Melbourne Women’s Foundation (MWF) is a membership-based giving circle that amplifies the impact of individual donations to drive meaningful change for Melbourne women and families in need. Members contribute to a shared grants pool and vote on its distribution, ensuring democratic, community-led giving.

Beyond funding, we cultivate an informed giving community. Through events, we deepen understanding of local challenges, highlight grassroots solutions, and connect like-minded people who want to make a difference.

• Our Vision: A vibrant community investing in the wellbeing of Melbourne women and families in need
• Our Mission: To foster and harness the dynamic power of community to benefit Melbourne women and families in need.

We are seeking highly capable and motivated individuals to join our Board on a voluntary basis. It’s an exciting opportunity to contribute to the organisation’s governance and assist with delivering our strategy.

We value diversity and seek to reflect the diversity of our community in the composition of our Board. In addition to being a MWF member and demonstrated governance, leadership, skills, knowledge and experience, the following will also be considered favourably:

• Advocacy, stakeholder engagement and fundraising
• People, culture and organisational development
• Legal, governance and risk oversight
• Digital innovation, cybersecurity & emerging technologies

Applications closed on Friday 13 June 2025.

In early March, Next Gen members Meggan Boag, Linh Do and Hannah Doherty-McMillan had the pleasure of attending an engaging roundtable dinner co-hosted by the Melbourne Women’s Foundation, Philanthropy Australia, and She Gives (Noble Ambition). The event, which immediately followed the 2025 Nexus Australia Summit, was part of the Growing Women’s Giving initiative, a collaboration designed to explore what motivates women to give, and how we can build and sustain a stronger culture of generosity among women in Australia, especially as the Next Generation takes on more philanthropic involvement.

The dinner opened with an inspiring conversation between Michelle and Sonia Lin, who shared their journey with the Vermillion Foundation. Their story was both inspiring and grounded — a reminder that values-based giving, when passed down through families and across generations, can have a lasting impact. They spoke about how their foundation came to life, what guides their decision-making, and how they strive to remain intentional in their giving.

Following the talk, dinner guests participated in smaller group conversations to unpack the central question: Why do women give? These discussions were personal, and open — touching on the deep motivations behind giving, the importance of community, and the barriers women often face in stepping into philanthropic leadership. There was a strong sense of shared purpose and curiosity, as well as a commitment to continuing the cycle of giving in new and meaningful ways.

The dinner also served as a platform for She Gives to gather early insights for their upcoming research project into women’s giving behaviours and patterns — a much-needed resource to help amplify women’s voices and shape future strategies in the sector

It was a meaningful evening of connection, learning, and collective vision. Above all, it reinforced the incredible potential of women coming together with generosity, intention, and a shared desire to make a difference. With thanks to Hannah Doherty-McMillan for this reflection.

The event celebrated the extraordinary achievements of Founders Pat Burke OAM and Gillian Hund OAM and their unwavering belief in the power of collective philanthropy. Gillian will soon be stepping away from her board role and was given a moving tribute by Pat, who also acknowledged the contribution of all members in the Foundation’s success and the support of Lord Mayors Charitable Foundation as a trailblazing Giving Circle.

Attendees heard from Cat Fay (founding member and social investment specialist at Perpetual Limited) who shared remarkable stories of unsung Australian women in philanthropy and from Kate Fazio (member and impact advisor) who helped inspire some of the innovative work of Justice Connect, a past grantee.

The Melbourne Women’s Foundation has touched the lives of Melbourne women in innumerable ways, most recently with grants to The Prison Network and St Kilda Gatehouse who offered members a progress report.

The event was a celebration of people united by purpose to make a meaningful difference in the lives of women and families. It was also a wonderful opportunity for members to connect. As always, conversation was rich, food delicious and the atmosphere inspiring.

Thank you, Sue Coonan, for this reflection.

Prison Network Recovery Program Impact 

Prison Network received our $80,000 grant in November 2023 for their Recovery Program.  The Program facilitates a fortnightly peer support group for women released from prison, helping them to develop protective factors to help mitigate and reduce the risk of family violence, substance misuse and re-incarceration. In addition, the peer support includes a phone-based chat group enabling regular/daily connection, encouragement, accountability and support among the participants.

Amelia Pickering, CEO of Prison Network, emphasised the crucial role of social connection in recovery. “For many women, the Recovery Program is the first time they have felt a sense of belonging and connection, often leading to a desire to give back and help others.’ The group recently participated in a charity event to raise money for the Make a Wish Foundation.

The Program is supporting the women to build their self-confidence, strengthen social and relational abilities and is reducing recidivism.

“I was released on the Tuesday and attended my first recovery support meeting on the following Monday. My goodness, what an amazing support. Not only to me, but to all the women in this group. Each fortnight, we have discussions that each of the women take turns to run. This is so valuable as it gives each of us some responsibility. We need to plan, we need to make sure it is suitable and each week we never fail to learn. The support to one another is phenomenal.”

“Every month we have a get-together. This means so much, a lot of the girls don’t have a social life, don’t have family, don’t have friends and the excitement about when and where the next outing gives me such a big smile on my face.

This group also helps us all not to reoffend as we are all accountable to one another. With their help and guidance, we all accept where we have been and where we are going.”
Recovery Program participant.

On Thursday, 25 October 2024 the Melbourne Women’s Foundation membership collectively awarded an unprecedented $165,000 to six nonprofits that are making a significant difference for local women and families. The evening was filled with energy, driven by a shared commitment to collective giving.

WomenCAN received the $85,000 Capacity Building Grant for its innovative Driving to Employment Program, aimed at helping 20 women secure driving licenses for truck and bus driving positions. Beyond training, WomenCAN provides participants with opportunities to find employment with vetted transport providers.

In a delightful surprise during the evening, Di Williams, Founder and Managing Director of Fernwood Fitness and Melbourne Women’s Foundation Life Member, presented WomenCAN with an additional $10,000 donation for their program.

PartnerSPEAK was granted $45,000 through the Enabling Grant for their peer support and advocacy work with non-offending partners and family members affected by child sexual abuse and exploitation material.

Wellsprings for Women, United Housing Cooperative, Meals with Impact, and Women’s Circus each received a Spotlight Award of $10,000 in recognition of their efforts to support and
empower women and families in Melbourne.

The new expo-style format was a success, creating a relaxed, engaging, and rewarding atmosphere for attendees and nonprofits to connect.

“Introducing Digital Inclusion” on Wednesday, May 8, 2024, shed light on the barriers, issues, and opportunities to bridge the digital divide. The panel discussion and Q&A focused on the impact on women and families in our community and explored opportunities for action and collaboration in a world increasingly driven by technology,

Kate Fazio, a Social Impact and Legal Consultant, highlighted the dual aspects of digital inclusion. “On one hand, there’s the disadvantage of people not being able to access information and services online, while on the other hand, there are safety risks related to the misuse of personal details and tech-based harassment or threats.”

To address these challenges, Nicky Dulfer, Senior Lecturer at the Melbourne Graduate School of Education, University of Melbourne, emphasised the need for government and organisations to understand the end user of technology when creating information online for our diverse community.

In addition, Iffrin Fittock, CEO of Sisterworks, encouraged the audience to help bridge the gap in the digital knowledge divide and volunteer within our neighbourhoods to teach women computer, internet, or other technology skills. Furthermore, Ifrin suggested donating ‘old’ (3-5 years) computers to organisations that can repurpose and pass them on to people who otherwise would not be able to buy them.

Panellist Uzma Rubab, Director Celebrating and Conserving Cultures encouraged attendees to “Look around, extend a hand and see where you can help. What we want is a connected, accepting, and respectful society.”

It was a fantastic evening that created valuable connections and actionable learning.

Our learning events are an example of a community coming together with a common purpose of investing in the wellbeing of Melbourne women and families in need. Thank you to our distinguished panellists:

• Uzma Rubab Director, Celebrating and Conserving Cultures
• Ifrin Fittock CEO, Sisterworks
• Kate Fazio Social Impact and Legal Consultant, formerly Justice Connect
• Nicky Dulfer Senior Lecturer, Melbourne Graduate School of Education, University of Melbourne and co-author of Understanding Digital Inequality: an analysis of unequal connectivity in Carlton Housing Estate, Melbourne 2022

Thanks also to our generous host, Canva for welcoming us in their vibrant and inviting office in Collingwood.

Thank you to the delicious food provided and served by Free to Feed and photography provided by Fotografa AU.

LINKS

• Research paper: Understanding Digital Inequality: an analysis of unequal connectivity in Carlton Housing Estate, Melbourne 2022 https://socialequity.unimelb.e…
• Celebrating and Conserving Cultures https://3ccc.org.au/
• SisterWorks https://sisterworks.org.au/
• Free to Feed https://www.freetofeed.org.au/
• Find a Neighbourhood House in your local area https://www.nhvic.org.au/find-a-neighbourhood-house

Computer donations

• www.computerbank.org.au/ or www.infoxchange.org/au

Contact the ESafety Commissioner if you need help with distressing online content

• https://www.esafety.gov.au/