Clarity of vision, a willingness to innovate, and the ability to communicate are hallmarks of great leadership.

These qualities were spoken of repeatedly at the commemoration of Professor Emma Johnston AO, held in February at the University of Melbourne. Along with many of the Foundation's Governors and staff, I attended this deeply sad yet uplifting occasion to celebrate Emma's extraordinary life and legacy.

It was profoundly moving to hear how Emma shaped the lives of so many people—professionally and personally—as a colleague, mentor and friend.

The video featured above was shown as a short tribute shown at the commemoration and captures just a glimpse of these reflections, including my own memories of working with Emma.

Leadership was also recognised and celebrated in other ways during the past few months. I was delighted to see one of our Governors, Tony Burgess AO, acknowledged in the 2026 Australia Day Honours for his distinguished service to business, tertiary education, philanthropic and corporate governance, and the arts.

I also warmly congratulate Marcus Crook and Nicholas Pearce, founders of HoMie, who were each awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia. The Foundation has supported HoMie since 2021, helping to build its capacity to deliver employment pathway programs for young people affected by homelessness. In acknowledging this recognition, Marcus noted that while the medals bear individual names, they reflect the collective effort of the entire HoMie community—its founding team, board, staff, partners and supporters. This sentiment speaks to a powerful and inclusive model of leadership built on shared purpose.

Cultivating leadership across the Australian social sector remains a core funding principle for the Foundation, and this commitment is reflected in the two major grants awarded recently.

The Centre for Community Child Health (CCCH), a research group within the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, will receive $3 million over five years to expand its programs and strengthen its organisational capacity to innovate. CCCH is leading important work in prevention, collaboration and early intervention, partnering with families and communities to deliver measurable improvements in outcomes for children.

Australian Schools Plus will receive $5 million over five years to support regional, rural and remote schools facing persistent challenges, including low attendance and workforce shortages—challenges often disproportionately affecting First Nations students. This funding enables schools to implement the programs they need, recognising that effective leadership is often local and context specific. Rather than applying a one-size-fits-all solution, this community-led approach empowers schools to tailor responses that best meet the needs of their students.

I encourage you to read about these and other initiatives recently awarded grants in April 2026 Grants Round Up.

Whether through remembrance, recognition or long-term investment, the Foundation remains focused on supporting leadership that strengthens organisations, communities and systems for the future.