GiveOUT’s Emily Scott on receiving her Churchill Fellowship

Philanthropy Australia recently heard from two of the ‘bold change-makers’ who received 2024 Churchill Fellowships and will be enriching the sector with their international research. Here, fellow recipient Em Scott, CEO of GiveOUT, shares some of her plans for advancing LGBTIQ+ philanthropy in Australia – or ‘growing the pot of gold under the rainbow’.

The Churchill Trust in Australia began as one of the most successful door-knocking crowd campaigns in our history. As CEO of GiveOUT, it feels very special to receive a Churchill Fellowship, just weeks before GiveOUT Day, our national day of giving to LGBTIQ+ not-for-profits. This opportunity means a lot personally, but it is also an important vote of confidence by such a respected institution on the important need for greater philanthropy and inclusion for LGBTIQ+ people in Australia.

While much has been achieved, LGBTIQ+ communities in Australia are far from equal. We represent more than 11% of this beautiful country, but due to ongoing stigma and discrimination, we experience disproportionate rates of violence, mental ill-health, homelessness, isolation and poverty. We are also in the middle of a global backlash on LGBTIQ+ rights, fuelled by increased political polarisation.

Evidence shows that the LGBTIQ+ community sector is best placed to tackle these ongoing challenges. However, our sector is small and chronically underfunded, with 39% of organisations operating on less than $10,000 and 41% unable to meet demand for services.

Better philanthropy is critical

Better philanthropy is a critical piece of this puzzle, but Australia is lagging behind compared to our peers in the US and UK, in terms of total giving (as a percentage of GDP) and proportion of giving to LGBTIQ+ communities.

I will travel to the global hubs of LGBTIQ+ philanthropy (including New York, Boston, Los Angeles, San Francisco, London) and learn from mainstream and LGBTIQ+ specific foundations, thought leaders, LGBTIQ+ community organisations and giving communities.

My Churchill Fellowship research will seek to answer: What are the drivers behind greater philanthropic funding to LGBTIQ+ communities in the US and UK? What innovative philanthropy models and ways of working could we bring to Australia? How can we engage more communities in greater giving?

Growing the pot of gold under the rainbow

I hope to develop a clear roadmap for advancing LGBTIQ+ philanthropy in Australia. This is not about redirecting funds away from other important issues, it’s about growing the pot of gold under the rainbow. It’s about LGBTIQ+ communities playing their part in the government’s goal to double giving by 2030.

There will also be insights applicable for other marginalised populations that struggle to access philanthropic funding. The end goal is a resilient and well-resourced Australian LGBITQ+ community sector that is better able to meet demand for services and ultimately create greater equality for all Australians.