December 4 2023

Inaugural roundtable of Investment Dialogue for Australia's Children

By The Ian Potter Foundation

3 men in suits and 2 women sitting at a round table in front of banner. The middle 3 people are holding up signed agreements.
Signing the Investment Dialogue Working Together Agreement (L-R): Paul Conroy (CEO of The Ian Potter Foundation), Matthew Cox (CEO of The Bryan Foundation), Social Services Minister Amanda Rishworth, Federal Treasurer Jim Chalmers, Kristy Muir (CEO of the Paul Ramsay Foundation)
People sitting on chair sin a circle with one woman standing speaking.
Participants of the first Roundtable of the Investment Dialogue for Australia's Children.
A new collaboration between government and philanthropy aiming to improve the lives of children, young people, and their families, has taken a step forward today with the first Roundtable meeting of the Investment Dialogue for Australia’s Children.
Read Media Release

To mark this development, philanthropic Dialogue Members are announcing approximately $65 million dollars of recent investments aligned to the Investment Dialogue’s vision. These investments have been initiated by philanthropy since conversations about the collaboration commenced in September 2022 following the Jobs and Skills Summit.

These investments seek to improve outcomes for children, their families and/or communities and fall into one of four focus tiers of the Investment Dialogue:

  • Projects and Programs focused on children, family or community
  • Place – community-led processes and growing capacity and capability
  • Policy and Systems level reforms – creating the conditions necessary for systems change to ensure services and systems are adjusted to meet the needs of local communities where required. 
  • Data and evaluation

Further detail on the recently funded projects and programs can be found in the accompanying summary document, as well as information on two examples where philanthropy and government are already collaborating by providing complementary funding.

While the Investment Dialogue is still in its early stages, these case studies represent examples of projects that speak to the type of work that the Dialogue seeks to support. They illustrate the foundation from which we build this new collaborative initiative.

To stay informed, go to: www.investmentdialogue.org.au

People sitting next to flip chart which says: What does success look like, and how do we practically work differently to make the most of the opportunity?

“This is the first step of a more integrated approach which also has systems change at its heart.

“We look forward to working closely with government, our philanthropic peers, sector and community leaders to map out the Investment Dialogue processes so we can build on the strengths which already exist and help fill the gaps where funding and coordination can make a meaningful difference.”

Paul Conroy, CEO of The Ian Potter Foundation

Investment Dialogue founding philanthropic partners include:
  • Besen Family Foundation
  • BHP Foundation
  • Cages Foundation 
  • Dusseldorp Forum
  • RM Ansett Trust (as managed by Equity Trustees) 
  • Fogarty Foundation
  • Gold Coast Hospital Foundation 
  • Hand Heart Pocket
  • Helen Macpherson Smith Trust
  • Minderoo Foundation
  • Paul Ramsay Foundation
  • Perpetual Trustees
  • Philanthropy Australia
  • Stan Perron Charitable Foundation
  • Sydney Children’s Hospital Foundation
  • The Berg Family Foundation
  • The Bryan Foundation
  • The Ian Potter Foundation
  • The John Villiers Trust 
  • Tim Fairfax Family Foundation

Further context and reading

SNAICC Case Study

Inklings Case Study

Philanthropic Investments