Welcome from our CEO and Chair

Hands Across Canberra is delighted to present our Impact Report 2022–23, showcasing a year of remarkable progress and renewed hope. While it has been a year of significant need, it has also been a year marked by record levels of giving and strategic grant making.

As a philanthropic hub, Hands Across Canberra uses its network of more than 1,000 voluntary, community and charitable partners to identify and respond to emerging issues. Our 369 charity partners worked tirelessly to support a growing number of Canberrans doing it tough due to increasing inequality fuelled by inflation and cost-of-living challenges. It is they who do the real work, looking after so many people and families in trying times. We applaud our charity partner’s capacity to innovate and overcome in difficult circumstances throughout the past years.

Our three pillars (awareness-raising, partnering and giving) secured important results which enable our mission to support our community sector in reducing disadvantage in Canberra.

Highlights for the year

1. With the Salthouse family and our partners in community and government, we launched the first Sue Salthouse Scholarship Fund Grant Round and distributed the fund’s first three grants. This initiative aims to support deserving individuals, empowering them to pursue their educational aspirations — a significant step towards creating equal opportunities and fostering a more inclusive Canberra.
2. After a long break due to the pandemic, we brought our partners together again at the Hands Across Canberra Charity Lunch. The much-anticipated gathering rekindled our shared spirit of compassion, uniting individuals, businesses and organisations in their commitment to make a positive impact.
3. We also celebrated local generosity and initiative through the launch of the Canberra Philanthropy Awards.  This year, these significant awards recognised the remarkable contributions of two local philanthropists, honouring their dedication and commitment to driving positive change in our community. Joanne Farrell and John Hindmarsh AM are incredible Canberrans and deserving inaugural awardees.
4. The Ginninderry Charity House — an extraordinary collaboration between Ginninderry, Kane Constructions, generous subcontractors, ACT Government, The Master Builders Assoc. Coordinate, Zango, Region Media and Hands Across Canberra — was completed and raised over $500,000 for our charitable endeavours. This will make a tangible difference in the lives of those in need. West Belconnen charities Karinya House, Canberra City Care and Pegasus received considerable funds from this project.
5. We had our biggest Canberra Day Appeal to date. We used social media platforms like never before, and gave charities the knowledge and tools to maximise promotion during the appeal. Through collaborations with Agency 9 and various print, radio, and TV media businesses, we increased our reach, spreading the message of our cause far and wide. The remarkable support and engagement from the community enabled us to raise an incredible $860,000 in just one month. These funds will support the ongoing mission of our charity partners to address pressing community needs and to support individuals and families facing adversity.
6. Continuing our collaborative approach, Hands Across Canberra partnered with the Snow Foundation, the Aspen Foundation and the John James Foundation to expand our joint grant rounds and to provide increased support for a range of charitable initiatives.

Farewell to our Chair

We bid farewell to outgoing Chair, Diane Bray AM whose mark on Hands Across Canberra and the community sector will long be felt. Diane remains a treasured ally of our work and continues to be active in philanthropic work.

A vision for the future

As we reflect on the past year’s accomplishments, we recognise that there is much more to be done.

Hands Across Canberra remains committed to amplifying the impact of philanthropy and building a resilient, compassionate community. With new projects, partnerships, and initiatives we are excited to continue making a lasting difference in the lives of Canberrans and encouraging more people to ‘give where they live’.

With other community foundations, Hands Across Canberra has long been working to change the DGR (deductible gift recipient) status of community foundations, which would facilitate future donations, distributions and collaboration. We are hopeful that the Australian Government will act soon on its commitment to provide DGR 1 status to 28 community foundations across Australia (including Hands Across Canberra) — and also to create a more streamlined process for new community foundations seeking to access DGR 1 status in the future.

Hands Across Canberra plans to ensure sustainable  support for the local not-for-profit sector by building a substantial perpetual investment fund. Through donations from literally hundreds of Canberra families and businesses, our investment fund passed $1 million during the year, and there is a lot more to come.

Thank you to our donors and supporters: these are your achievements and we would not have been possible to do it without you! The 2022–23 period has been a testament to the unwavering spirit of our community. Together, we have transcended the challenges of the past, and embraced a future where everyone belongs.

Greg Boorer, Chair and Peter Gordon, CEO

“As charities are expected to play an ever-increasing role in helping to alleviate the effects of the rising cost-of-living crisis, it’s imperative that we support them as best we can. We can do more together!”