The Geelong Community Foundation marked a significant milestone on Thursday evening, celebrating 10 years of the P500 program at a special anniversary launch event held at Geelong Gallery.
Donors, community partners and supporters gathered to reflect on a decade of generosity and to launch the 2026 P500 campaign, which aims to grow the collective giving program to 350 donors, enabling a record-breaking $100,000 grant — the largest in P500’s history — to be awarded to a local community organisation in this milestone tenth year.
Founded by former Geelong Community Foundation CEO Gail Rodgers, the P500 program was created with a simple but powerful idea: when people come together and give collectively, they can make a significant difference for the community.
Ten years on, that vision continues to resonate.
10 Years of P500 Impact
$981,500 raised
10 years of collective giving
9 community organisations funded
$100,000 record-breaking grant goal for 2026
Since its launch, the P500 community has raised an extraordinary $981,500, funding nine major grants to nine local community organisations working across areas including youth wellbeing, education, social inclusion and community resilience.
Each year, individuals contribute $500, pooling their donations to create a transformative grant that enables a local organisation to expand its impact and reach more people across the Geelong region.
Speaking at the launch event, Geelong Community Foundation CEO Amy Waters reflected on the collective effort behind the program and the generosity of donors who have supported the initiative over the past decade.
The evening also acknowledged the leadership and dedication of Gail Rodgers and the P500 Committee, whose vision and ongoing commitment have helped shape the program and its impact across the region.
The launch also marked a leadership transition for the program, welcoming Melinda Planken as the new Chair of the P500 Committee and recognising the contribution of outgoing Chair Cormac Hanrahan, whose leadership has helped guide the program in recent years.
Celebrating the Impact of the 2025 Grant
Guests also heard from representatives of The Empowerment Challenge, recipient of the 2025 P500 major grant, who shared how the funding is helping young people build confidence, resilience and leadership skills.
Their work reflects the purpose at the heart of P500 — supporting local organisations that are creating meaningful change in our community.
P500 2026 Campaign is Now Open
The event concluded with the official launch of the 2026 P500 campaign, with donations now open.
The campaign aims to grow the P500 community to 350 donors, enabling a record-breaking $100,000 major grant, alongside two $5,000 runner-up grants, supporting organisations working to strengthen our community.
Matched Giving Week: 19–27 March
This year’s campaign will once again feature three matched giving weeks, helping to amplify the impact of donor contributions.
The first matched giving opportunity runs 19–27 March, thanks to the generous support of Tuckers Funeral & Bereavement Services, who will match donations dollar-for-dollar up to $5,000.
Matched giving moments like this allow every contribution to go further — accelerating the collective impact of the P500 community.
Join the Next Chapter of P500
As the P500 community celebrates ten years of giving, the program continues to demonstrate the power of collective philanthropy — where many individual contributions come together to create lasting impact and help build a connected, fair and thriving Geelong.
With the 2026 campaign now underway, donors and supporters are invited to join the next chapter of the P500 journey and help shape the next decade of local impact. As the program marks this special anniversary year, the Foundation looks forward to a successful campaign and the continued growth of the P500 community for many years to come.
Join the P500 community — or invite someone who believes in the power of giving locally.
When more people come together, we can create even greater impact for the Geelong region.
Missed the launch?
Browse the photo gallery below for highlights from the P500 10-year celebration at Geelong Gallery.
