Meet the advocates: spotlighting our recent grant partners
Image provided courtesy of Tomorrow Movement.
In the months leading up to 2024, the Reichstein Foundation awarded six grants to trailblazing organisations working to catalyse positive social change cross Australia —from addressing the climate crisis and preventing the extinction of species to reshaping philanthropic support for First Nations-led initiatives to building a more resilient and robust civil society.
Read on to learn more about the critical work of our most recent grant partners. And, if you are interested in supporting any of these organisations or campaigns, please get in touch (info@reichstein.org.au). We’re always on the lookout for co-funders who share our passion for creating positive social change.
Tomorrow Movement:
Australia is confronting overlapping climate, economic and housing crises, and young people
are at the frontline. Tomorrow Movement organises young people to build public and political support to win transformative policies that will improve people’s lives while solving the climate crisis. By taking escalating actions they make ambitious solutions winnable and prompt government investment in climate justice solutions.
With a $25,000 core funding grant for two years, Tomorrow Movement will continue to collaborate with unions, clean industry, and climate justice organisations to forge a robust cross-sector movement capable of securing a climate justice solutions package in Australia. They plan to harness this collective power in the lead-up to the next federal election, championing various policy reforms, including their flagship initiative, the Climate Jobs Guarantee.
First Nations Futures:
Current data estimates that only 0.5% of philanthropic funding goes to First Nations communities. First Nations Futures is a First Nations organisation working to change this by shifting the philanthropic landscape in Australia while pushing for economic justice. They do this by building systems that redistribute wealth and collectively invest in First Nations people and priorities.
Across Australia, funding systems create greater inequity and control, where decision making processes are led predominantly by non-Indigenous people. First Nations Futures has created a new First Nations-led funding model where individuals, as well as trusts and foundations, can redistribute their wealth and invest into First Nations-led initiatives creating intergenerational change. They also work to change the narrative around First Nations funding through campaigns that influence philanthropy and drive First Nations-led processes and models of impact.
The Reichstein Foundation’s support of $25,000 will enable First Nations Futures to invest in their operational capacity in the early stages of its important work.
Environment Tasmania (ET):
Environment Tasmania works with the Tasmanian community to care for Tasmania’s unique environment, including its wildlife, forests and oceans. They bring together environment groups and community members to find solutions to Tasmania’s environmental pressures. ET were the first environmental group to campaign about the problems associated with the Tasmanian salmon farming industry, resulting in a record-breaking number of Tasmanians opposing the industry, a spike in community-led resistance and shoppers demanding supermarkets act.
An extinction emergency is now unfolding in Tasmania’s remote wilderness, where the Maugean skate could become the world’s first modern day extinction of a shark or ray species due to human activity. Urgent action is required or this ancient species will be lost within the next few years. ET have launched a ‘Save the Skate’ campaign that plans to leverage the ‘no new extinctions’ pledge made by the Australian Government. They plan to build the pressure and connections necessary to push the Minister for the Environment to act before it’s too late. In recognition of the critical need for immediate action the Reichstein Foundation is proud to have provided a $20,000 grant to the “Save the Skate” campaign.
350.org:
Australia is the second largest net exporter of fossil fuels in the world. 350.org are fighting for a world beyond fossil fuels, and their work focuses on building a grassroots movement in support of climate action. Their niche is organising audiences in electorates that have a high level of climate concern, are vulnerable to electoral pressure, and where MPs have the capacity to push the Government to adopt stronger policies on fossil fuels.
With a grant of $25,000 over the next 12 months 350.org plans to carry out sustained community organising in nine key electorates, coordinate grassroots actions targeting Federal decision-makers such as the Minister for the Environment and Minister for Climate Change, and launch national mobilisations, events and narrative-shifting work that create a clear call for the Federal Government to commit to no new coal and gas.
Australian Democracy Network (ADN):
ADN’s mission is to create a thriving democracy in which civil society is robust and vibrant; public debate is informed, fair and diverse; citizens are engaged; government is clean, open and accountable; and the wellbeing of people and the planet comes first.
They do this by coordinating civil society alliances, training and equipping civil society leaders and advocate, and building a powerful movement of democracy advocates. Their work also aims to shift the narrative around civil society through long-term communications strategies, and delivering smart public messaging through community advocacy, lobbying and media.
Since their inception in 2020, ADN has already led a number of successful campaigns and alliances, including defeating the proposed ACNC regulations that would have stifled the right for charities to engage in advocacy. With a $25,000 core funding grant ADN will be able to make important investments into their operations, growth and sustainability, helping to secure the long-term viability of the organisation and expand their base of support.
Grandcarers SA:
Established in 2002, Grandcarers SA believe that all children and young people have the right to a safe, secure and nurturing family environment where the role of Grandcarer (grandparent and kinship carers of their family’s children) is recognised, supported and valued. To achieve this, they assist Grandcarers to access and care for their children by providing them with information, support and advocacy.
In September 2023, the Reichstein Foundation provided a rapid response grant of $5000 to Grandcarers SA to support a delegation to travel to Parliament House in Canberra to advocate for law and policy reform that better recognises and supports kinship carers. Over 80% of kinship care families provide care on an ‘informal’ basis, that is, without recognition or financial support by child protection authorities. Kinship carers are overwhelmingly women and First Nations families are overrepresented. The delegation was successful in securing a commitment to follow up on a range of specific reforms and the delegation has been invited to return for a follow up meeting in March 2024.
