Australian Philanthropy Awards 2016
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Photos: Heather Lipscombe
We are delighted to announce the winners of the 2016 Philanthropy Awards, recognising and celebrating the great achievements of so many in our sector who are working to create lasting and positive change.
2016 Leading Philanthropist Award
Audette Exel AO, Founder & Chair of the Adara Group, NSW (offices in USA, Nepal, Uganda and Bermuda)
Philanthropic innovator and pioneer in the 'business for purpose' field.
2016 Emerging Philanthropist Award
Gemma Salteri, CAGES Foundation, NSW
Next generation philanthropic leader and public voice for the democratisation of giving and impact investment.
2016 Best Large Grant of the Year Award (two winners)
Vincent Fairfax Family Foundation, NSW
For CareerTrackers – strengthening career pathways for Indigenous Australian university students.
James & Diana Ramsay Foundation and The Wyatt Trust, SA
For working together to enhance school retention, education re-engagement and building resilience and wellbeing.
2016 Best Small Grant of the Year Award (<$50,000pa)
Australian Communities Foundation, VIC
For its Refugee and Asylum Seeker Giving Circle
2016 Gender-wise Philanthropy Award (two winners)
The Barr Family Foundation, VIC
For their support of McAuley Community Services for Women's pioneering Court Support 4 Kids program.
John Dyson and Rose Gilder, Trustees of the Dyson Bequest, VIC
For their leadership in the area of gender equity initiatives for female scientists.
The Awards booklet with more information about each winner is available here.
Our congratulations go to all the award winners and nominees of the 2016 Philanthropy Awards and to those who nominated them.
Award winners are now recognised as leaders, inspiring potential and current philanthropic individuals and organisations to help our society grow and thrive.
Speaking at the Awards ceremony, Philanthropy Australia's CEO, Sarah Davies, explained that talking about giving, and celebrating outstanding examples of it, helps us create a culture of change that encourages more people to think about their own wealth and how they could use it for the common good.
"It's also important to celebrate these amazing contributions as it highlights the critical role philanthropy plays in creating the kind of society we want to live in and we can't do that if it's invisible," she said.
The winners were announced at an awards ceremony in Melbourne on the evening of Tuesday 19 April - a celebration of the amazing contributions of not just the winners but all 50 nominees in a very strong field.
Criteria for selection focused on philanthropy that is visionary, high impact, transformative, and possessing defining qualities such as commitment, courage, and entrepreneurship.
Please click here for more information about the Awards and to read the criteria for each category.