CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER’S REPORT

This past year has been a year of mixed emotions for the Foundation. We were delighted to see our distributions for a financial year hit an all-time high, with $2,284,885 in grants approved, distributions totalling $807,565 made and grants amounting to $2,172,000 committed but not yet paid. While the Foundation was reaching new peaks in giving, the staff of the Foundation were deeply saddened with the news of George Alexander’s death earlier this year.

I had always been impressed by George’s commitment to philanthropy and his desire to see the Foundation encourage others to consider formal giving during their lifetime. After establishing the Foundation in 1972, George took great pride in the organisations and projects the Foundation helped to support. If projects happened to be taking place in Queensland, George would take the time to go out and visit them himself. Such was his modesty, he would never tell anyone that it was his Foundation that had helped support the project from idea to reality. In 2002 the development of a Scholarship Program bearing his name gave George a great amount of pride. He often said that the students the Foundation helped to support would become his greatest legacy. On hearing of George’s death we received many letters from past and present Scholars, demonstrating to us that George’s life was an inspiration to many and his scholarship a catalyst for many to achieve their educational goals. We were pleased that George lived to see the Foundation’s Scholarship Program expand to every State in Australia, apart from Tasmania. We hope to include the ‘Apple Isle’ soon.

At the back of this report there is an honour roll of students who have won George Alexander Foundation Scholarships since 2002. You will notice the wide range of courses and growing number of institutes represented. We are delighted to shine a light on the achievements of these talented individuals. I would encourage any former scholars who may have lost touch with the Foundation or their university to contact our office as we develop a formalised alumni program.

The Foundation’s Environment and Conservation Program has long reflected George’s own interests, born from his years working on farms. In 2007–2008 we continued to support projects that recognise the importance of building community partnerships, involve volunteers and provide young people with the opportunity to gain practical experience in conservation and land management.

The loss of George this year has only served to further our resolve in promoting the principles for which his philanthropy stood. We look forward to a continued strong relationship with our Scholars and building on the already impressive list of programs, people and organisations supported via the Foundation’s giving to the environment. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all our grantees for their work and congratulate them in helping to build better communities.

My thanks go to Caitriona Fay, our Program Manager for The George Alexander Foundation, who plays a pivotal role in the success of the programs and projects supported by the Foundation.

Janet Hirst Chief Executive Officer