Howwegrant
Under the Will of Helen Macpherson Schutt (née Smith), the Trust supports charitable programs to contribute to meaningful improvement in the lives of Victorians.
The Trust provides grants to partner organisations working in Victoria. Guided by the organisation’s values and the principles of trust-based philanthropy, the Trust fosters strong relationships between donors, not-for-profits, and communities.
The Trusts take a long-term view and commits to multi-year grants that are strategic in nature, fostering relationships with peer funders, and creating the most possible impact.
The Trust works to rebalance power by listening to those with expertise, collaborate respectfully, and use its influence to support organisations beyond funding. The approach is transparent, informed by data, and open to learning from mistakes.
Acknowledging one organisation cannot have all the answers, the Trust actively seeks to understand the systems and social contexts in which it operates.
The Trust supports organisations and programs in two focus areas:
How we grant
To maximise the benefit to applicants and streamline the application process, we engage closely with prospective grantees to ensure strong alignment with our funding priorities and strategic approach. This approach aims to increase the success and impact of each selected applicant. The Trust accepts applications by invitation only and does not receive unsolicited applications.
If your organisation is seeking support and is a Victorian-based charity working in the areas identified as strategic priorities of the Trust, you are welcome to email us to provide brief information about your organisation and proposed project.
Select organisations addressing the priority areas and aligned with the Trust’s approach will be asked to submit a brief expression of interest.
Following the expression of interest, a small number of organisations will be asked to submit a full application.
