On NextGen giving and learning what you care about

Giving has always been a part of my life, whether it was school fundraising for Vision Australia or food drives, it’s something that has naturally grown in me. As I’ve come up through my career, I’ve had more of a drive to give in a structured way. It's only been in the last four or five years that I've really started to properly think about how I give, what I give and who I give to.

I've never quite been sure what drives me to give. I've always just understood that I should. I think being part of the Melbourne Women's Foundation has reinforced my commitment to philanthropy, it provides a sense of community, education, and allows me to see the direct impact of giving. I find this collective approach to giving is more fulfilling than random acts of charity and creates a sort of positive peer pressure to keep on giving to stay within the community.

I also recognise that I have both the means and time that I can share with others, and not everyone is in that position. I don't think giving is solely about the dollars; you can dedicate time and effort to causes that matter and that be equally as fulfilling, if not more so. I really believe that we can make society better if everyone contributes, even in small ways, so I just have to keep doing my part.

Coming from an investment background, I'm seeing how the impact of the investing sector is changing and having greater crossover with philanthropy. Seeing these changes unfold is really interesting to me, and I believe the next generation is playing a crucial role in driving innovation in both sectors.

I became involved through Jo Crawshaw, who was treasurer at the Melbourne Women’s Foundation and worked with me at Evans & Partners, sitting across from me in the office. I’d hear her talk about the Women’s Fund, and she was always trying to get people involved. Unfortunately, Jo ended up getting sick and passed away in 2023, that was the catalyst for me to get more involved. I’m now the head of the NextGen committee which is a subcommittee of the larger foundation - I suppose it’s my way of thanking Jo for everything she did for us in the office.

The Melbourne Women’s Foundation has a strong older base of members, but we don't have a huge NextGen component. We’ve had a few women drop off as they move throughout the process and into the 35+ age bracket.

A big part of my work involves finding new members and keeping people engaged. A lot of people are uncomfortable to talk about giving, so I'm trying to foster more community within the NextGen space. It’s challenging, especially when you can see the cost-of-living crisis impacting people's ability to give, so for me, it’s about finding ways to keep people engaged, even if they have to drop their contributions for a year or so, while they tackle the cost of living pressures.

The way the Foundation works is that there is one fund and if you're over 35, the required minimum donation is $1000 each financial year, and if you're under 35, it's $500. The collective giving raises money for a signature grant, a smaller grant, and runner-up grants. As we start to build up the NextGen group, one of the goals is to create a NextGen grant or a runner up grant so we can make a meaningful impact on the issues that we think are important. We're finding that what NextGen givers feel is important is slightly different to older generations.

One of the reasons I started talking to Jo about the Melbourne Women's Foundation was because I had a lot of clients who would ask me about philanthropy and how to give. I originally joined the foundation to learn about the different giving structures - I didn't even know what a Giving Circle was when I started!

It’s also been a personal learning curve. Doing this work makes you question what you truly believe in and what you want to support, because there are many different charities out there. I was very overwhelmed, and I used to just give money to whatever causes came up, so I ended up donating without really thinking about where the money was going. I’ve learned that the two issues that I’m very strong on are gender equality and the environment. Over time, I've tried to focus more on those two things to ensure that what I'm giving reflects who I am.

If we want philanthropy to continue and expand, we have to engage and educate the next generation as they will be the key financial decision-makers in time. The transfer of generational wealth is already underway, making education about giving—how, where, and when—crucial, noting that while much of this wealth is being passed down to those 50 and older, younger generations are beginning to inherit and manage funds as well. I do think the NextGen focus should be a little more on education rather than just giving, a lot of people out there want to give and want to help shape society but just don't know how.

I think NextGen perspectives and values are shaping philanthropy in new and exciting ways. Encouraging philanthropy from a young age helps integrate it into people’s identities, making giving a lifelong habit rather than an occasional act. Even small contributions of money or time can foster a lasting culture of generosity. I want to build out the community that I've found. 

More education around giving. We need a lot more education around how people can give - the difference between giving circles versus direct donations to charities. A lot of people aren't aware of all the different ways to give, and that every amount matters. They tend to think that their $500 is not going to do anything, so why bother? 

We need to talk more about giving. Not necessarily about how much you give, but who you give to and why, and that giving doesn’t have to be only about money. Money is obviously important, and it gets things done, but if you can't give money, then try giving your time or awareness – do the run to raise funds, speak about things that are important to you.

Personally, I'd like to keep learning through the Melbourne Women's Foundation and pass those learnings on to ensure that this knowledge just keeps on getting out there. My ambition is to make a real impact. It's probably a little bit pie-in-the-sky, but a group of us are wanting to create a sub fund and then grow it over the next 10-15 years into something substantial. That would be fantastic.