Leading women from Tasmania’s philanthropic and charitable sectors come together for a landmark discussion in Hobart on September 4 at Mona’s The Source Restaurant. Hosted by the First Lady of Mona and founder of Material Institute, Kirsha Kaechele, this was the 12th research roundtable for the She Gives campaign, as it delivers on its promise to visit every state and territory around the country.
The event began with opening words from Kirsha, who spoke of the power that comes when smart women come together driven by purpose. This was followed by an inspiring panel discussion with:
Guests – including Canva Co-Founder and CEO of Wedgetail, Lisa Miller, Director of Advancement at the University of Tasmania, Rebecca Cuthill, Manager of Tasmania Community Fund, Lola Cowle, Ceo of Tasmania Land Conservancy, Karen Tuft and Hobart Deputy Lord Mayor Dr. Zelinda Sherlock –continued the conversation in guided small-group discussions. Probing what drives philanthropy in Tasmania and how women decide to give, what motivates their philanthropy, and what barriers or enablers shape their giving, the insights gathered will directly inform the most comprehensive research report into women’s giving, and the largest mixed-method research report into giving more broadly, in Australia. The report is due to be released in early 2026 in partnership with the Centre for Social Impact at the University of Western Australia.
Mona’s Kirsha Kaechele, who founded Material Institute, which runs food education programs (24 Carrot Gardens), social enterprises and community events – shared some of her thoughts about philanthropy ahead of the roundtable:
“Being a successful philanthropist is about putting yourself out of a job,” she said. “If you happen to be in that lucky sliver of society, the .01 percentile, then you have an enormous duty to attend to the multitude of problems that stem from the inappropriate distribution of wealth.”
“As philanthropists, we're the beneficiaries of that concentration of wealth, and we don't deserve to just laze around enjoying it. I'm very hedonistic, but I’m also actively building the society I wish to live in. The fact that philanthropists exist is evidence of a broken system – I want to invest my energies in redreaming it and instilling a new one.”
She Gives campaign founder Melissa Smith said the research roundtables had highlighted the depth of women’s giving around the country and the need to keep sharing stories of giving to inspire greater engagement.
"Through art, Mona makes you think about the world, and there’s no better place to have a thought-provoking discussion about giving and the kind of world we want to live in,” she said.
“We’re very excited to have so many amazing women come together in Tasmania to discuss how we can collectively drive change and unlock the catalytic potential of women’s giving. Women are a driving force in philanthropy, and it’s time their contributions are recognised and celebrated so we can grow giving further.”
She Gives is grateful to its supporting partners, Perpetual Limited (Major Partner), Fairground (Major Partner), Minderoo Foundation (Major Partner) and McLean Foundation, Snow Foundation, Ningana and Noble Ambition, and for the support of its many sector partners and the wisdom and guidance of its advisory group.
