Lord Mayor’s Charitable Foundation recently reviewed its grant partnerships with First Nations organisations and communities over the last ten years. The review showed that the Foundation has increased its grants funding in support of First Nations people from $161,000 in 2013 to $1.26 million in 2023.

Most importantly, the analysis shows how the Foundation’s growing understanding of what it means to support self-determination is reflected in our granting. That is, our grants funding has shifted from organisations that support First Nations peoples, to funding First Nations led organisations.

Our granting supports work led by various First Nations organisations and those working in genuine partnership with First Nations led organisations, that aligns with our strategic goals and outcomes, particularly regarding social justice.

First Nations Grants 2024

Environmental Justice Australia
Legally empowering First Nations people to care for Country

Invasive Species Council Fund
Voice of Country: Creating a culture that cares and collaborates to protect Country

Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology
Supporting Healthy Country and Communities

Seed Indigenous Youth Climate Network Ltd
Seed WA Youth Gathering

Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Foundation
Strengthening community/food system resilience through the Culture+Kinship Model

Strong Mothers Inc
Pregnant Aboriginal mothers and infants first three years project

The Australian Centre for Social Innovation Inc
Yawa - Journeying Together

University of Melbourne
Working with Coranderrk on their Unearthing Indigenous foods of Melbourne

Victoria University - Moondani Balluk
Aboriginal Resilience and Future Imaginings

Victoria University - Aboriginal History Archive
Enhancing Aboriginal Health Worker advocacyand leadership

Weenthunga Health Network Inc
Nyarrngakgo mangkie On Country Retreat

Woor-Dungin Inc
Testing Woor-Dungin's 'Decolonising Philanthropy: Cultural Audit and Toolkit'

Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung Cultural Heritage Aboriginal Corporation
Design and development of Wurundjeri Educational Resources and School Display Units



Reconciliation Action Plan

In 2024, the Foundation continued to work on its first Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP). The Reflect RAP has assisted in furthering the Foundation's reconciliation journey. A detailed action plan was submitted to Reconciliation Australia for review and was approved.

A staff committee has been formed to implement our Reflect RAP including undertaking a design process inhouse and working with Murrup Biik Public Art to feature Binak Etching by Aunty Kim Wandin on the cover.

The Foundation continues to strengthen our commitment to reconciliation, participating in Reconciliation Week and NAIDOC Week by featuring and celebrating our First Nations grant partners, as well as engaging in cultural learning activities. A RAP book club was established and worked through Clare Land’s book, Decolonising Solidarity.

The Foundation has conducted a review of cultural learning needs for staff and Board, implementing a range of activities to enable this learning. The Foundation joined Philanthropy Australia’s First Nations Funders Group and the Australian Environmental Grantmakers Network’s Indigenous Land and Sea Funders Network to learn more about best practice philanthropy in partnership with First Nations organisations.