Community Spotlight: Partnering for Progress 

The Fogarty Foundation's reflections on Collaborative Impact 

The Fogarty Foundation has a longstanding commitment to advancing education and creating opportunities for student success.  Recognising the complex challenges within the education sector, the organisation embraces a collaborative approach.  By partnering with the State Government, Catholic Education WA and West Australian universities’ Departments of Education, as well as with ‘for purpose’ organisations such as The Smith Family, the Foundation aims to amplify its impact and address systemic issues collectively. By collaborating with like-minded organisations, the Foundation gains access to diverse perspectives, innovative ideas, and best practices that enhance its programs. 

 "Education is the foundation of a thriving society, and its impact is greater when working collaboratively. In the education sector, it is essential that public, private and philanthropic organisations work together, with a focus on students. This way they can pool resources, expertise, and passion to unlock greater opportunities and empower generations to build a brighter future." Caitlyn Fogarty

Collaborative efforts are most effective when organisations share a common vision and work towards mutually beneficial outcomes. Whether promoting literacy, enhancing STEM education, or bridging educational gaps, the Foundation seeks partners committed to the same overarching objectives. 

This Community Spotlight explores one way in which the Foundation partners with others to achieve outcomes greater than what could have been achieved alone. 

CASE STUDY – THE INVESTMENT DIALOGUE

The Investment Dialogue for Australia’s Children (the Investment Dialogue) is a commitment between Government and philanthropic partners to a long-term collaboration to improve the wellbeing of children, young people, and their families, by working with communities to reduce intergenerational disadvantage in Australia.  To that end, a ‘Working Together Agreement’ was signed by the Federal Government and 20 philanthropic members of the Investment Dialogue in Canberra on 4 December 2023 (photo shows the Federal Treasurer addressing some of the attendees), outlining shared commitments for the coming years.  It also reflects a desire to expand the stakeholders involved including to State Governments, First Nations people and those working on the ground in communities. 

This follows certain budget commitments made by Federal Government in May 2023, and the establishment of a cross-agency ‘Tackling Entrenched Disadvantage’ working group housed within Treasury.  Philanthropy has agreed to contribute a minimum of $100m over the first four years of the IDAC, $65M of which has already been earmarked in the first year.  

The Investment Dialogue will identify and promote investment opportunities in the areas of policy and system level reform; place-based initiatives; and projects, programs and service models.  Within 10 years the Investment Dialogue hopes to achieve a measurable reduction in child vulnerability and create lasting conditions to address intergenerational disadvantage. 

The Investment Dialogue is convened by the Australian Research Alliance for Children and Youth (ARACY), supported by a philanthropy taskforce including executives from The Bryan Foundation, Paul Ramsay Foundation, and Ian Potter Foundation.  The Fogarty Foundation is one of three WA-based participants together with the Stan Perron Charitable Foundation and Minderoo Foundation.  Additionally, a group of WA-based philanthropists and funders have been collaborating since November 2022 to consider the opportunities that the Investment Dialogue for Australia’s Children (IDAC) presents for WA.   This group is called the Investment Dialogue for WA (IDWA) and has been voluntarily convened by the Fogarty Foundation.