This year we are taking the time to reflect, learn, and engage with our partners and community about how we can continue to build and deepen our role and ways of working for the betterment of the community here in SA. We will keep this page updated with our latest insights, learnings along the way and opportunities to get involved.
Our current strategic direction was informed by a review of best and evolving practice in the philanthropic sector, commissioned research to understand the gaps and opportunities to meaningfully invest and partner with community for better health and wellbeing in SA, and our partnerships and work with community since 2003.
This strategic direction has been enshrined into who the Foundation is, and how we operate, reflected in our:
and our long term commitments to Our Town, Spinifex Foundation SA, and our ongoing role to support community determined responses to support better mental health and wellbeing.
By working closely with our partners—within systems for change and the broader philanthropic landscape—we have listened, learned, and recognised that while our role as a partner, the opportunities we fund, and our funding conditions are valued, there is potential to strengthen, deepen, and evolve these efforts. Our focus is on ensuring long-term impact and being truly led by community in all aspects of how we operate.
Read more below about the actions we are taking this year, and our emerging thoughts on the evolution and expansion of our strategic direction which will inform our operational developments, partnership opportunities, investments and decision making over the next 5 to 7 years.
Conversations with partners and community
We are bringing together representatives from our partnerships and networks to start a conversation about where they see the opportunities, priorities and evolution of the Foundation’s practice, and are excited to share these insights. This will be the first of many conversations and if you would like to contribute, reach out to us for a chat.
Learnings and reflections from our team
Our team are always considering how we can better show up and take action in ways that we are hearing are important and needed from our partners and broader community. We are excited by this opportunity to spend more time listening and engaging about the meaningful shifts we can make that will better support those working with community for better mental health and wellbeing. This has us considering longer term partnerships, ensuring we maximise how our endowment is invested for positive community impact and mobilised as needed for the now and long term, root cause change, but most importantly how these decisions are made with and for the diversity of our community.
Researching best and evolving practice
We have engaged a consultant to compile research and examples from across the globe as inspiration for us to build on in the key areas of; community decision making structures, utilising endowments for impact, trends in collaborative giving, and emerging approaches for taking a generational approach to strategy and impact measurement.
Leadership of our Board
Our Board have been engaging in ways the Foundation can expand and adapt to meet the challenges and priorities that have been surfaced through our past partnerships, such as;
the importance of community infrastructure and spaces to connect
ways to demonstrate what is possible and how to bring other funds and stakeholders along with us on the journey
our role in the future of our long term commitments such as Our Town
ensuring all of the Foundation’s resources are being utilised in the best ways for long term impact and change
and how to share our learnings for the most benefit whilst ensuring we are continuing to learn and grow our understanding of community wellbeing priorities.