Hi ,

There’s a somewhat Dickensian feeling out there right now; the worst of times, as nationalist polities reset the World order and a cost-of-living crisis bites; the best of times, as our Australian economy appears to land a narrow path of taming inflation while simultaneously growing employment, and our Federal Government balances its budget, again.    

But everyone appears to be feeling a certain unease. In fact, the word 'polycrisis' keeps popping up in discussion. In our Insight Piece this quarter, we explore the ‘crisis of grievance’ that sits at the heart of the growing social malaise, and the imperative to rebuild public trust to address the very large leadership and funding gap in the charities and NFP sector created by rapidly changing political and fiscal priorities. 

As the year unfolds, the GoodWolf team are currently revisiting questions of purpose, strategy and impact with a portfolio of foundations, non-profits and intermediaries, and bringing funders and delivery partners into collaborations and partnerships.

We are also supporting a handful of social enterprises with capacity-building grants from the Social Enterprise Development Initiative (SEDI) and anticipating the winners of the Endowment For Impact Challenged (EFIC) that are being announced on Day 2 of the Impact Investment Summit to support the Trusts & Foundations sector to better procure advisors that are more impact aligned.  

These initiatives are good illustrations of how our charities and for-purpose sector is become bigger and bolder in its appetite to put blended business models and blended finance to work, and to address this growing capital and impact gap that has opened up. This work has never been more important.  

We look forward to seeing you out there in the field.  

Kind regards,  

Simon

Rebuilding Public Trust

The start of 2025 has been marked by what the latest Edelman Trust Barometer has described as a ‘Crisis of Grievance.’ Following a year in which nearly half the world population participated in national elections, the outcomes have shown a dramatic shift towards nationalistic leaders who have capitalised on this widespread discontent. The implications for democratic institutions, social equity, and economic stability are profound, and the ripple effects will continue through the elections of 2025 and beyond.

For Australian not-for-profit (NFP) organisations, this erosion of trust presents both challenges and opportunities. The sector, traditionally held in high regard as a force for social good, is facing increasing scrutiny as overall trust in institutions declines. Edelman’s latest findings highlight three key factors driving this crisis: 

• A declining belief in a better future for the next generation (with no Western democracy scoring above 30% in this area). 

• A profound distrust of leadership (66% of people believe leaders lie to serve their own ends). 

• The collapse of shared facts, as opinion-driven narratives replace objective truth (66% of people report difficulty discerning factual information). 

GoodWolf turns 6-years-young this month. Thank you to all our valued clients and our collaborating partners and consultants who have explored the big questions around the purpose, impact and sustainability of their missions at a time when charities and NFPs are shouldering a growing responsibility to help society level up in terms of access, equity and fairness.

And to GoodWolf's valued team members, past and present, that have taken on this task together with the clients and held our values so closely – connection, alchemy, delight and essentialism - thank you!  

CLIENT SHOUTOUTS

Royal Brisbane & Women’s Hospital Foundation

Royal Brisbane & Women’s Hospital Foundation (RBWHF) celebrated its 40th year as we put our finishing touches to a new Theory of Change and Impact Framework for the Foundation’s Board & Leadership Team. Again, another project that shows us the importance of talking to your stakeholders around impact. We spoke to researchers, hospital staff, donors and volunteers. The team at RBWHF have been full force behind this project and have begun to the embed the work into their strategy and day-to-day articulation of how they enable world class healthcare through leveraging philanthropic strategies. 

Jacka Foundation

Jacka Foundation engaged GoodWolf to review its purpose and strategy to help it set its sights on the growing natural therapies sector and its opportunity to grant into this increasingly important part of integrative medicine. Biomedicine and the pharmaceutical world are slowly returning to the age-old traditions of natural medicine, and ensuring they are better integrated with biomedical interventions to ensure a more holistic treatment (and capturing a growing commercial market in the process.) Jacka Foundation is a good example of a consumer-led movement towards practices that are more holistic and generative and embrace the power of nature (‘vis medicatrix naturae’) 

Southside Justice

Southside Justice are a Community Legal Centre for people on low incomes in the cities of Port Phillip, Stonnington and Bayside requiring specialist legal support or representation. After a period of rebranding and repositioning, SJ engaged GoodWolf to better position Board & Senior Management to help SJ diversify its funding base, rethink its theory of change and establish the key points of leverage to help inform a strategy to better engage philanthropy. We built out the tools, monitoring and resourcing plans to put this strategy into place 

Monet & Metaphors

Five Big Questions for Blue Sky Thinking... 

It must be the season for strategic planning – we're working with a bunch a fantastic organisations on finding the balance between audacious goals and grounded implementation plans.  

As watercolour painters know, you start with the blue sky then layer and refine from there. We’ve found the following big questions to be great launching off points for opening out possibilities and bringing in blue sky thinking... 

Feeding our GoodWolf

• Impact Investment Summit - Simon and Nina will attend the Impact Investment Summit on 26/27 March in Sydney. IIS is the premier event dedicated to driving capital towards social and environmental solutions, and will be sponsored by DFAT this year. The summit is set to be a rich and diverse gathering with session themes including the intersection of Climate & Gender, impact investing in the arts, scaling solutions for young Australians with disabilities and sustainable investment for Australia’s housing crisis. They will also be attending the announcement of the Endowment For Impact Challenge (EFIC) on 2om on 27th March where 6 Foundations have pooled $170m in a collective tender process to attract the best impact-aligned advisors. Follow more news on this exciting initiative here.   

• Major Minor Music Australia - Hannah recently joined the inaugural board of Major Minor Music Australia: Australia’s peak body supporting the Australian Children’s Music industry and its artists. Music is a powerful and joyous way for children to learn about and engage with the world. MMMA exists to support Australia’s amazing artists making music for young audiences and to make sure all children have access to a wide range of high-quality music. MMMA is thrilled to announce that in its second official year of existence, it has been awarded three-year core funding through Music Australia!  

• Savvy Giving by Genevieve Timmons: A Roadmap for Contemporary Giving in Australia - The second edition of Savvy Giving is a real gem for anyone looking to make a real impact through philanthropy in Australia. Genevieve Timmons doesn’t just lay out a step-by-step guide — she offers a thoughtful, engaging take on what it means to give effectively and with purpose. The case studies bring the concepts to life, making the book both practical and inspiring. Whether you’re just starting out or looking to refine your approach, Savvy Giving feels like having a wise and generous mentor by your side. 

We hope you’ve enjoyed this edition of The GoodWolf.  

Please reach out or share a comment with us at hello@goodwolf.com.au or contact one of the team directly. 

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