A new coalition of major Australian philanthropic funders today announced they have committed an initial $32.8 million over three years to support community-led solutions in a coordinated effort to drive greater impact for women and children.
The coalition brings together an initial group of 11 philanthropic funders working to align funding, share learning and back approaches that address the conditions shaping outcomes for women and their families.
The news was celebrated by Governor-General Her Excellency the Honourable Sam Mostyn AC at the global Women Deliver 2026 conference:
"I am delighted that the newly established Coalition of Funders for Women and Families will collaborate on philanthropic investment in improved outcomes for women and their families. Deploying a coordinated approach to focused priorities, initially women's leadership and safety, the Coalition has the potential to reframe the way in which funders work to align funding for broader community benefit."
The initiative aims to harness global attention to catalyse more coordinated, long-term investment in areas where it is most needed.
It comes as demand for support continues to grow. Community organisations across Australia are reporting increasing numbers of women and children seeking help, driven by cost-of-living pressures, housing insecurity and the ongoing impacts of family violence. While organisations are working incredibly hard to meet this demand, systems designed to respond remain stretched and fragmented.
The coalition will focus on contributing to two priority areas: women leading in place, and ending family violence, including supporting women and children in their recovery.
Convened by the Paul Ramsay Foundation (PRF), participating funders include Snow Foundation, Fondation CHANEL, Minderoo Foundation, Australian Communities Foundation, Bell Family Foundation, Barr Family Foundation, Andyinc Foundation, The Myer Foundation, alongside other funders who wish to remain anonymous.
Coalition spokesperson and PRF CEO Professor Kristy Muir said that the initiative reflects a growing recognition within the philanthropic sector that more coordinated approaches can drive greater impact, particularly at a time of increasing need.
"Across Australia, communities are already leading solutions that work. We know that the best funding approaches are long-term, connected and collaborative," she said. "This is about bringing funders together to back what communities know works, and to do it in a more coordinated, sustained way. By working together, we know we have a much better chance of making a meaningful difference in the lives of women, families, and communities across Australia."
Georgina Byron, CEO Snow Foundation said: "Women and families are navigating compounding pressures, from the rising cost of living to the ongoing impacts of family violence, and community organisations are working incredibly hard to meet that need. They're telling us they need funding that is sustained, coordinated and built on trust. This coalition is our collective response, and we've seen time and again how much further philanthropy goes when funders align. When we share learnings, commit for the long term and act together, we become genuinely catalytic and create greater impact. Women Deliver is the perfect moment to turn that intent into action, and we hope this coalition inspires others to join us."
John Hartman, Minderoo Foundation CEO said that Minderoo has a core focus on community-led, place-based approaches to uplift community wellbeing.
"Access to capital remains one of the biggest barriers to progress for women and communities. Backing community-led work and aligning capital over the long term gives these efforts a stronger chance of delivering real outcomes. No single organisation can do this alone. Working together allows us to be more deliberate about where capital is deployed and how it can have the greatest impact. Minderoo is proud to be a founding member of the Coalition of Funders. It reflects the role philanthropy can play, backing partners, working together and taking responsibility for how capital is used to drive lasting change."
Funders participating in the coalition will commit to making significant investments over a 1-3 year period, working collaboratively through co-funding and shared learning, and reporting on how funds are deployed.
Initial co-funding opportunities include a small number of scalable, community-led initiatives, with due diligence processes in place to support governance and impact integrity. Opportunities listed below have received support from two or more of the funders listed. These are led by:
- Common Threads — supporting First Nations-led, community-driven solutions
- Community Funds for Gender Equity, held by Community Foundations Australia — growing local giving to gender equity initiatives
- Women's Environmental Leadership Australia — strengthening women's leadership in communities navigating climate transitions
- Good Shepherd Australia New Zealand — supporting women to recover from family violence and financial insecurity
Further initiatives may be identified over time as the coalition evolves.
Funders are also invited to align new investments with the coalition's shared priorities, enabling a broader range of organisations and approaches to be supported over time.
Stella Avramopoulos, CEO Good Shepherd said: "This Coalition's support is a significant step in demonstrating that solutions for entrenched and complex DFV recovery require a multi-sector and multi-funded approach. Its impact will help Good Shepherd and our partners to scale dignified, holistic and coordinated recovery support across Australia."
The coalition is designed as a long-term collaboration, with Women Deliver acting as a milestone moment to signal intent and attract further partners.
