On bringing people together and preparing NextGen givers

I was fortunate to grow up in a family where giving was visible and lived. Our dining rooms and dinner tables were often shared with community leaders, charity heads and people working to improve others’ lives.  My parents were deeply hospitable. Fundraising and community building were part of our everyday experience. I remember sitting on my mum’s lap at telethons as she made phone calls to fundraise for organisations, particularly for the United Israel Appeal. Even as a child, I understood that there was a wider world beyond our home, and that we had a responsibility to give back. That early exposure stayed with me, and today my sister and I both serve on the board of the United Israel Appeal and lead its Women’s Division. That opportunity was a natural continuation of what we valued growing up.

It was always deeply ingrained through dinner table conversations with my grandparents that if somebody knocks on your door, you never say no. For me, this now extends to even if you don’t have the dollars to give to their cause, you can give them your time or make an introduction to someone else who can help. My grandparents were part of that generation in Australia that had strong values around giving back to a community that had welcomed them as European migrants. They were passional philanthropists and I observed their unparalleled commitment to looking after the disadvantaged. So as children, we would walk onto our Jewish School campuses, or the Victorian Arts Centre or visit someone at the Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital or Peter McCallum Cancer Centre - and our family’s name would be on a building. My grandparent’s generosity was always there in the background.

I’m driven by a responsibility to honour and continue my family’s legacy, and I also love showing my children the value of being part of a global community. I recognise that privilege can drive positive social change through inspiring my network to collectively amplify their impact. I am passionate about being part of creating a future culture that celebrates intentionality around philanthropy. It feels good to share skills, talents and knowledge with other people - and the joy in connecting people together is something that has always come naturally for me. I believe that a culture of giving is important and that there's an added responsibility on our generation, who are part of this huge intergenerational wealth transfer, to be role models and encourage others to come on this journey with us. I have also come to realise that true generosity, isn’t confined to grant making or one-off donations. It’s also expressed in how we show up as collaborators, connectors, and leaders. Our ability to give through our time, our influence, and example - is just as critical as the financial capital that we deploy. For me this realisation has reinforced the powerful idea, that the measure of impact of working or leading within the philanthropic space to model generosity, purpose and responsibility - is just as fulfilling as funding itself.  And that cultivating relationships within the influential philanthropic ecosystems may not yield immediate outcomes, but over time - can evolve into strategic partnerships, co-funding opportunities, or new platforms for impact.

Personally, I give a lot of my time. I enjoy  volunteering on committees, facilitatingt introductions and running fundraising events. I also sit on peak boards so that I can be across what's happening in the philanthropic ecosystem. I often come into meetings wearing the two hats of a fundraiser and a Family Foundation member, so I understand the questions that both sides want answered. Making those connections and starting conversations is what really inspires me.
Our family gives through a private Foundation, but it’s incredibly ad hoc. We tend to give to the pillars that our grandparents supported – the arts, medical research, education, and the Jewish community. However, within each of those pillars, individual causes will come up that resonate with different members of the family, so we each follow those leads if it's relevant to our responsibilities within the community.

I've learned that the needs of the world are immense, and if we don't have focus and clarity around what drives us, we will struggle to see a project through. You need to go on the journey with the organisation you’re supporting because although one-off donations are very much needed, I think impact can be scaled if you grow with somebody. I've learned that connections are incredibly important, and you never know where a certain path might take you. I really believe in that philosophy of “It's not what you know, it's who you know” - those connections are how I think big change can be made.

Recent years have seen the intensification of social and environmental challenges at national and global levels. To address these - bold, effective, and innovative solutions must be identified and resourced. Simultaneously, we are on the precipice of the largest intergenerational wealth transfer in history - Australia will see more than $5.4 trillion change hands over the next 20 years. So I think that my generation, and people younger than us, are going to be the catalyst for a lot of economic and social change. We therefore need more exposure to philanthropy, so that we can build the financial literacy and confidence to sit at the same tables as previous generations. We need to create opportunities for the Next Gen to be invited into boardrooms and receive financial literacy training, so they can understand the accounting documents and know what questions to ask. I think all these things will inspire a culture of giving and it's on us as leaders in this space to steward others and bring our friends along for the journey. 

A lot of people think they need large sums of money to make an impact, but it's absolutely not true. You can start by accepting an invitation to an event to see what different charities are doing or by attending a giving circle or a dinner that somebody is hosting. Sometimes people need a comfortable, private space to explore what giving will look like for them. 

I see a lot of women attending charity events because traditionally the males are running the business, and the females have been given the philanthropy portfolio – but I want to see those two worlds merge. I want to see more women have the financial literacy and confidence to make corporate investment decisions and, on the flipside, I want more investment decisions to align with philanthropic purpose. Measuring impact doesn't always have to be in dollars, it can be measured by social impact as well. I would love for more young people to trust their professional training and social skills and use them to step up and champion causes that they’re passionate about. It would be lovely to see more of that leadership thrive. There are few spaces where next gen philanthropists can come together for actionable insights into models of giving, governance, strategies for impact capital deployment, and connection with peers within networks of influence. That is why I enjoy sitting on the NEXUS Australia committee, as they facilitate these networking and learning opportunities.