Dear AEGN members and friends,

What a year it has been. There has been much thoughtful, strategic and impactful funding by members, resulting in excellent outcomes that help to build the environmental future we all want to see. We are trying to track and report the results of the clearing house and member events where projects have been showcased but here is just a snapshot of a few great outcomes.

Many of you have participated in several inspiring funder collaborations this year. Twenty six funders joined Rob Purves in funding the Tree Clearing Alliance, which in May saw strong clearing controls reinstated in Queensland to protect precious habitat. A further nine AEGN members contributed critical funding to Hands Off Our Charities, an alliance of environment, social and faith-based organisations who have worked tirelessly to see change to a series of bills that would have significantly restricted the ability of charities to undertake advocacy. As you know, much improved legislation was passed only a few weeks ago. And AEGN board and staff were thrilled when seventeen of you provided over $1M in funding to the AEGN Sustaining Fund, unlocking a further $1M in matched funding. The Sustaining Fund provides important financial stability to the AEGN with 10% of the balance of the fund helping to cover our operating costs each year.

So thank you all for your fantastic funding. While you take a well-deserved rest over summer you might like to settle down and peruse some news and updates from members.

On Sunday 18 November a group of AEGN members and Reichstein Foundation donors gathered on board Greenpeace’s Rainbow Warrior to learn about the critical role of advocacy and direct action in changing our world for the better. John Spierings, Executive Officer of the Reichstein Foundation, made a stirring call to action for funders to step up and to be open, transparent and bold in their funding and in their actions. I recommend reading John’s powerful speech here.

Louise Arkles, Program Manager at the Ian Potter Foundation travelled to the US Environmental Grantmakers Association annual retreat in North Carolina as well as meeting with philanthropic foundations in both the US and Canada. She shares the key themes that resonated through the EGA retreat and meetings with philanthropists as well as what inspired and excited her here.

AEGN members – the Morris Family Foundation and the Garry White Foundation – piloted a small grants scheme to nurture and build awareness of sustainable food systems. You can learn about the pilot through a short video.

Eytan Lenko shares an update below on the Frack Free NT project which received funding from eight AEGN members who heard about this work on the Central Australia Field Trip.

In recent months AEGN members have hosted an inspiring range of organisations to share their work covering issues from marine permaculture, biodiversity and landscape protection through to fracking and climate issues in WA and the NT. In the new year Sue McKinnon will share her experiences at SOCAP18 – a gathering of over 3000 impact investors, entrepreneurs and social impact leaders in the US this October. If you have an organisation or project that you would like to showcase to the membership through an event and would like some advice on how best to do this, please contact Ione ione@aegn.org.au or Kris kristine@aegn.org.au .

And take a look at some great projects for funding, shared on the clearinghouse by AEGN members, read about our newest members, the Fremantle Foundation, browse through our new publications and services and of course, if you haven’t already, do please complete the AEGN members survey – doing this before Christmas puts you in the running for a $500 Paddy Pallin voucher.

Finally, letting you know that the AEGN office will be closed from Friday 21st December to Wednesday 2nd January. Wishing you all a fun, restful and safe festive season with friends and family and some time away in nature. And I hope to see you next year at our conference, themed Ramp It Up, in Melbourne 2nd April, or at one of our other 2019 events.

Join us at Ramp it Up !

Register today

More than ever before, people across the country are coming together to reverse global warming and restore nature. Time is running out to avoid dangerous climate change and prevent the next wave of extinctions. Momentum in the community is building and there is a vibrant environmental sector leading the movement for change. Philanthropy can supercharge these efforts by amplifying the vision, building scale in key areas and supporting new ideas, bold gestures and new partnerships. Now is the time to:

• Ramp Up environmental funding
• Ramp Up ambition
• Ramp Up solutions
• Ramp Up influence

At Ramp it Up ! you’ll be inspired by AEGN members who have committed to ramp up their funding and their impact through the Environmental Giving Pledge and connect with representatives of the environmental movement who are striving to prevent dangerous climate change and protect nature. Together we’ll explore how philanthropy can build scale around strategies for achieving change; communications, advocacy and collaboration.

Key Dates & Times:

View the full conference program (sched) here

Conference Pricing:

All philanthropic funders are welcome to attend Ramp it Up ! We encourage attendance of grantmakers who are not currently funding the environment or climate change.

Ramp it Up ! is for funders and is not open to grantseekers. Side Events are open to Conference delegates.

Bookmark this page to keep up to date with the latest news on the conference program, speakers and side events.

For more information contact Kate Buxton

• Increase grantmakers’ knowledge about environmental issues and grantmaking practice
• Convene members with each other and with leading experts who share their expertise about environmental issues and ways of making change
• Support members to collaborate with each other to leverage greater giving and respond to high priority areas of need

Knowledge services

• The AEGN’s Giving Green program includes a range of materials which provide the basics (and more) on environmental grantmaking. This includes Philanthropy Briefings on nine environmental issues and other publications.
• The Directory of Environmental Organisations is the most comprehensive listing of environmental organisations in Australia. Our searchable web based Directory helps grantmakers understand which organisations are working on the issues and in the regions they care most about.
• For members only, the AEGN can provide curated lists of environmental organisations and link up members with shared interests. This is a highly valued service for those new to environmental grantmaking.
• For members only, the AEGN can help find an expert to support the development of well informed and strategic grantmaking strategies.

Convening services

• A wide range of events bring together like minded grantmakers to learn and share. This includes an annual conference and annual field trips.
• The AEGN supports members to organise their own events to showcase the organisations they support.

Collaboration services

• For members only, the AEGN manages a range of subscriber-only email lists, including the AEGN TalkOnline list.
• For members only, the AEGN provides a clearinghouse where members share proposals to support environmental initiatives.
• For members only, the AEGN brings together members with shared interests into issue based funder groups.

But there is something else happening. I wonder if you have noticed it too? With this continuing decline of our precious environment and the ‘in your face’ and flagrant lack of care by our government and many others in positions of power, people everywhere have had enough. I’m not talking about those you would expect this from. I’m talking about conversations I hear in my local community, in my family and among friends. I read it in the media and I certainly see it in our sector – the philanthropic sector.

Indeed what I have noticed within the AEGN and across the philanthropic sector is a sudden and significant step up to a whole new perspective on the role of philanthropy as it relates to advocacy, public policy and risk taking. Of course this follows years of leadership by many AEGN members like (to name a few) the Reichstein Foundation, Purves Environmental Fund, McKinnon Family Foundation and the Poola Foundation and the hard work of many of our friends in the environment movement. But there are other factors too – like the growth of a more connected and professional giving sector that enables funders to do more and challenges them to think more adventurously.

It feels like our sector is vibrant, creative, focused on impact, collaborative and has a thirst to be the best it can be. And there has never been a time in our sector’s history when all of these qualities have been so urgently needed.

One of the major highlights for me in 2017 clearly demonstrating this change has been the AEGN’s clearinghouse. In the 2016-17 year the clearinghouse raised more than $1m, largely toward issues that needed rapid, urgent funding or that were hard to fund via a formal proposal process.

I recently spent time with Jason Franklin who is the Kellogg Community Philanthropy Chair at the Johnson Centre for Philanthropy in the US and whom many of you know. Jason spends a lot of time researching, reviewing and thinking about strategic philanthropy and said to me, “I think the AEGN clearinghouse is one of the most impressive and actively used vehicles I’ve seen globally for quickly mobilizing resources for critical new projects in a fast and flexible way. We use a similar model within the Solidaire donor network in the US and have seen how powerful these quick responses can be to sustaining and accelerating movements for social change which need money in the moment to respond to a rapidly changing policy environment. More communities need to be adopting approaches like AEGN and Solidaire if we really want to make philanthropy the responsive and powerful force for change that we hope it can and should be.”

No more needs to be said! But I am looking forward to working with all of you as we head toward upgrading our website and a more efficient digital platform for our clearinghouse in 2018.

The other highlight for me has been Rob Purves’ commitment to ending tree-clearing in Australia by unexpectedly announcing the Purves Environment Fund Tree Clearing Challenge of $1m at our conference in May. The challenge has the aim of raising $2m over the next year and AEGN members have responded: together with Rob’s contribution you have now raised $1.4m and tree-clearing is on track to be stopped in Queensland following the state election this year.

2018 will be the AEGN’s 10^th birthday and our most significant year yet. Our challenge to members and others to step up your environmental giving will be facilitated by a fascinating conference in March, field trips and a snappy and inviting new website and member digital platform. There will be loads of opportunities for you to keep collaborating, sharing and learning so that together we are making the most effective and powerful impact we can.

Go well over the holiday season and I look forward to seeing you refreshed and ready to go in 2018!

This funder group brings together AEGN members with a passion for funding Indigenous environment projects and an interest in building their knowledge. Members of this funder group share an interest in Indigenous culture and well-being, an appreciation of the environmental benefits of applying both Traditional and Western knowledge through Indigenous land management. They also recognise that these activities provide benefits of different kinds including to cultural, health, education and economic well being. All AEGN members are welcome, from those with a long history of funding to people who would like to find out more before they start their funding journey.

Group members share and receive news, projects for funding, invitations to events and opportunities to learn about building respectful funding relationships and to go on field trips to see this important work first hand.

Why fund Indigenous land and sea management?

Indigenous Australians own and control more than 20% of the Australian continent. Much of this land is of environmental significance, protecting Australia’s special animals, plants, landscapes and cultures.

Across Australia Indigenous people are using a combination of Traditional and Western knowledge to protect the environmental and cultural significance of their land. The Indigenous land and sea management sector has developed over the last three decades and today there are more than 150 ranger groups working on-ground, supported by a network of organisations including all levels of government, non-government, private and research institutions.

This is inspiring work. Indigenous land and sea managers are working to protect threatened species, mitigate threats from feral animals and plants, manage large-scale landscape health through fire management and record and protect culturally significant places and knowledge. Initiated with environmental and cultural imperatives in mind, the work of Indigenous land and sea managers is now celebrated as a success story with outcomes in multiple areas – environment, culture, education, health, employment and economic development.

Why wouldn’t you invest?

If you are interested in finding out more about Indigenous land and sea management or building respectful funding relationships with Indigenous groups, the AEGN has gathered a selection of useful documents which you can access at the bottom of this page.

Working towards solutions

The AEGN Connecting Indigenous Philanthropy program aims to help funders develop the knowledge and confidence to fund Indigenous land and sea management projects through:

• Providing a curated email list for funders with an interest in Indigenous funding to share ideas, projects and information.
• Running a series of activities to help funders feel more confident in developing relationships with Indigenous led organisations and projects, including field trips and workshops.
• Linking funders to projects by finding and sharing a set of small to medium-sized projects that have been reviewed by experienced funders and practitioners in the sector.

Are you looking for something to fund now?  Click on the box below to find out more about our process and view a set of six small to medium size projects currently seeking funding.

Interested in joining?

Are you interested in becoming involved with the Indigenous land and sea management funder group? The Group has over 35 members who are learning together to make the most of funding in this area. Email info@aegn.org.au for further details.

Sometimes a relatively small grant can leverage far more funding and lead to significant outcomes. After the AEGN Kimberley field trip in 2014, three participants responded to a proposal from the Bardi Jawi Oorany Women Rangers. “Even though we weren’t able to fully fund the proposal, it is very gratifying that what we were able to muster has led to sustained effect” agreed Jackie Yowell, and Ann and Bruce McGregor. 

In 2014 the Bardi Jawi Oorany Women’s Ranger program was seeking $49,000 for salary and operational expenses.  After the AEGN Kimberley field trip, three funders contributed $14,000. While this was only a small portion of the budget it did make a crucial contribution towards funding a Coordinator which enabled the team to apply for a Green Army project.  Based on this initial investment we were also able to leverage further funding from Shell. Additionally, a small grant was secured to develop a native plant nursery which has connected elders and young people on traditional ecological knowledge projects. To date the Oorany Rangers have secured two further Green Army projects which will implement the Bardi Jawi Indigenous Protected Area Plan of Management, providing resources for the team to December 2017.

The Bardi Jawi Oorany Ranger program has grown to a team of 6 Rangers under the Green Army Program and offered its first formal Traineeship in April 2016.  Recruitment has seen an increase in the number of young women the team, and a long list of women interested in casual Ranger work.

This year work has focused on targeted activities in Indigenous plant resources:  seed collection, propagation and revegetation with a focus on training in seed storage techniques and maintaining a small provenance seed bank.

The Oorangy rangers work closely with the community and lead community school activities. The senior women cultural advisors are integral to the work and participate in field trips, most recently to select additional plants that will be added to the second edition of the Bardi Jawi Oorany Rangers Plant Stories Book. The Oorany team are delivering excellent environmental and cultural outcomes for the Bardi Jawi community, and are admired role models for young people in the two local schools.

Some AEGN members have asked us whether they can use their foundation funds for AEGN-related expenses like paying for membership, attending our conferences or field trips. Are you wondering the same?

I asked a few people with both professional and practical experience in this area what they think about this and here’s what I found out.

David Ward from Australian Philanthropic Services emphasised that PAFs cannot provide anything that might be construed as personal benefit to Founders. He directed me to the PAF Guidelines point 43, under “fees and expenses” where it says that:

“The trustee may apply income or capital of a private ancillary fund:

• to reimburse the trustee for reasonable expenses incurred on behalf of the fund; and
• to pay fair and reasonable remuneration for the trustee’s services in administering the fund.” (ref? – see above, a link?)

David says that “It is therefore clear that as long as the expense is “reasonable”, it can be reimbursed from a PAF”. David says that “reasonable” has two components – scope and size.

David explained that education of Directors to enable the compliant, efficient and effective operation of a PAF and due diligence for grantmaking are within the scope of “reasonable” PAF activity.

This would include:

• Membership of an organisation or attending a conference that has grant making due diligence at its core.

• Site visits or field trips might qualify but extra care is needed to ensure the focus is very clearly on due diligence rather than any personal benefit to Directors.

The second component is the size of the activity and expense relative to the project and the size of the overall PAF. David explained that this means that attending the AEGN conference for a fee of $295 or paying for membership at a cost of $500 would be generally a reasonable expense for most PAFs giving away $25,000 a year with a strong environmental project focus.

A rule of thumb David points to is that for most Foundations the total PAF expenses (ie including administration and other expenses) should be no more than 10-15% of grants made (give or take a bit depending on the size of the foundation).”

David also suggests producing a report for other directors on conferences and site visits/field trips, to record the knowledge gained and to share the learnings.

The key point remains, of course, that there must be no material benefit to any Director.

I also asked AEGN member John McKinnon (McKinnon Family Foundation) about how he approaches this issue.

John said that he does use a small percentage of his PAF funds to develop the capacity and effective giving of his foundation. John says, “If you have any doubts about this, check with your PAF’s Independent Director and your auditor. If you ask your auditor if you can go on a field trip or conference to help develop the effectiveness of your giving, an auditor may ask more questions, just to be safe.  But if you frame your question in line with wanting to educate your PAF directors, ensure due diligence for your grantmaking etc your auditor should be fine with this approach.  Furthermore, auditors typically only look at the total expenses, not each individual expense item.”

Indeed John pointed out, “We all have a responsibility to be make our giving as effective as possible and there is no better way than to join the AEGN conference or come on a field trip!”

I also asked Trevor Thomas from Ethinvest who is the trustee on four foundations – John T Reid Charitable Trusts, McKinnon Family Foundation, Ross Knowles Foundation and the Community Impact Foundation.

Trevor explains, “This issue has come up on all of the foundations I sit on. I’m very comfortable with prudent use of PAF funds to be spent on professional development. Of course this must be in line with the aims and objectives of the fund and be a reasonable amount but $500 for AEGN membership or $300 to attend a conference is fine by me.”

Conclusion

Please note, these statements don’t constitute formal advice but I hope you can use them to guide how you might fund membership and other AEGN activities applying due diligence according to the profile of your PAF and general guidelines.

A very warm hello from chilly Melbourne. So much has happened since I last wrote.

I’ve had the great privilege of travelling to Japan over the school holidays with my family. There are many wonderful things about Japan including healthy food, spiritual connection to land, capacity to sort waste so that much of it is reused, and fantastic bird diversity. But the best thing for me about Japan is the public transport system which is fast, well-connected and regular. If you are looking for a fun holiday, I suggest getting a Japan rail pass and cruising their rail system with a bento box and your binoculars!

Holidays aside, forefront in my mind is the inspirational and leading contribution that David Thomas, and his late wife Barbara have made to environmental philanthropy in Australia.  In June we gathered in Sydney with over 150 funders, recipient environmental organisations and other leading figures to honour the impact that David’s funding has made to our environment and to celebrate his pledge to bequest much of his wealth to environmental causes. David’s giving over his lifetime totals $60 million, making him Australia’s biggest ever donor to the environment.

At the AEGN we have flurry of events coming up, starting with a field trip to RayGen’s manufacturing facility in Melbourne on Tuesday 2 August.  RayGen produce a world-leading form of super-efficient solar collector. Over the next few months we will hold events in Melbourne and Sydney to explore and learn about environmental impact investing, capacity building, biodiversity, climate change and more.  We hope that you can join us.

By the way – if you are wondering whether you can use your PAF funds for field trips, conferences or AEGN membership, please read this short guide sharing the views of John McKinnon, David Ward and Trevor Thomas on the question of your expenses and PAFs here.

Since our last newsletter Australians have been to the polls – we have gathered some insightful comments from leaders in the environment sector on the likely approach of our newly configured Federal Parliament here.

Happy reading and I look forward to catching up with you soon.

Amanda

Please note: AEGN events are for grantmakers not grantseekers unless the event specifically states otherwise. 

If you have a PAF this article provides you with guidance on how you may consider using your PAF funds to cover AEGN event fees including field trips. https://aegn.org.au/2016/07/your-guide-to-expenses-and-pafs/

View Member Events here

Nature is calling – an On-Country conversation with Wyss Foundation

Please join us for an exclusive overnight site visit to Gayini Nimmie-Caira and the Great Cumbung in the Murray-Darling Basin. Hosted by Nari Nari Tribal Council and The Nature Conservancy (TNC), Spend time with Wyss Foundation CEO Molly McUsic and Wyss Conservation Manager Heath Nero to learn more about the US$1 billion Wyss Campaign for Nature and share your own reflections on nature philanthropy in Australia. The Wyss Foundation’s goal is to help conserve 30 percent of the planet in a natural state by the year 2030, encouraging the international community to establish more ambitious Protected Area targets, investing in science, and inspiring conservation action and new investments around the world. This is a unique experience to learn about The Wyss Foundation’s $1billion Campaign for Nature and share insights from philanthropic leaders. Professor Richard Kingsford and Professor Hugh Possingham will share their thoughts on the most pressing priorities for conservation in Australia and around the world. This TNC project has been proudly supported by Besen Family Foundation, The Ian Potter Foundation, The Yulgilbar Foundation and The McLean Foundation in partnership with The Nature Conservancy Australia.
Date:	Friday 1 March to Saturday 2 March 2019
Location:	Departing from your local airport to arrive in Melbourne or Sydney, then by arranged charter plane transport to Gayini Nimmie-Caira and Great Cumbung (details advised on confirmation of your attendance).
Who:	Please note this is a funder-only event and will be subject to availability.
Cost:	$899 per person single or $808 per person twin share
RSVP:	Tab Sejoe – tab@aegn.org.au or call Kristine Anderson 0405533410 or kristine@aegn.org.au for any further information. Please advise of any dietary and medical requirements at time of RSVP.
Itinerary:	Day 1 Friday March 1   At 10.30 we will depart Essendon Airport, Melbourne and Sydney Airport (TBC) by charter plane to arrive early afternoon at Gayini Nimmie-Caira via Hay, NSW. Upon arrival, Nari Nari Tribal Council will welcome us to Country and provide a ground and helicopter tour of Gayini Nimmie-Caira and the Great Cumbung. That evening, Professors Kingsford and Possingham will host a campfire discussion on prioritising for impact. Overnight Gayini Nimmie-Caira tented camp accommodation provided by Happy Glamper Day 2 Saturday March 2   Early morning we will enjoy a camp breakfast and coffee, followed by a Wyss and AEGN-only discussion on nature philanthropy in Australia, facilitated by AEGN CEO Amanda Martin We will return to Melbourne / Sydney via Hay for a 2pm arrival In Melbourne / Sydney.

View Member Events here

As I write this, Melbourne is experiencing an “unseasonably” hot early autumn. I wonder when we will stop saying that this is unseasonal weather and accept that this hotter, drier weather is the new norm?

So it has been appropriate that the AEGN has begun the year with a focus on climate change – including a national seminar on the next steps following the outcomes of the Paris COP21 convention and shared events with Philanthropy Australia in Melbourne and Sydney. Our events on climate change will continue with participation in the upcoming Divest-Invest conference and a short but fascinating field trip to the Hunter Valley region. I hope to see you at one of these events!

My, how time flies! It will be Easter in a blink and the AEGN’s conference in June.

Awards and leadership

Awards, leadership, recognition and celebration have been at the forefront of my mind following the Australia Day Awards and my interviews with Gib Wettenhall from the Norman Wettenhall Foundation (NWF) and with Anne Kantor, AEGN’s most recent OAM recipient. Add to this the call for philanthropy award nominations by Philanthropy Australia and of course the Oscars – I couldn’t ignore the importance of awards!

You can read the article about Gib Wettenhall OAM here.

I’m sure you will agree with me that Gib has been a committed, quiet, persistent and influential leader in the community and environmental space. At the AEGN we know there are many others like Gib – some who have been recognised by an Australia Day Award such as Jill Reichstein, David Thomas, Alison Teese, Robert Purves and Rob McLean (to name a few), and many who have not. And every day we come across inspiring individuals working in big and small community groups – leaders who facilitate, cajole, influence, demonstrate, support and inspire their communities to make a difference.

Indeed, I believe that this form of leadership, used with wisdom and promoted often, can and has in the past eventually brought our politicians and the masses to a better social and environmental place.

I understand that many AEGN members and community workers might feel a bit uncomfortable about being recognised for the important work they do and the leadership they demonstrate by accepting some sort of award. But this level of recognition allows us to legitimise and raise the profile of this vital work. It enables our significant stories of change to be told.

Raising the profile of our quiet leaders uncovers their unsung work that is so much a part of the fabric of our sustainability efforts, but that is rarely heard amid reports on the state of the stock market, the daily political round and the woes of the world. Indeed, the work that many of these leaders are doing encapsulates good-news stories and demonstrates a path to a better future.

Awards give us a chance to hear these stories and increase the credibility of environmental activism.