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Issue 25, May 2016
CEO Craig Connelly (centre) and the IPF staff team
Message from the CEO
Strategy and structure I am sitting at Boat Harbour, on the north-west coast of Tasmania, having spent two days attending a philanthropic think tank run by QUT’s Australian Centre for Philanthropy and Non-profit Studies. As a CEO new to the sector, this was a wonderful chance to sit with my peers and some NFP CEOs to discuss philanthropy and the many relevant and topical issues I find so interesting in this role. Such an opportunity seemed perfectly timed, given I have been in this role since midDecember 2016. It provides me with some time to reflect. Since becoming CEO, I have emphasised to the staff as well as the Board of Governors, that effective grant-making is at the core of what we do as an organisation. The program managers have been challenged to become more proactive in seeking out organisations and projects to present to the Board for consideration. Our focus will be more strategic, higher impact, longer duration, larger grants, which are clearly aligned with the funding objectives of our program areas. Our program managers will elevate themselves to be ’general specialists’ in their particular program areas: well-connected and ‘plugged in’ to organisations, government and other key stakeholders. We will convene on important, topical issues in an attempt to elevate the conversation and our thinking around matters significant to our program areas.
In addition, the Board has recently approved amended funding objectives for our Medical Research and Health & Disability program areas, as well as the establishment of a formal framework for major grants that give the staff and the Board greater flexibility to consider large projects that are not tied to specific funding objectives. Our amended funding objectives reflect carefully considered appraisal of historic grants in the Medical Research, Health & Disability program areas, and should result in the award of fewer but larger, possibly multi-year, grants that have the potential for greater,more sustained impact. The new Major Grants category simply formalises one of the strengths of The Ian Potter Foundation's founding trust deed, which allows its Governors, all eminent Australians, the opportunity to bring proposals for significant projects for consideration by the Board. The Foundation will not seek applications for Major Grants. Continue reading...
ROUND UP
127 grants, $9.2 million
The recent meeting of the Foundation’s Board of Governors was a busy one with 127 new grants were approved, totalling $9.2 million. A further three grants valued at $5.6 million were approved subject to conditions and will be announced at a later date. Grants were made in all program areas except Science.
Find out who got what in the full story on our blog or see the listing on our Grants Database.
Welcome
Two New Governors Join The Board
The Board of Governors of The Ian Potter Foundation Rear (left to right): Prof Thomas Healy AO , Mr Charles Goode AC (Chairman), Prof Richard Larkins AO, Mr Allan Myers AC QC, Sir James Gobbo AC CVO Front: Sir Daryl Dawson AC KBE CB, The Hon Susan Crennan AC QC, Lady Potter, AC OMRI, Prof Graeme Ryan AC, Prof Fiona Stanley AC, The Hon Alex Chernov AC QC Not pictured: Prof Brian Schmidt AC, Mr Anthony Burgess, Mr Leon Davis AO
The Foundation is delighted to announce the appointment of two new Governors to our Board. A warm welcome to The Hon. Alex Chernov AC QC, former Judge of the Supreme Court of Victoria, former Chancellor of the University of Melbourne and Governor of Victoria from 2011-15. We also welcome Professor Fiona Stanley AC, the 2003 Australian of the Year, founding director and now Patron of the Telethon Childrens Research Institute, and Distinguished Research Professor at the School of Paediatrics and Child Health, UWA. Fiona is a leading light in public health and epidemiology, and a passionate advocate for child health. We are honoured to have these eminent Australians join our Board. The depth and breadth of their knowledge and experience will be a tremendous asset to our grant-making decisions.
The Ian Potter Foundation Fundraising Event
Celebrating Brave Ideas
On Friday 3 June 2016, the Foundation is holding a very special event 'Celebrating Brave Ideas'. The occasion will raise funds for The Ian Potter Foundation and The George Alexander Foundation* and is an opportunity to reflect on the brave ideas that drive knowledge, innovation and progress in our society. One of our Governors, Nobel Laureate astrophysicist and Vice-Chancellor of Australian National University, Professor Brian Schmidt AC, will give the keynote address. Join the Foundation's staff and Governors to enjoy drinks and canapes, plus entertainment by Melbourne Opera. Fantastic silent auction items generously donated by our friends at The Australian Ballet, Australian Book Review, National Gallery of Victoria, Zoos Victoria, Social Studio, Museums Victoria, and more. 'Celebrating Brave Ideas' will be held in the Melbourne Gallery at Melbourne Museum. Tickets: $125 per person, plus optional donation. Numbers are limited - don't miss out! * Under the Public Ancillary Fund guidelines, the Foundations are required by law to invite public donations.
Cynthia Banham Burn Fellowship
2016 Fellow Announced
Dr Casey Whife, Mr Craig Connelly, Prof Fiona Wood and Dr Ann-Maree Vallence
We are delighted to acknowledge Dr Casey Whife as the 2016 Cynthia Banham Burn Injury Research Fellow. The Ian Potter Foundation’s Chief Executive Officer, Craig Connelly and program manager Nicole McLeod, were in Western Australia recently and congratulated Casey on this achievement. The Cynthia Banham Burn Injury Research Fellowship is a joint initiative between the Foundation and lawyer and journalist Cynthia Banham, to support clinical research by an early-career researcher under the guidance of renowned burns specialist, Dr Fiona Wood at the Fiona Stanley Hospital. Read more
News News
Evaluation
Generosity Forum
The Ian Potter Cultural Trust
The Coronet
Looking for news from The Ian Potter Cultural Trust? The Trust now has its very own newsletter with news specific to
On 24 May, Generosity Magazine is hosting a special philanthropy seminar, Generosity Forum. Among the line up of excellent speakers is our very own Dr Squirrel Main, Research and Evaluation Manager for the Foundation. Squirrel will be discussing some of the lessons from her review of over 500 Ian Potter Foundation grants.Squirrel has customised the Foundation's grantmaking database to draw out key questions around geographic spread of funds, organisational strength, maximising outputs, learning from successful grants and recognising where grantee need is greatest.
artists and the arts sector. The Coronet, named for the little crownlike feature on a seahorse's head, will be published three times a year following our Board meetings. The newsletter will contain announcements about the latest grant recipients, details of major programs such as the Ian Potter Moving Image Commission, as well as stories and news from past and present grantees. Please take a look and subscribe if you wish to receive The Coronet as well as The Seahorse. Read The Coronet
In her presentation, Squirrel will discuss some of the overall trends of The Ian Potter Foundation's grants in the last five years. These trends are based on observations of outcomes from grants in the health, environment, science and medical research program areas. She will reflect on some of the initial steps taken in our progress towards increasingly strategic grant-making. Squirrel's presentation will be of interest to anyone in philanthropy who is interested in understanding how asking the right questions, getting honest answers, and implementing solid analysis can make for much more effective grant-making. Tickets to the Generosity Forum are still available.
News
Design competition
The Ian Potter Conservatory, ANBG In early February, our CEO Craig Connelly joined Senator Zed Seselja and General Manager of the Australian National Botanic Gardens, Peter Byron, to announce a $3m funding partnership for a stunning new conservatory for native tropical plants. The project will be a boon for tourism, science and conservation in Canberra and beyond. Further details of the project can be found on our blog. The Australian National Botanic Gardens is currently inviting Expressions of Interest
from eligible architects and their design teams, as entrants in the select design competition for The Ian Potter National Conservatory. Full details can be accessed via the ANBG website.
News
Introducing
Mrs Nicole Bortone Formerly known as Nicole McLeod, our dear colleague got hitched recently and is now Mrs Nicole Bortone. Congratulations Nicole and Chris!
We produce this quarterly e-newsletter to keep our friends and associates up to date with all the news and recent grants made by The Ian Potter Foundation.
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