The Tasmanian Community Foundation is all about:

P	romoting strategic Grant Making
H	elping donors help their own community
I	ndependent of Government
L	everaging funds for charitable groups
A	ctively providing Donor Services
N	urturing Personal Donor Relationships
T	elling the Story of "Change or Charity"
H	aving a One Stop Shop for Giving
R	esponding to Current Issues and Trends
O	ffering advocacy and support to communities
P	roviding Opportunity for sub fund creation
Y	early Reporting to the Tasmanian Community

1. Brief Profile
The Foundation is an independent non-profit public foundation that provides a sustainable and permanent mechanism for resourcing a range of community initiatives. The following two examples highlight the diversity of the Foundation's work.

(1a) The Tasmanian Community Foundation plays an active role in major projects that strengthen the community. One such project is the Living Boat Trust Project, based in Franklin in southern Tasmania. This Project recovers and celebrates Tasmania's maritime heritage, through the restoration of traditional wooden boats and a program of practical seamanship. Participants include youth and people with special needs. This is one of the Foundation's major collaborative projects.

Our incentive grant in 2002 renewed the flame of enthusiasm for the construction of a boat-building shed and challenged other funding partners to support the project. The outcome of this strategic grant making has reenergised the Franklin community and provided a focus for local action. A permanent facility has now been secured in 2003 to the advantage of high school students and the District.

(1b) Another example of a collaborative effort by the Community Foundation is a partnership with the Myer Fund in the 2002 Christmas gift voucher program. The positive outcomes achieved reflect the capacity of the Community Foundation to, not only, deliver effectively the wishes of the Donor(s), but to be inclusive in its activities of many community groups in the charitable sector. This helps provide a coordinated response to priority needs and enables limited resources to be efficiently utilized.

2. What are the Goals?

• To provide excellent Donor Services.
• To provide an information resource for Grant seekers.
• To provide mentoring and networking opportunities.
• To develop and grow Philanthropy.
• To promote community development through strategic grant making.

3. Primary activities

• Engaging communities in effective management of philanthropic resources.
• Delivering Donors' wishes to their community.
• Strategic grant making on an incentive basis.

4. Who do you aim to benefit?

• The Donor - engagement, peace of mind, reporting back.
• Rural and regional communities.
• Charitable organisations aiming to provide sustainable outcomes.
• Small communities and marginalised individuals.

5. How many people work for the Oranisation?

• Thirty directly.

6. How many are volunteers?

• All of the above (excludes part-time Executive Officer) and many others indirectly.

7. Describe the role and input of volunteers

• Board Members, members and sub Committees (all volunteers) are accountable for governance, compliance, management, grant making, and all aspects of organising a respected, credible and vibrant statewide organisation where teamwork is essential for success.

8. What community success has been achieved through the Foundation?

• The Tasmanian Community Foundation has been developed from an original 50 hour Tennis Marathon fund raiser event in 1991 held to benefit the Shelters from homeless children in Launceston, Tasmania. Twelve years on, after thousands of hours of voluntary work from fund raising activities, people serving on committees, board members, and pro bono business sector involvement - all have contributed to the establishment of a permanent and proactive community foundation providing resources for Tasmanian donors and charitable organisations alike.
• The Community Foundation brings together various sectors and regions within Tasmania and encourages communities to work together for the common good.

Examples of the Foundation making a difference includes:-

• The Living Boat Trust, Franklin - community building. "Your incentive grant not only initiated the erection of the trusts permanent home, it was also the deciding factor whether we should go forward or give up. As a result of your confidence we now have an enthusiastic membership and the community support we need to implement our programs". (John Young, Chairman L.B.T. - Franklin, Tasmania)
• Break O'Day Community FM Radio, St. Helens - local participation. "...as an incentive, your involvement has been exceedingly valuable. It has inspired our group and reignited the somewhat subdued flame of enthusiasm". (Don Ives, BOD FM Community Radio - Chairman).
• Dooloomal Youth Project - Statewide - making a difference. "...this is without doubt the greatest weekend of my life". (15 year old male participant - Life Skills Program 29-30/3, 2003).
• Christmas Gift Program 2002 - adolescents living in isolation. "...it is only through the generosity of volunteers such as yours that we can provide that 'little extra' to making the families and their children feel they are welcome". (Sheila Banks - Social Worker, Migrant Resource Centre, Hobart).

Volunteer Management

8. Policies:
Being developed and awaiting final Board ratification.

10. Training: Has included study through:-

• International Community Foundation Conferences - (Vancouver, Canada 2001; Tauranga, New Zealand, 2003).
• National Community Foundation forums - (Freycinet, Tasmania 2001; Katoomba, N.S.W. 2002).
• Philanthropy Australia Conference 2003, Sydney, N.S.W.
• International and National consultants included in Board level training - Policies, management, legal procedures, marketing, education.

11. Recognition:
An Annual Dinner is conducted. Various Awards are presented to those who have made significant contributions to the Community Foundation or his or her own local community. Our volunteers are acknowledged and their work is celebrated accordingly.

Organisations Activities

12. Major activities during the last 12 months have included:-

• Supporting Donors and their communities in various ways.
• Mentoring and advisory activities to struggling community groups.
• Visits to isolated and rural communities.
• Brokering funds through national philanthropic organisations including Foundations and Trusts.
• Leveraging funds for 'at risk' programs that may otherwise not have proceeded without the Community Foundation's support.
• Incentive and challenge grant making to incorporated bodies.
• Supporting research conducted by others (Strategy Shop, Melbourne).
• Follow up activities including letters of support, attracting other grants.
• Facilitating community meetings leading to creation of community development strategies.
• Development of the inaugural 'Focus on Philanthropy Week' for Tasmania. In September 22 - 26, 2003 the Community Foundation hosted several events in regional centres culminating in a conference titled 'Growing the Giving Sector - Change or Charity'. Designed for both the charitable sector and potential investors in their own community, this is the culmination and a highlight of 12 years of concerted voluntary effort.

13. How has the Foundation impacted?

• The brokering and leveraging of funds through various bodies has stimulated communities into action. Within the 'Challenge and Small Grant Incentive Program' community organisations have responded by engaging local businesses and volunteers. This has led to ownership of ideas to enhance their own localities.
• The initiatives undertaken by the Foundation have been a critical ingredient to the development of the above mentioned project and, through this, successful and sustainable programs have emerged. This has included the Foundation being the catalyst and at times 'risk taker' to help things happen.
• A most important outcome is helping provide an environment for communities to be empowered and to take control of the factors that otherwise may be holding them back. With this develops a 'can do' attitude, which provides readiness for community groups to attract volunteers and build on their own resourcefulness. The examples of the Living Boat Trust and Break O'Day FM Community Radio attest to this.

14. Contribution over the last 12 months
Our local community is regarded by the Foundation as the State of Tasmania.

• The Foundation's volunteer Board and members have focused this year on achieving consolidation of the organisation and developing systems that deliver excellent services to Donors and the communities they represent.
• This year both donors and community groups have continued to be supported in the activities previously highlighted in this document and these relationships have been substantially consolidated.
• The 'Growing the Giving' Conference in September is considered a major initiative in the States' not for profit sector with partnerships and alliances developed by the Foundation including:-
  
  The peak body for Disability Services in the State - ACROD; The Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Hobart; Philanthropy Australia; The Myer Fund; The Foundation for Rural and Regional Renewal - to name but a few.
• Community consultation has continued to grow this year with the Grants Committee of the Foundation assessing and providing successful applicant charitable organisations with 'small incentive challenge grants'. As an example the 'Streets Alive Youth Arts Festival' based in Northern Tasmania met significant difficulties in finding funding for the workshop component of the program. The Foundation became proactive in seeking partners to secure fees for specialised artists, which would enable students from isolated rural communities to participate in this most worthwhile arts project. The State Education Department through the Esk District agreed to match the required cash contribution. This enabled the project to proceed with spectacular results.
• The Tasmanian Community Foundation was given the responsibility by the Myer Fund to distribute $10,000.00 in $20.00 Christmas gift vouchers in December 2002. Whilst presenting a major administrative challenge, especially considering fairness and equity issues, the Foundation successfully achieved the donor's (Myer Fund) wishes. This has also led to the establishment of sound working relationships with charities invited to be involved. As a result of this most successful Community Foundation initiative, southern Tasmania has been selected by the Myer Fund as one of two regions in Australia where a best practice model for this form of grant making is being researched.

Scott Marshall, Executive Officer, Tasmanian Community Foundation. 24.07.2003.