Hands Across Canberra & The Chief Minister’s Charitable Fund
Impact Report 2023–24
We acknowledge all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples and pay respect to all Elders and their continuing connection to their lands, waters, culture and heritage.
We hope you will enjoy reading our 2023-24 Impact Report: Building Our Community, Together. Our Impact Reports are published every spring and aim to highlight some of our collective achievements from the previous fiscal year. We hope that the stories, highlights, and event recaps we share paint a picture of how together with our partners we are maximizing the positive impact of our giving for Canberrans doing it tough.
Welcome
Welcome to a year of change and transformation for Hands Across Canberra, as community foundations around Australia enter a major growth phase.
Working with our Canberra Collaborative partners the Snow Foundation, John James Foundation and Aspen Medical, we made more than $1.5million worth of grants to projects across the community, meeting urgent need.
More than 350 charities used our platform to raise funds and together, we gathered the city for the Canberra Day Appeal, focussing attention on giving where you live.
This report provides a brief glimpse into all the ways your generous donations are strengthening our community. Thank you to each and every person who has given of their gifts, time and talents to make this possible.
Together, the future looks brave and bright.
Greg Boorer (Chair) and Genevieve Jacobs (CEO)
Hands Across Canberra and the Chief Minister’s Charitable Fund
Explore Partner Stories
Major highlights in 2023-24
With your help, Hands Across Canberra experienced another year of strong growth. We reached $5.3+ milliion in assets and passed $6 million in grants since inception, both proud milestones.
- Our Canberra Philanthropy Award was presented to the late Terry Snow AM, marking his remarkable legacy to Canberra and the region.
- The Canberra Day Appeal reached 50% more people with many activations by our 81 campaign partner charities.
- Sporting teams and events are partnering with Hands Across Canberra to spread the message of give where you live: The Raiders, Brumbies, Owls and Cricket ACT helped us reach over 250,000 people this year.
- We’re grateful to call 350+ organisations our community partners. They’re on the front lines, looking after people doing it tough.
- Philanthropy Australia recognised the Canberra Foundations Collaborative with a nomination for Most Impactful Collaboration.
- Our partners grew in number and strength: Corporate supporters of the Canberra Day Appeal doubled from 2023 to 2024. We welcomed Bendigo Bank as a new core partner.
- 700 people ran their hearts out at our first Canberra Day Appeal Fun Run in partnership with the ACT Government.
- Over $1.5 million was distributed to charities by Hands Across Canberra and the Chief Minister’s Charitable Fund
- Over $3 million was raised during the year, and the Perpetual Fund grew from $1.2 million to $1.8 million.
- Our most successful End of Financial Year (EOFY) campaign to date raised more than $500,000 in donations for Canberra, testament to Hands Across Canberra’s profile in the community.
- Our major grant round with the Canberra Foundations Collaborative distributed more than $1.5m into the community sector for a third year in a row and supported a total of 63 projects.
- The Sue Salthouse Leadership Fund doubled to $220,000 increasing capacity to support opportunities for people with disability to build their skills and experience, representation and leadership.
Our grants flowed into all areas of need in our city this year, supporting a myriad of causes.
They:
- kept healthy and fresh food in pantries supporting food insecure families
- amplified voices of renters and those in the justice system
- made extracurricular activities more accessible to vulnerable Canberrans
- safeguarded vulnerable children and women
- empowered people with disability by building their leadership capabilities
- supported shelter and food relief efforts for homeless people in our community
- built belonging in our city
Our Three Pillars
Everything we do is underpinned by three pillars – awareness, partnering and giving. Through them, we help charities, community organisations and businesses to make a difference to those in Canberra that need it most. Dive into our pillars below and read about the work Hands Across Canberra did in each this year.
Together,
we are Canberra
The Hands Across Canberra team would like to thank our extended family of donors, grantees, professional advisors, government officials, partners, friends, supporters.
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