and strengthen the ties that bind us together
MESSAGE FROM THE CEO
I was recently invited to speak about the Foundation's long-standing relationship with Hello Sunday Morning (HSM) at its 15thAnniversary celebration, hosted by Her Excellency the Governor-General, Sam Mostyn, atAdmiralty House.The Ian Potter Foundation has been a key supporter of HSM since 2012, providing critical investment in Hello Sunday
Paul Conroy speaking at Hello Sunday Morning's 15th Anniversary celebration, hosted by Her Excellency the Governor-General, Sam Mostyn, at Admiralty House in November 2025.
Morning's organisational capacity and sustainability.
As the Foundation's support for HSM pre-dates my time as CEO, I had to dig into the files to conduct some research on this long-standing partnership. The Foundation first invested in Hello Sunday Morning in 2012, just two years after its establishment, when it sought a modest amount to support its bold ambition to change the world's relationship with alcohol, ‘one Sunday at a time’.
What struck me was how the relationship developed in line with HSM's ambitions – initially, a small grant to pilot activations atAustralian universities, followed by a larger investment to innovate through the development of the Daybreak app, which aimed to reach Australians who needed support to reduce their drinking but weren't accessing traditional services.Then, a more substantial funding commitment over five years ($2.5 million) to support HSM to build its capacity, strengthen its leadership, and embed quality and safety into its services.
The Ian Potter Foundation is proud to have been on this journey with Hello Sunday Morning, backing its growth, innovation, and focus on prevention to help those seeking to change their relationship with alcohol. Congratulations to the leaders of Hello Sunday Morning on achieving this milestone.
This year, we have seen several changes to our Board, and this month, we welcome Ms Alison WatkinsAM, an experienced chief executive officer and non-executive director, currently serving as a non-executive member of the Reserve Bank ofAustralia, CSLLtd and Wesfarmers Ltd. She is also the Chancellor of the University of Tasmania. We are delighted to welcomeAlison and look forward to her fresh perspectives on the Foundation’s grantmaking.
At the same time, we bid farewell to Leon DavisAO, who served on the Board of Governors for 18 years. Leon believed that supporting outstanding leaders was critical and was always keen to visit many of the organisations we have supported to learn from those on the ground. We thank him for his commitment and dedication to the Foundation over his many years of service.
Lastly, on behalf of the Board and our team, I acknowledge the passing of Mr Neil (Nobby) ClarkAO, who served on the Foundation's Board from 1994 to 2007.
As we close out another busy year, I wish all our colleagues in the philanthropic and notfor-profit sector a safe and restful holiday season. We look forward to working with you all in the new year
Paul Conroy
$11.1 million in grants
This month, the Foundation awarded $11,101,000 in grants, including $4,441,000 in grants across its Arts, Community Wellbeing, and Early Childhood Development programs.
In this funding round, six Public Health grants totalling $5,410,000 were awarded from invited applications.These grants reflect the Foundation's new approach to Public Health. Read about the new Public Health objectives and recently funded projects here.
AMajor grant of $1,250,000 was awarded to Infoxchange for its NFP Digital Future Initiative.
Read more
FUNDING ROUNDS Dates for 2026
Aboriginal Investment Group's Remote Laundries Project received one of six Public Health grants awarded in this round.
The funding rounds dates for 2026 are now available for all program areas.
New Guidelines
New funding guidelines for Public Health are now published on our website.
New Dates
We have recently changed the dates for EOIs for Round 3, 2026 (Community Wellbeing and Public Health). See the new EOI open and close dates below
Early Childhood Development will be closed in 2026. This program area will re-open for EOIs in Round 2, 2027.
We advise grantseekers to regularly check Funding Round dates on our website in the lead-up to rounds.
Round ProgramAreas
Timing
2 2026 Arts
EOI stage 5 November - 11 December 2025
Applications open 2 February 2026
Applications close 26 March 2026
Grants announced late June 2026
EOI stage 17 February 2026 - 12 March 2026
Applications close 4 June 2026
Grants announced late September 2026 3 2026 Community Wellbeing Public Health
EOI stage 28 May 2026 - 18 June 2026
Applications close 20August 2026
Grants announced mid-December 2026
Funding Round dates
SECTOR ENGAGEMENT
Investing in expertise
Nature Media Centre
Anew resource has launched to support media coverage ofAustralia’s environmental challenges and what's needed to reverse the trajectory of decline.
The Nature Media Centre is a joint project of the Biodiversity Council, theAustralian Land ConservationAlliance, and the Pew Charitable Trusts.
Established to help boost capacity for both stretched newsrooms and nature champions, the Nature Media Centre is looking for spokespeople from all walks of life to help journalists tell more and better stories aboutAustralia's nature crisis.
To support journalists, content creators and other newsmakers, the Nature Media Centre has established a database of nature spokespeople right across the nation. Over 150 spokespeople from marine scientists, First Nations land managers and conservationfocused farmers to wildlife carers and plastic-free advocates are already profiled – but more are needed.
Nature champions who want to connect with the media can easily provide a profile of their work via the Nature Media Centre’s website.
The Nature Media Centre has also launched a regular training program for local advocates who want to enhance their communication skills.As part of the training program participants gain an overview of values-based messaging, basic media training and content creation. You can sign up to join a future training program here.
Learn more
Social Impact Leadership Australia
World-Class leadership program returns to VIC & TAS
Are you a CEO of a for-purpose organisation in Victoria orTasmania? Join this free online information session on Social Impact LeadershipAustralia (SILA), the nation's foremost leadership program for the sector.
This fully funded 10-month program (valued at over $80K per delegate) supports forpurpose CEOs to enhance their wellbeing and effectiveness, build organisational capability for greater social impact, and develop the systems-thinking skills needed to navigate the broader social ecosystem.Applications for 2026 will open soon.
Attend an information webinar on 24 February at 2 pmAEDT to learn what’s included and how to apply
Attend webinar
Next Welcome Workshops
Our new grant recipients are invited to one of two in-person Welcome Workshops:
Melbourne In-person on 4 February 2026
Sydney In-person on 6 February 2026
This workshop is an opportunity for you to:
Connect with staff from IPF
Network with like-minded active grant recipients
Discuss IPF's expectations on reporting and engagement throughout the life of the grant.
Key grant contacts will receive an email inviting them and one other colleague to attend either of these workshops.
New staff of current grant partners are also welcome to attend.
Additional Mini Workshops Offered
To support our grant partners, we are also providing additional one-hour mini-workshops on these above dates on the following topics:
Perfecting your pitch!
Storytelling
Engaging a Consultant
There's more than one type of evaluation?
Staff from any current grant partners are also welcome to attend any of the miniworkshops.
Please contact your program manager or Ximena Avalos Mendez to arrange an invite.
After each grant round, the Foundation invites grant recipients to a Welcome Workshop.
RECOGNITION
WA Scientist of the Year
Professor Rhonda Marriott AM
Marriott is joint winner
Congratulations to Professor Rhonda MarriottAM on being named the joint winner of theAboriginal andTorres Strait Islander Scientist of the Year in Western Australia'sAnnual Premier's Science Awards.
Professor Marriott is the Inaugural Pro Vice Chancellor of the Ngangk Yira Institute for Change at Murdoch University and a recognised leader inAboriginal health research. Descended from the Nyikina people of the Kimberley, Professor Marriott has pioneered culturally safe models for maternal and early childhood health.
In 2022, the Foundation awarded $1.86 million ot the NgangkYira Institute for Change towards its Family Empowerment Across Life - Indigenous Growth: the FEALING Program.
RECOGNITION
Senior Victorian of the Year
Lipmann named Senior Australian of the Year - Victoria
Congratulations to Bryan LipmannAM on being named SeniorAustralian of theYear for Victoria 2026. Bryan Lipmann founded Wintringham - a not-for-profit welfare organisation created to address the elderly homelessness - in 1989 after working as a social worker, where he saw firsthand the neglect faced by older people who were homeless or at risk. His vision created a new model of aged care, one that has transformed the lives of thousands acrossAustralia and influenced national policy
In 2019, the Foundation awarded the notfor-profit organisation a $2.5 million grant towards the construction of permanent social housing units in Shepparton for elderly residents with limited mobility
Bryan Lipmann AM
Port Phillip EcoCentre
The Port Phillip EcoCentre team accepting Tidy Towns a & Cities Sustainability Award
The Port Phillip EcoCentre has won the TidyTowns & Cities SustainabilityAward in the Energy category for its new premises.The Foundation awarded the Centre a $427,000 Environment grant in 2022 to cultivate new strategic community-institution partnerships, share knowledge and build citizen science capacity
In October, our team was delighted to get a sneak peek at the new solar-powered, zero-emissions community hub built on its original site in the St Kilda Botanical Gardens in Melbourne.The new centre includesAustralia's first Citizen Science Lab, and our staff were the first group to use the new lab when we participated in a Strain the Drains workshop run by Tangaroa Blue.
The EcoCentre was also shortlisted in the Beachkeepers of the Bay (Environment Category) - engaging citizen scientists and community volunteers in monitoring and restoring coastal habitats across key sites in Port Phillip Bay, and in the Waste Category for its Share & Swap Shop initiative that fosters a culture of reuse by diverting household goods from landfill.
Derwent Estuary Program
Derwent Estuary Program (DEP) has been named the winner in the Infrastructure Project Innovation award category at theTasmanian WaterAwards in November
DEP's Real-time NutrientAnalyser Project won the Infrastructure Project Innovation Award (Regional) and will go on to represent the state at the National Australian WaterAwards, to be presented at Ozwater’26 in Brisbane.
The Foundation supported the three-year demonstration trial of this project in 2022 with a $246,000 Environment grant.
HOLIDAY CLOSURE Season's Greetings
The Ian Potter Foundation Annual Review for 2024-25 is now available. In this year's review, we look at the range of community-led initiatives previously and currently supported by the Foundation.
We wishallour colleagues in the philanthropic andnot-for-profit sector a safe andpeaceful holiday season.
We lookforwardto working with you allin the new year.
Our office will be closed from Friday, December 19 to Monday, January 5, 2026.
We produce this quarterly e-newsletter to keep our friends and associates up to date with all the news and recent grants made by The Ian Potter Foundation.
We acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the land on which we work. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present.
Copyright © 2025 The Ian Potter Foundation, All rights reserved.
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