Significant Centenary Milestone for Melbourne 100 years of Impact – Celebrating Lord Mayor's Charitable Foundation
Australia's largest independent community foundation, Lord Mayor's Charitable Foundation, has launched its centenary year at Government House hosted by Her Excellency the Honourable Linda Dessau AC CVO, Governor of Victoria.
Founded by Melbourne's Lord Mayor Sir John Swanson in 1923 as The Lord Mayor's Fund for Metropolitan Hospitals and Charities, the Foundation is now one of Australia's leading philanthropic organisations.
The Foundation has supported Melburnians through the impact of economic depression and war, poverty and health issues such as polio in the late 1930s and more recently COVID-19, and disaster recovery including bushfires from 1926 to Black Summer Bushfires in 2020.
While reflecting on its inspiring history, the Foundation is also preparing for future challenges such as the impact of climate change.
For 100 years, generations of Melburnians have supported the Foundation through fundraising appeals, gifts in their Wills as well as community and collective giving. Through fundraising and endowment income $197 million, valued today as $590 million, has been provided as grants to the charitable and not-for-profit sector.
This has enabled the Foundation to respond to the issues and challenges of the day, from extreme poverty to disasters to homelessness and now the impacts of climate change. The Foundation is renowned for its innovative grantmaking and funding of new solutions to address ongoing issues.
Quote attributable to Her Excellency the Honourable Linda Dessau AC CVO, Governor of Victoria:
"A centenary provides an opportunity to look forward as well as back. As Melbourne is poised to become Australia's largest city, the Foundation's generous support – including to health, housing, employment and sustainability – is more pressing than ever. Thank you to everyone involved for working towards a safer, kinder and stronger Melbourne.
Quote attributable to The Honourable Lord Mayor of Melbourne Sally Capp, City of Melbourne:
"The centenary of the Lord Mayor's Charitable Foundation gives us pause to reflect on its long history of meaningful social change, and the positive impact it has left on our community. It has gifted millions in grants across Greater Melbourne, unlocking new possibilities and brighter futures for Melburnians. The Foundation's funding priorities reflect its commitment to creating solutions for current challenges –including homelessness and affordable housing, an inclusive and sustainable economy, and healthy and climate resilient communities."
Quote attributable to Dr Catherine Brown OAM, CEO of Lord Mayor's Charitable Foundation:
"The centenary year provides an extraordinary opportunity for us to celebrate the Foundation's contribution to Melbourne, and importantly, to prepare for Melbourne's future challenges. The Lord Mayor's Charitable Foundation is built upon the generosity of our community, and without that support, we wouldn't have been able to make the impact we do today on economic inequality, disaster and pandemic response, and climate change."
