Celebrating 100 years of impact

During the early 1920s Melbourne was a bustling city recovering from the impacts of World War 1 and the Spanish Flu pandemic.

With a growing population, Melbourne’s hospitals were struggling to keep up with the increasing costs of hospital maintenance and patient care.

After two years of planning and consultations with business, government and charities, the Lord Mayor of Melbourne Sir John Swanston launched The Lord Mayor’s Fund for Metropolitan Hospitals and Charities on 14 June 1923. It was to become a centralised collection point for public donations to directly support the maintenance costs of Melbourne’s hospitals.

By the end of the 1920s, the Fund had increased its support from 18 hospitals to over 200 hospitals and charities. Sir John’s vision and intention for the Fund were being realised.

The Fund launched several successful fundraising campaigns such as Flower Day and the Industrial Contributions Scheme as well as taking over the management of the Saturday Hospital Appeal which had been managed by the Lord Mayor’s Office since 1873. The Sunday Hospital Appeal would become a sub-committee with all funds raised managed by the Fund.

The Lord Mayor’s Fund quickly developed an impressive popular reputation as an authority on charities and charitable giving. Melbourne’s daily media provided generous coverage of the Fund’s fundraising appeals encouraging public support and donations. 

From all across the business and community sectors, special events were held to raise money for the Fund including opening nights at theatres, gala balls on visiting ships, special film nights, school events and sporting tournaments. High-profile donors include The Duke and Duchess of York, Sir Sidney Myer, Mr G. J. Coles and Sir Arthur Baillieu. 

The 1920s was an incredible period of establishment and growth for The Fund. It had been brave, almost revolutionary, in creating a range of revenue streams that today would be recognised as workplace giving, donor-advised giving and the early concept of hospital health insurance.

Its early success had prepared it well for the next decade which would prove to be a challenging period in the Fund’s history but also for Australia.

IMAGE: 'Day by Day I see greater possibilities on the Scheme, and it is not unreasonable to forecast through this great organisation, an income sufficient for the maintenance of our hospitals and charities.' - Sir John Swanson, 1923. IMAGE SOURCE: Lord Mayor's Charitable Foundation Archives.

The 1930s was an incredibly challenging decade for Australia. The economic impacts of the Great Depression had been severe, intensifying already increasing levels of poverty and putting hospitals and charities under further pressure. The severe weather events of the decade adversely impacted agriculture due to the prolonged drought and bushfires, most notably the Black Friday bushfires in 1939. The outbreak of the polio epidemic started in 1937 and the beginning of World War 2 in 1939.

Support for the Fund and its popularity never wavered during this time, even though the economic impacts of the Great Depression adversely affected household incomes.

Melburnians were generous in nature and the Fund’s Executive Committee and Council were determined to continue to support the health and welfare of the wider Melbourne community through its fundraising and distributions to hospitals and charities.

The Fund became ambitious and launched its Endowment Fund to receive bequests and was the recipient of £25,000 donation from English philanthropist Lord Nuffield.

The industrial contribution scheme reached 140,000 donors and in 1937 the Fund reached £1,000,000 fundraised and distributed to hospitals and charities including to hospitals regional. This was a significant milestone for the Fund.

Other significant milestones included the passing of the Lord Mayor’s Fund Act in Victoria Parliament in 1930 and an income tax exemption from the Federal Government.

 

The Lord Mayor’s Fund was committed more than ever to look after the health and wellbeing of the people of Melbourne throughout the war years.

The Executive Council decided to pull back on fundraising and publicity campaigns out of respect for the Government’s fundraising efforts for the defence programme, war bonds and Red Cross war appeals, as well as for the people of Melbourne who were under pressure to contribute to the war effort.

A fundraising ban had been placed on charities not connected to the war effort, however, the State Government had recognised the important role that Fund continued to play in supporting hospitals and charities and granted the Fund an exemption.

Fundraising continued to steadily increase during the war years putting pressure on the Fund to provide further support for the maintenance costs of hospitals that needed to respond to the care required for returned services.

Post-war saw the Fund face new challenges that would affect fundraising targets. Federal and State governments had imposed higher taxes as part of post-war recovery, the idea of a state lottery system to fund hospitals was proposed by the State Government and there was now increased competition from other charities including overseas aid charities.

But the Fund’s popularity remained. The Fund’s strong reputation and history of successful management of funds and distributions to hospitals and charities ensured that the Fund was held in high regard by Melburnians who were proud of the city’s generous nature and philanthropic history.


IMAGE: Street appeals were a popular form of community fundraising. Nurse Nell Synnott is pictured with Private K. O'Shaughnessy in 1940 selling 'buttons' or pins as part of the Hospital Saturday and Sunday Appeal. IMAGE SOURCE: Lord Mayor's Charitable Foundation Archives.

The 1950s proved to be a challenging decade for The Lord Mayor’s Fund. It was a changing landscape both politically and economically. The Fund was faced with new competition from Federal and State social security taxes, a new lottery system and health insurance schemes introduced to support hospitals and a developing public healthcare system.

Even though The Fund maintained its popularity with the public and its place as Melbourne’s philanthropic heart, fundraising in a competitive market challenged the Fund to innovate and look for new opportunities.

The Fund decided to form a new committee for the Annual Appeal, led by Mr E B. Coles to help increase its publicity and direct giving by gaining the support of 100 influential businessmen. This strategy proved to be a success and the Fund reached new records in fundraising.

The Sunday Hospital Committee continued to advocate for voluntary giving, rather than the public contributing to giving through a lottery system.

A change in distributions saw the Fund begin to support specific hospital projects rather than just general hospital maintenance. And the identity of Mr X, the Fund’s generous anonymous donor for 20 years, was finally revealed.

The Endowment Fund continued to receive large bequests, in particular an annual distribution from the estate of Annette, Alice and Edith Collier.

Once again discussions took place about a centralised giving fund to receive all public donations, but wasn’t this the role of the Lord Mayor’s Fund? The United Giving Fund popular in North America was presented as a possible giving model. The Fund would end the decade with another new challenge.

IMAGE: For 65 years, the office of Lord Mayor’s Fund for Metropolitan Hospitals and Charities was located at Melbourne Town Hall with direct access to Swanston Street from 1923 – 1988. The Fund’s office was a central, convenient location to receive the many cash and cheque donations from the public and acted as a base on street appeal days held by the Fund as well as other philanthropic and charitable organisations. IMAGE SOURCE: State Library of Victoria

Under the backdrop of inflation, the Fund continues with its usual operations: its Annual Appeal, Street Appeals, and the Hospital Sunday Appeal, which changes to the 'Hospitals and Charities Sunday Appeal' in 1962, expanding distributions to include welfare organisations.

The 1962 Annual Report notes that "The year just closed has been one of the most difficult since the Fund was inaugurated in 1923. In common with all philanthropic and charitable organisations, the Fund as been affected by the impact on the economy of the deflationary measures introduced by the Federal Government in November 1960 to arrest inflation".

The large number of company take-overs and mergers occurring is also believed to be affecting fundraising efforts as "prior to their being acquired or merged, many of these companies contributed regularly to the Fund, but with few exceptions their contributions have ceased".

In the community, however, there is a growing tendency for citizens to recognise the work of the Fund by including a bequest in their Will. In 1961, the Endowment Fund increased by over £70,500 - the largest amount in any one year since the inception of the Fund.

IMAGE: The Lord Mayor's Appeal took place annually from September to November. The Appeal was seen as 'affording donors the most effective and equitable method yet devised' of assisting over 200 hospitals and charities. IMAGE SOURCE: Lord Mayor's Charitable Foundation Archives.

The Foundation's fifth decade was one which saw it adapt dramatically to meet the changing society it served. Annually, there is discussion of how to best improve the distribution formula. With more government funding provided to hospitals and greater need by charitable organisations, the distribution formula changes from 75 per cent to hospitals and 25 per cent to charities in 1969, to an even 50:50 split at the start of the decade, and finally to 25 per cent to hospitals and 75 per cent to charities.

The fundraising landscape is also in flux, with more women entering the workforce and less volunteers to assist with street appeals, Flower Day, Rose Day, Wattle Day and the October Street Appeal come to a close.

A highlight is the centenary celebration of the Hospitals Saturday and Sunday Appeals in 1973, having raised nearly $15 million since 1873.

By the end of the decade, the long-term commitment to building a perpetual endowment fund  is realised when the Endowment Section of the Fund is substantial enough that the annual interest earned exceeds the operating expenses of the Fund.


IMAGE: The success of the Foundation's Street Appeals relied on the generous support of a legion of dedicated volunteers. Pictured are a group of students from Suzan Johnston schools collecting funds during the 1970s.

The Fund starts the 1980s strong with an increase in donors and donations, however the period is characterised by broader economic challenges that affect the giving ability of the community, as well as increased competition from other charitable organisations.

The largest donor to the fund annually, the Lady Mayoress Committee celebrates its 25th anniversary in 1985 and a dinner dance where the Prince and Princess of Wales attend as guests of honour, results in the Committee's highest annual fundraising total: $126,087.

The Hospitals and Charities Sunday Appeal maintains its giving levels, but the Committee observes that it's the result of 'fewer contributions from fewer places of worship raising more money'.

In these uncertain times, it is the interest earned from the endowment fund that sees the Fund continue the growth trajectory of its distributions to hospitals and charities, totalling $7,863,498 by decade's end.

IMAGE: Over a century after it first commenced, the Hospitals and Charities Sunday Appeal continues through the 1980s. During this period, the Appeal raises $445,659 and the promotional flyers produced annually share the impact of contributions by congregations.  IMAGE SOURCE: State Library of Victoria

The Fund celebrates its 75th anniversary and the generosity of Melburnians who have donated $40 million since its inception.

It is forward-looking in its approach as the new millennium nears, establishing the 'Towards 2001' Vision and Strategic Plan.

1996 is a milestone year where the Lord Mayor's Fund Act is amended  and the organisation becomes known as Lord Mayor's Charitable Fund. The Endowment Fund name is also updated and holds the business name  'Melbourne Foundation' the following year.

The Fund continues to be the recipient of the community's fundraising efforts with newly launched department store Daimaru, Melbourne Symphony Orchestra and the Rialto's 'Run-up' event all contributing.

Bequests also characterise the decade and continue to support the Fund, including $429,174 bequeathed by Mrs. Dorothy E Jarvis, in memory of her late husband and her father who were both employees of the Melbourne City Council. The Fund had established an important role as the holder of charitable bequests for the benefit of charitable purposes in Melbourne.

IMAGE: Lord Mayor's Charitable Foundation celebrates its 75th anniversary in 1998 with a special event at Melbourne Town Hall. IMAGE SOURCE: Lord Mayor's Charitable Foundation Archives.

The 2000s saw the Foundation reach new milestones thanks to the the exceptional generosity of Mr Eldon Foote QC.

Mr Eldon Foote QC was a Canadian lawyer who started a successful business in Australia in the 1960s, which later expanded to the Asia Pacific region.

In 2001, together with his wife, Anne, he established the permanently endowed Eldon and Anne Foote Trust (with the Lord Mayor’s Charitable Fund) with an initial contribution of $5 million, and a further $5 million the following year.

The areas of interest that could be supported include social causes, environmental issues, the arts, medical research, health, education and recreation.

Upon his passing in 2004, Mr Eldon Foote QC bequeathed $140 million to the Foundation to continue this work - the largest gift in its history.

This gift placed the Foundation in a much stronger position to respond to community needs and support landmark projects to a level never before possible.

In response, the Foundation introduces 'core pillars' in 2008, what would later become 'Impact Areas', structuring its grantmaking. The grantmaking within these pillars are also strengthened by Grants Advisory Panels of subject matter experts.

The decade closes with an outpouring of community support in the days following the February 2009 Black Saturday bushfires where public donations, coupled with The Foundation’s own capital, enable the Foundation to distribute approximately $1 million to the frontline agencies working with families and individuals directly affected by the disaster. Again disaster response was a critical role for the Fund.

IMAGE: The largest donor to the Foundation, Mr Eldon Foote QC (far left) is pictured with his wife Anne and then Foundation Chairman, Geoffrey Green. After establishing the Eldon & Anne Foote Trust with the Lord Mayor’s Charitable Foundation in 2000, Mr Foote provided for further distributions of $140 million to Lord Mayor’s Charitable Foundation through the Eldon & Anne Foote Trust upon his passing in 2004. Today, grants are made in many areas of interest as specified in the Foote Trust Deed of Gift. IMAGE SOURCE: Lord Mayor's Charitable Foundation Archives.

The 2010s will be remembered as one of the most incredible and transformative decades for the Foundation. With the appointment of Dr Catherine Brown OAM as CEO in 2011, the Foundation embarked on a series of important projects. These included creating a strategic grants program based on the priority challenges of the day facing Melbourne.  Impact Areas were put in place with program managers who were knowledge experts in homelessness and affordable housing, environment and sustainability, education and employment, and healthy and resilient communities. Dr Brown also introduced a new model of philanthropy that would move the Foundation towards a more catalytic approach, where the Foundation was often an early funder to enable a solution to a tough problem to be tested and later scaled up. This systems change approach to grantmaking also included using all the ‘philanthropy toolbox’ including research, strategic communications, collaborations, influencing policy, and impact investment and social enterprise support. Initiatives such as the Affordable Housing Challenge, where the Foundation led collaborations,  would receive Philanthropy Australia’s award for Better Philanthropy in 2020.

The Foundation’s brand identity was updated with a new logo and positioning to better reflect the work of the Foundation as the community foundation for Greater Melbourne and the Act of Parliament was replaced in 2017.  Collective giving in the form of giving circles launched in Australia with the Foundation becoming the host foundation in 2014 to Impact100 Melbourne and Melbourne Women’s Fund. The Foundation’s reputation as a trusted and well-governed community foundation continued to grow and attracted donors to its charitable fund accounts and gift in wills through its bequest program Swanson Society. The student program Youth in Philanthropy reached capacity with 20 schools from across Melbourne enrolled.

One of the most important additions to the Foundation’s grants program was to increase its funding of environmental projects in response to the emerging health impacts and other adverse effects of climate change on people and communities. From 2016 onwards, he Foundation’s entire grants program would be viewed through a climate change lens to ensure all aspects of impact due to a changing climate would be addressed.

Throughout the decade the Foundation undertakes critical research projects including Greater Melbourne Vital Signs which helps the Foundation to identify emerging issues and two research projects to understand the life events that can lead women to retire in poverty.  These research projects, and others, help the Foundation to become proactive in its grantmaking by providing funding to projects early to tackle the issue.

By the end of the decade, the Foundation has a reputation as one of Australia’s leading philanthropic organisations. It now boasts an innovative and award-winning grants program and a diverse range of philanthropic services for donors with individual, collective and community giving options.

Foundation CEO Dr Catherine Brown OAM with artist Deborah Halpern at the launch of 'Mali in the City', Melbourne Zoo's 150th anniversary project supporting the conservation of endangered species.

The decade began with the community responding to natural disaster and facing uncertain times, unlike anything in recent memory.

Across the 2020 Summer, bushfires raged across the country, and Victorian communities were acutely affected. As in previous times of need, the Foundation activated its Disaster Response Policy and provided immediate relief for communities via $50,000 to Foodbank and $100,000 to Salvation Army.

Shortly after, in March 2020 the world came to a grinding halt, due to what would become known as the COVID-19 pandemic. The Foundation responded swiftly, within a matter of weeks funding Alfred Health's Department of Infectious Diseases to share its clinical learnings with the broader health community.

Over the next two years, Greater Melbourne would experience some of the longest and strictest lockdown measures in the world and the demand on the charitable and not-for-profit sector was immense. Over $3 million dollars in grants were dedicated to the pandemic response across four key areas: responding to the health impacts of COVID-19; scaling-up existing services to meet increased demand of support; supporting organisational and sector resilience; and building back better as part of the COVID-19 recovery.

The Foundation’s Initiatives has seen it take a leading role in convening, collaborating and building networks for long-term impact. These have included the Affordable Housing Challenge, Hot Spots Initiative, Next Economy Jobs Challenge. The Foundation also began work on decarbonising its investment portfolio.

As the Foundation celebrates its centenary amidst an environment that is increasingly uncertain, the Foundation looks to the future with the optimism, vested in the knowledge of our generous community, the resilience of the charitable and not-for-profit sector, and the Foundation’s ability to intimately understand and respond to need as the Community Foundation for Greater Melbourne.

IMAGE: Lord Mayor's Charitable Foundation applies an Environment & Sustainability Lens across its grantmaking, recognising that the changing climate represents challenges that can disproportionately affect certain cohorts of the community. In response, the Foundation is developing and incubating solutions that ensure an equitable transition to a more sustainable future. IMAGE SOURCE: Climate Council.