Chair's Report 

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As we adjust to a new world post pandemic, whilst living through the devastating effects of environmental disaster, the importance of community is highlighted more than ever!

Initially, this new way of operating was forced upon us by circumstances. No one was unaffected by the situation! But with change comes opportunity.

As we ground to a standstill, we looked beyond our grant making to engage and nurture existing relationships within the Bennelong Family, and within the wider community. This allowed us to identify
and focus on opportunities to continue to work and support the community in meaningful ways that went beyond the traditional methods.

The Bennelong Foundation is entering a new stage of growth. Most of the past year has been spent planning and strategising about the future.

On the granting side we have kept our core values and focus areas the same, but slightly shifted our granting style. We have kept our commitment to applications-based, small, grassroots projects, but have expanded our focus to include some more curated, partnership-style projects.

This widens the scope of our opportunities to go beyond the traditional grant making we are already so good at. We are now using every asset at our disposal to create lasting change, which has always been our main focus.

The result is Bennelong BetterWorld, an enterprise-based, impact-investment initiative that takes a new look at bringing about long-term change. It sits outside the Bennelong Foundation, allowing us to bring the expertise of the operating group in line with the long-term vision of the Family through the Bennelong
Foundation.

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We are also exploring opportunities to partner with specialist organisations in the not-for-profit sector under the Bennelong Foundation banner. This will give all parties the advantages of scale and reduced costs.

We have had an incredible seven years of growth under the leadership of Sandra Jacobs. Sadly, she is leaving us to follow a new path, but we are confident that we will remain partners and allies. This change comes at a critical time, as we enter a new phase of our growth.

I’ll leave you with the (abridged) wise words of the poet Khalil Gibran on giving it your all:
 

Do not accept half a solution
Do not believe half truths
Do not dream half a dream
Do not fantasise about half hopes
Half the way will get you no where
Half an idea will bear you no results
Half a life is a life you didn’t live
You are a whole that exists to live a life
Not half a life

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CARENA SHANKAR
Chairperson