Annual Letter
2025

Stronger communities,
brighter futures.

This year marked the beginning of the William Buckland Foundation’s 2025–2030 Strategy – shaped by six decades of learning and deep connection with Victorian communities. Our purpose remains steadfast: to improve the wellbeing and futures of Victorian children and young people in greatest need, through sustained, community-led approaches that create lasting, meaningful change.

It was a year of challenges for families and communities. Rolling and interconnected pressures – economic, social, environmental, and cultural – continued to make it harder for children and young people to thrive. These conditions only strengthen our resolve to invest in long-term, place-based solutions grounded in trust, collaboration, and shared learning.

Strategy: Investing in long-term futures

This reflects a commitment to ambitious, evidence-based action, informed by community insights and strong relationships. It focuses on two interconnected funding streams:

  • Thriving Places

    Supporting place-based, community-led approaches that prioritise children and families while strengthening local systems.

  • Sustainable Futures

    Investing in long-term social, economic, and environmental resilience – connecting young people to the skills, opportunities, and pathways they need to thrive in the future.

A focus in the Hume Region

Benalla, Seymour, and Shepparton are where we’re deepening our long-term commitment to improving outcomes for children and young people in greatest need. These communities face entrenched disadvantage but also shine with strong local leadership, deep cultural knowledge, and a readiness for place-based, community-led approaches.

Over the next ten years, we will fund: joined-up supports for children and families, culturally strong First Nations pathways, youth-driven futures and community-designed responses to climate, agriculture, and economic change.

We back the aspirations and insights of partners such as Tomorrow Today, Ganbina, Our Place, and local youth and mental health networks. By investing for the long-term and backing community-led visions we will build stronger connections, greater resilience, and expanded opportunities for young people.

How we’ve adapted our ‘way of working’

We recognised the need to evolve, embedding new ways of working through site visits, conversations and formal feedback. By listening closely to partners, we have built a stronger understanding of what drives effective, long-term change. We mandated working in partnership with other funders, recognising that complex challenges require shared effort and collective learning.

Granting impact

Since establishment in 1965, over $151 million has been distributed to Victorian communities. The Foundation distributed $5,897,198 in grants in financial year 2025.

This granting reflects a deliberate shift toward fewer, deeper, and longer-term partnerships, supporting organisations through transition to the new strategy and strengthening conditions for lasting impact.

Throughout the year, we have shared stories from partners that highlight the
 power of community-designed and led change:

Investment and financial snapshot 

Our investment approach continues to balance long-term capital growth with responsible stewardship to sustain granting into the future. Trustees remain vigilant in navigating turbulent markets to ensure the Foundation’s enduring impact.

  • Management Expense Ratio: 0.94%
  • Corpus value (30 June 2025): $176.0 million
  • Impact investments: $3.1 million, aligned with mission and long-term outcomes

Key Highlights

  • 10,845 tonnes of food redistributed
  • 230 specialist disability accommodation participants housed
  • 189 children with disability seen through specialised orthotic clinics

Learning, feedback, and governance

This year saw two significant feedback processes to strengthen how we work. Implemented through the Australian Philanthropic Benchmark, we sought anonymous insights from grant partners about relationships, communication and practice.

The Tanarra Board Health Check, completed by all Trustees, provided a snapshot of governance strengths and areas for improvement. Together, these feedback channels reinforce a commitment to listening, learning and refining our practice.

Acknowledging THE team

Delivering on William Buckland’s aspirations relies on a committed and skilled team. Our co-trustees – Jodi Kennedy, Miriam Silva AM, and Stephen Carpenter – continue to provide strategic insight and stewardship as the Foundation evolves.

We’re grateful to the Foundation team at Equity Trustees – Alex White and Amanda Sartor – for their dedication and expertise. Thanks also to Adna Farah, for her insights through the 2025 Observership Program, which strengthened our commitment to supporting young leaders in the sector.

Looking ahead

Looking ahead, the work will strengthen place-based systems within the Hume region, embedding a culture of continuous learning and reflection, and fostering collaboration across both the philanthropic and community sectors.

We remain deeply grateful to the partners who work so hard to create brighter futures for Victorian children and young people.

Jenny McGregor AM
Foundation Chair

Ross Barker
IC & A&R Committee Chair

Ferdi Hepworth
Foundation Lead

The Trustees and William Buckland Foundation team acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the lands we live and work on across Victoria. William Buckland was born on the lands of the Taungurung People, the Traditional Custodians of Mansfield and we pay respect to Elders past and present. Equity Trustees LTD is a co-trustee of the William Buckland Foundation ABN 231 960 05019