Structure, staff and Board

Our Structure

The Geelong Community Foundation has been endorsed by the Australian Tax Office as a charity. Donations to the Foundation’s Gift Fund are tax deductible and the Foundation is exempt from tax.

It has been set up to support the people living in the City of Greater Geelong, the Borough of Queenscliffe, the Surf Coast Shire and the southern part of the Golden Plains Shire.

The Foundation is able to support charitable organisations across the full spectrum of health and welfare services, as well as cultural programs and projects that support our environment and assist indigenous residents living in our region.

The Foundation is governed by a volunteer board of Directors, with a wide range of skills and experience and an extensive knowledge of the community. Our staff are part-time employees and they have the support of various professional companies providing services at reduced or pro bono rates.

Our Staff and Board

Amy Photo For Website

Amy Waters

Chief Executive Officer

Amy joined the Foundation as Program Manager in March 2023 and commenced as Chief Executive Officer in September 2024. Amy is a passionate leader and grants professional with a focus…

Tony Mcmanus February 2020- Cropped

Tony McManus

Development Manager

Tony joined the Foundation as Development Manager in June 2018. Tony’s background includes the role of the ﬁrst Independent Chairman of a Headspace local consortium and was also an active…

P500 Pitch&vote

Charlotte Walker

Program & Impact Manager

Charlotte joined the Foundation as Program and Impact Manager on 11 November 2024. Charlotte has over ten years’ experience working within the community sector, in a diverse range of roles…

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Gennette Jewell

Administration Assistant

Gennette commenced at the Foundation as a Volunteer in 2017 before transitioning to the role of Administration Assistant in 2018, following a sea change to the Geelong region from Northeast…

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Michael Betts

Board Chair

Joined the Board in 2020 Michael Betts is a Director and Consultant. He is a retired Chartered Accountant with over 37 years of experience in public practice, including 26 years…

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Wendy Brooks

Vice Chair

Joined the Board in 2020 Wendy is passionate about social justice, equity and human rights. Her career has spanned law, music and strategic fundraising. As well as being a proud…

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Val Lawrence

Founding Director

Val is a Founding Director of the Foundation, joining the original Board in 1999. She was Board Chair from 2009-2015. Val is the Immediate Past President Point Lonsdale/Queenscliff Red Cross…

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Hayden Torney

Emeritus Director

Joined the Board in 2014. Hayden moved to the Surf Coast in 1973 and taught Legal Studies and Economics in Geelong for the next 17 years. In 1989, Hayden left…

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Andrew Locke

Director

Joined the Board in 2017. Andrew is a founding Director of Maven Insurance + Advisory, an insurance broking and ﬁnancial services business that commenced on the Surf Coast in 2019.…

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Bridgette Kelly

Director

Joined the Board in 2019. Bridgette is a Principal at Harwood Andrews. She is a Law Institute of Victoria Accredited Specialist in Family Law. Bridgette was the Chair of the…

Allana Goldsworthy February 2020 -cropped

Allana Goldsworthy

Director

Allana joined the Board in 2018. Allana has been a resident of Geelong since 1982. After completing her Arts/Law degree at Monash University, she worked as a solicitor in Geelong…

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Mark Osborne

Director

Joined the Board in 2018. Mark is currently a Senior Advisor for InvoCare Australia and Advisor, Mentor and Coach to Tuckers Funeral & Bereavement Service. Previously the Victorian General Manager…

Don Hough

Don Hough

Director

Joined the Board in 2023. Don is a retired Certified Practising Accountant and Commercial Real Estate Agent. Moving to Geelong in 1988 with his family to join the local accountancy…

Nick Klein

Nick Klein

Director

Joined the Board in 2023 Nick is a principal with LBW Business + Wealth Advisors, a prominent business and advisory firm located in Geelong. Nick has been with LBW since…

Last week our Program & Impact Manager Charlotte W

Last week our Program & Impact Manager Charlotte Walker visited our grant partner, the Geelong Arts Centre, who delivers ‘Time to Thrive’.

Time to Thrive provides movement and dance for mature aged movers aged 60+ and this new initiative was developed in response to the limited opportunities for older adults to participate in dance and movement in our community. There has been significant demand for the pilot 6-week program, with overwhelmingly positive feedback from current participants.

Upon arrival, the ‘Dancing for Dementia and Parkinsons’ group was in action and the group participants were so joyous, with endless smiles and active participation in the dance steps and exercises. The classes have fostered physical and mental health benefits alongside genuine connection and belonging for group members.

Pictured is the Active and Agile over 60’s class on Monday 2 December, 2024.

[Image credit: Peter Foster.]

#GivingForever

𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱-𝟮𝟲 𝗠𝗔𝗜𝗡 𝗚𝗥𝗔𝗡𝗧 𝗥𝗢𝗨𝗡𝗗 𝗡𝗢𝗪 𝗢𝗣𝗘𝗡 💙

The Geelong Community Foundation is pleased to announce that we have opened applications for our 2025/26 Main Grant Round!

This year the Foundation will distribute more than $1.6m in grants, approximately $1 million is available in this grant round.

Applications will be accepted for activities that align with the Foundation’s four grant streams:
🍉 Food and Emergency Support
👩‍⚕️Health, Resilience and Connection
💻Education and Employment; and
🪴Environment and Sustainability

Activities must be delivered within City of Greater Geelong, Borough of Queenscliffe, Surf Coast Shire Council or Golden Plains Shire.

Applications can be submitted for grants between $1,000 and $100,000, over a 1–3-year period.
For more information visit the link in bio.

Applications close 11:59pm Monday 10 February 2025.

Please contact Charlotte Walker Program and Impact Manager on 03 5244 7831 or grants@geelongfoundation.org if you have any questions.

#GivingForever

𝗚𝗥𝗔𝗡𝗧 𝗣𝗔𝗥𝗧𝗡𝗘𝗥

𝗚𝗥𝗔𝗡𝗧 𝗣𝗔𝗥𝗧𝗡𝗘𝗥 𝗦𝗣𝗢𝗧𝗟𝗜𝗚𝗛𝗧: 𝗖𝗟𝗢𝗩𝗘𝗥𝗗𝗔𝗟𝗘 𝗖𝗢𝗠𝗠𝗨𝗡𝗜𝗧𝗬 𝗛𝗢𝗨𝗦𝗘

The Real Deal for Geelong, an alliance for policy solutions that are aimed at improving social housing, cost of living, public transport and energy bills savings has recently had a significant win on household energy efficiency upgrades for social housing as part of Renew Australia For All campaign.

The Geelong Community Foundation has provided a $78,000 two-year grant to the Real Deal Geelong, auspiced by Cloverdale Community Centre, to support their work in building community capacity to self-organise and advocate for policy change that will make a real difference in the lives of Geelong residents.

The Real Deal Alliance recently held a public forum with Deputy Prime Minister, Richard Marles, to discuss major policy areas and Mr Marles agreed to be a champion for the need to have electrification of households with renewable energy in a way that includes renters and people in social housing.

He said that the Renew Australia For All campaign for this which Real Deal Geelong is supporting is “driving a conversation amongst decision-makers right now in Canberra” and that the Commonwealth Government has a role to play in terms of enabling households to electrify.

Geelong Community Foundation CEO Amy Waters, said that “The Real Deal Geelong is playing a critical role in advocating for change that will significantly improve the lives of individuals and families in Geelong, especially those who are most vulnerable.

“It’s important that this work continues to occur, alongside activities that aim to support individuals and families who are experiencing financial vulnerability, so that individual’s and families have access to the support that they need right now, while also building a fairer more equitable society for the future.”

#GivingForever

Our P500 Committee met yesterday to celebrate the

Our P500 Committee met yesterday to celebrate the achievement of our 2024 P500 campaign that brought together 278 donors to fund an $80,000 grant to Farm My School and 2x $2,250 grants to the P500 runner up organisations Skyline Education Foundation Australia and The Men’s Table.

The Committee began planning for our 2025 campaign and set an ambitious target to reach 300 donors, that will enable an $85,000+ grant and 2x $5,000 grants to the runners up.

CEO Amy Waters said that, “The magic of P500 is that it brings individuals of all ages, and from different backgrounds, together to create a significant grant that addresses an area of critical need in the community.”

“P500 donors who each contribute $500, have the opportunity to hear from three incredible organisations about their work in the community and to cast their vote for who they want to receive the grant. It’s a fantastic way to be involved in our community and to make a meaningful contribution.”

If you’re interested in learning more about P500 visit www.geelongfoundation.org/giving/p500 or reach out to Amy for more information.

#GivingForever

A little reminder for December 1 ✨ #GivingFore

A little reminder for December 1 ✨

#GivingForever

Our team has just returned from an incredible Comm

Our team has just returned from an incredible Community Foundations Australia Forum in the Northern Rivers Community.

It was a wonderful time connecting with and learning from our Community Foundation Peers both nationally and internationally.

We asked the team what their key takeaways were and this is what they shared:

Amy Waters said: “The role of Community Foundations is much broader than simply grantmaking, we have an incredible opportunity to build capability, foster connection, catalyse change and cultivate philanthropy in the communities where we operate. We can do this alongside increasing capacity of our community through our grantmaking and our communities will be richer for it.”

Tony McManus said: “The importance of country wide collaboration for the collective benefit of all Community Foundations cannot be understated. A great example of this has been the successful ongoing lobbying of the Federal Government & Treasury regarding Community Charity DGR Reforms. These reforms will give the Geelong Community Foundation and the sector more broadly much greater ability to be flexible and responsive to the needs of our community.”

Charlotte Walker said: “Our community is our biggest asset. We need to continue to listen to community perspectives, prioritise and amplify their voice, empower and resource them to impact change and support ongoing capacity building.”

#GivingForever