In regional Victoria, the Tomorrow Today Foundation is showing what’s possible when a town leads its own change. With long-term support from the William Buckland Foundation (WBF) and other engaged Trusts & Foundations, this independent community foundation is helping Benalla thrive through local leadership and strong community ties.
Like many regional towns, Benalla faces challenges—distance, limited transport, and stretched services. But what defines it isn’t disadvantage, it’s determination. Families, schools, and local organisations have come together to ensure every child has the chance to thrive.
Program Manager, Sally Matheson, shares what disadvantage looks like on the ground:
“You know those ads for the Smith Family that talk about one in six Australian children being raised in poverty? In Benalla, that figure is one in three. We’re double the Australian average.”
Change that Starts with Community
“Tomorrow Today is the glue that brings people together in Benalla. Because we’re people of action. We’ll work together to get stuff done.” Rosie Koop, Board Member and former Executive Officer
Tomorrow Today was created by locals who wanted to help people work together to create a stronger future for the district. The Education Benalla Program, which focuses on giving Benalla’s children and families the best possible start in life, is supported by a collective of engaged funders alongside WBF including; The Ian Potter Foundation, Helen Macpherson Smith Trust and Ross Trust. Tomorrow Today works alongside parents, schools, and service providers to improve learning, wellbeing, and opportunity—from early childhood through to employment.
One in three children in Benalla grows up in hardship. But instead of accepting that, Tomorrow Today developed programs – wrapping around families early, connecting them to one another and to practical support.
PEEP (Parents Early Education Partnership), which recognises parents as their child’s first educators, is now part of daily life in Benalla, with 80% of families with young children attending at least one term of PEEP before their child starts school. A testament to how community ownership drives results.
Trusting Communities to lead the way
Since 2014, the William Buckland Foundation has provided more than $1.3 million in grants and a flexible loan that enabled Tomorrow Today to purchase its own premises—an investment in stability and long-term growth rarely possible through traditional finance.
This enduring partnership has given Tomorrow Today freedom to test ideas and scale what works. “Tomorrow Today is a powerful example of what happens when local leadership is matched with long-term, flexible support,” says Ferdi Hepworth William Buckland Foundation Lead. “Real change takes time and deep community connection.”
Tomorrow Today’s impact reaches far beyond individual programs. It has strengthened local collaboration and inspired other towns to adopt similar models. For WBF, it demonstrates what trusted philanthropy looks like—backing communities and responding with curiosity, flexibility and empathy.
As Sally Matheson from Tomorrow Today reflects, “William Buckland are more than funders – they’re partners in building a stronger, fairer Benalla.”
A Blueprint for Rural Australia
This is what community-led change looks like: neighbours supporting neighbours, local leaders driving solutions, and funders walking alongside them. Together, they’re building a brighter future – on their own terms.