Governor-General joins women leaders in calling for more giving

Australia’s women philanthropic leaders have united at an event hosted by the Governor-General, Her Excellency Sam Mostyn AC at Government House in Canberra held yesterday.

The landmark meeting aimed to find new strategies to help meet the target of doubling giving in Australia by 2030 as the sustained cost-of-living crisis stretches service providers beyond capacity.

The first-of-its-kind event, part of the She Gives campaign, brought together almost 50 of Australia’s most prominent women philanthropists – including Georgina Byron AM, Carrie Bickmore OAM, Fiona Geminder and Kirsha Kaechele. These leaders combined with the next generation of change-makers from diverse sectors and community organisations, such as Vermilion Foundation CEO Michelle Lin and Indigenous Giving Circle founder Raisera McCulloch, to share knowledge and insights in a roundtable discussion. The meeting sought to mobilise a core group of women to advocate for and explore ways to further grow giving in Australia.

Convened by the Governor-General, the event launched the research phase of the She Gives campaign. She Gives is a national initiative to unlock the catalytic potential of women’s giving and harness the collective power, networks and ambition of Australian women to accelerate positive social change at a time of significant need.

In convening the event, Her Excellency recognised the immense role that women play in giving and as leaders within their communities. She celebrated the enormous impact of women who have driven some of Australia’s biggest philanthropic contributions and spearhead some of Australia’s most impactful philanthropic organisations, as well as grassroots initiatives that continue to pioneer new ways of giving.

“Caring for each other is deeply entrenched in our national identity. Australians reach out with generosity when times are tough and needs are great. Australian women philanthropists make an enormous impact that is rarely recognised in the public domain,” the Governor-General said.

“This is a moment to recognise and celebrate women’s giving. Australian women give their time and their skills, as well as their money, at all levels,” she said.

“I am delighted to host this group of exceptional and generous Australian women from diverse backgrounds to discuss and plan the strengthening of a culture of giving. Women giving represents a remarkable opportunity – in celebrating and amplifying its impact we have the opportunity bring greater scale and impact across the country.”

She Gives, which launched in July 2024, aims to add valuable insights on the nature of women’s giving in Australia by engaging sector leaders and facilitating discussions that will, for the first time, generate a comprehensive understanding of women’s giving and inform what is needed to grow giving in Australia overall. 

Further roundtable research discussions across Australia in the coming months will be a key source of data collection that will inform She Gives’ final research report, which will be launched by the Governor-General at Government House in late 2025.

Campaign founder Melissa Smith said: “Through the She Gives campaign; we’ve heard inspiring stories from women about their giving that demonstrate extraordinary impact across so many sectors and communities. For too long, these stories and their potential to inspire change have not been adequately recognised. By sharing these stories, and tapping into the insights they offer, we can pull the picture of philanthropy into sharper focus, drastically expanding the scope of what we can achieve.

“We know that women are poised to come into greater economic power in coming decades, inheriting up to $3.4 trillion or two-thirds of the intergenerational wealth in the next 20 years as Australia approaches the greatest wealth transfer in our history. That’s why it’s critical that we encourage women in philanthropy, inspiring others by celebrating women who give – regardless of the scale of their gift.”

Philanthropy Australia is delighted to be a partner of the She Gives campaign and to have supported the Canberra event.

To learn more, visit the She Gives website.