Leading women in giving and community come together in Alice Springs/Mparntwe yesterday to examine how philanthropy can better empower Central Australian Communities.
Hosted by Mparntwe Alice Springs Community Foundation, the roundtable and panel event – held at Alice Springs Turf Club – explored what drives giving in the region and the role it can play in responding to community priorities, supporting intercultural approaches, and growing a culture of giving that strengthens community led solutions.
The discussion focused on how local and national philanthropy can help meet the significant challenges of the reason and drive real impact and thriving regions in remote Australia.
The Alice Springs roundtable was the last in a national series of research events designed to capture insights from women leading in giving. These facilitated small-group discussions will directly inform the most comprehensive report into why women give and opportunities to grow giving 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.
The event featured a moving and insightful panel discussion with Libby Prell, Chair, Mparntwe Alice Springs Community Foundation, Donna Digby, Founder, Territory Connect and Eastern Arrernte and Ngengi’wumirri women Jennifer Howard, Operations Manager, Saltbush Social Enterprises. Conversation focused on the power that comes when philanthropy is shaped by and for the community and when it leans into the cultural and social strengths of the region.
Ms Prell – an active supporter of the community for over 40 years – first borrowed money with her husband to set up the Tania Smith Scholarship for Aboriginal children at St Philip’s College, to inspire opportunity through education. This Scholarship was created in memory of Libby’s stepdaughter. Now, as Chair of the Mparntwe Alice Springs Community Foundation, Ms Prell believes in the strength of this community and its willingness to lean in and find progress which collectively will influence building an even stronger community.
“Strong inclusive schools and sporting clubs are great examples of why families stay in the town – and the stronger community is, the stronger the town is,” she said. “I feel that the Community Foundation, will grow and grow to support this. We will continue to build on our amplification of all the good things that are happening in our town and people need to see each other and to see Alice Springs as an extraordinary intercultural community in the heart of Australia.”
As founder of social enterprise at Territory Connect, Ms Digby helps Territorians reach their leadership potential. After the sudden loss of her husband in 2023, she led a fundraising trek of the Larapinta Trail, raising $53,000 for a Central Australian Rural Leadership program leadership scholarship. The milestone highlighted the power of collective giving when it centred on a clear purpose, and that giving doesn’t have to be big to make an impact.
“The women in my circle are strong, capable, adaptable and they understand how their generosity can translate into other things around the Central Australian region,” she said. “Imagine a world where we’re all giving to the things that matter to us, and the impact that could ripple from that. I want more people to realise the impact of regular giving and that a small amount, given collectively, can make a significant difference.”
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 as well as the importance of centring First Nations voices in the national conversation about philanthropy.
“In Alice Springs, First Nations-led approaches show us what giving looks like when it’s grounded in culture, responsibility and respect. When philanthropy is done in partnership with community, it has the power to unlock resources and create lasting change — and there’s no better place to have a thought-provoking discussion about the kind of future we want to build,” she said.
“It was exciting to have so many amazing women come together in Alice Springs 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 within their communities, and it’s time their contributions are recognised and celebrated so we can grow giving further.”
John Huigen, Executive Director of the Mparntwe Alice Springs Community Foundation, said:
“We were happy to be approached to host this event because a key role of the Foundation is to encourage local giving for locally supported action. The Foundation is keen to learn from the voices of local women and to support a national conversation and understanding about the role women play in philanthropy. Thanks to Nicole Walsh and Donna Digby, in their roles of Community Working Group Leads, for their help in coordinating this event.”
