Women & Change finds new home with the Heritage Bank Charitable Foundation 

8 March 2023

The Heritage Bank Charitable Foundation is extremely excited to announce that it is now supporting the unique philanthropic organisation Women & Change – Queensland’s original giving circle.

Women & Change was established by six Queensland women in 2014, with the goal of creating an empowering community for women to experience giving with impact.
Membership has now grown to over 100 women, with over $600,000 donated to rigorously selected charitable projects helping Queenslanders in need.
Moving forward, Women & Change will operate via a sub-fund established under the Heritage Bank Charitable Foundation (HBCF) banner, to collect donations and distribute high impact grants.

After a comprehensive strategic review, Women & Change decided to move under the HBCF as the critical next step in their evolution towards creating a philanthropic model that will continue in perpetuity. 

With the support of the HBCF, Women & Change will for the first time be able to accumulate donations, allowing them to help people in need both now and into the future.

“This collaboration with Women & Change is in 100% alignment with the Foundation’s vision of growing stronger communities, together,” said HBCF Executive Officer Mr Paul Olds.

“We are extremely like-minded organisations that are passionate about helping those in the community who need a hand up.  

“It just makes so much sense for Women & Change to leverage our infrastructure, allowing them to minimise administration and costs, so they can focus on what they were created to do - empowering women to give with impact.  This is a long-term commitment to support each other to achieve our philanthropic goals.”

“Women and Change was looking for an organisation with similar values of supporting Queenslanders in need and have found that in HBCF,” said W&C Chair Genevieve Fraser.

“We are a 100% volunteer run organisation and all donated funds are given away so having the support of HBCF reduces our running costs and helps us grow.”

“Operating as a sub fund we can now accumulate funds to underpin high impact giving for years to come, in addition to our annual member giving where we give away 100% of donated funds each year”.

Established in 2018, the Heritage Bank Charitable Foundation has financially supported 22 charities by donating $327,032 to help them grow stronger communities.  The funding has been used by our charity partners to directly reach more than 6,500 people.

The Foundation is extremely passionate about creating long-lasting positive impacts by helping people in need in our key focus areas: 

• Positive educational and alternative pathways to help at-risk children and teenagers;
• Health care services for vulnerable Australians and their families; and
• Support for the economic and social wellbeing of people in regional, rural and remote communities, including in times of natural disasters.

Heritage Bank provides amazing support to the Foundation.  Since its formation, Heritage has contributed over $3,400,000 to help increase the Foundation’s philanthropic giving.  They fund all operational costs of the Foundation, ensuring all donations and investment income can be applied to helping those in need, now and into the future.

Photo: Heritage Bank Charitable Foundation Executive Officer Paul Olds (front row, left) with representatives from Women & Change.