Ian Potter Foundation
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Status: Open

Find out information about the aims, funding, key dates, resources and contacts for the Ian Potter Foundation.

Aim

The Ian Potter Foundation makes grants nationally to support charitable organisations working to benefit the community across a wide range of sectors and endeavours. In 2019, the Foundation’s Board approved the establishment of four key funding pillars:

  • Vibrant: Arts and Culture
  • Healthy: Medical Research equipment and Public Health Research Projects
  • Fair: Early Childhood Development and Community Wellbeing
  • Sustainable: Environment

Through its grants, the Foundation seeks to encourage excellence and support Australia’s talent: the visionaries, social entrepreneurs, scientists, academics and researchers, artists and teachers, and those who dedicate themselves to bettering our communities for the benefit of all.

Funding principles

Grant making across all program areas is underpinned by the following funding principles:

  • A commitment to excellence - IPF support organisations, programs and individuals who are outstanding in their field.
  • A focus on prevention - To maximise the value of their grants, IPF try to identify and support projects that address the causes of any problems rather than treat the symptoms. Supporting research is fundamental to this approach.
  • Encourage innovation - IPF seek to fund programs and projects that take a new approach to solving problems, especially those that can be evaluated and have potential for expansion and further development.
  • Potential for leverage - IPF grants have greater impact when combined with support from other sources. These might include other trusts and foundations, government, business or volunteers. IPF are happy to be one of a number of supporters of a program.
  • Long-term thinking - IPF try to fund projects that will continue to have an impact well beyond the period of our grant. The long-term sustainability of the project is an important consideration.
  • Partnerships - IPF encourage collaborations and partnerships that facilitate combining knowledge and resources to achieve a shared goal.
Funding rounds

Since 1964, The Ian Potter Foundation has contributed over $200 million to thousands of projects, both large and small.

Not-for-profit organisations can apply for grants that meet funding guidelines of the following funding areas:

  • Vibrant: Arts and Culture
  • Healthy: Medical Research equipment and Public Health Research Projects
  • Fair: Early Childhood Development and Community Wellbeing
  • Sustainable: Environment

Currently, the Ian Potter Foundation no longer supports Conference and Travel grants. Apart from the funder’s general eligibility requirements, your application must:

  • Request between $80,000 to $120,000 per year over 3-5 years
  • Collaborate with other partners
  • Have secured at least 50% of the total project cost in matched cash funding (from Macquarie, partners or other funding applications).

Please see each individual funding area for further eligibility criteria. The Ian Potter Foundation rarely awards the full amount for any project.

As a key strategic relationship for Macquarie University, we have to be tactical in what we apply for and how we approach the Ian Potter Foundation. This relationship is managed by the Trusts and Foundations Team (philanthropy.grants@mq.edu.au). It is a requirement of the funder that applicants first discuss their project with an Ian Potter Foundation Program Manager. This must happen with approval of the Trusts and Foundations Team and your Faculty Research Office.

Although the Foundation does not impose an institutional limit on application submitted, not all EOIs and applications will be approved by the University for submission, dependent on their suitability.

All EOIs and Applications to the Ian Potter Foundation must be completed with the input and approval (ideally as early as possible) of your Faculty Research Office and Trusts and Foundations Team, to ensure alignment to the funder’s funding priorities.

All contact with the Foundation should happen through the Trusts and Foundations Team who will contact them if you require any clarification etc.

Please ensure that you contact your Trusts and Foundations Team, as early as possible, for information on process and deadlines.

For specific information on this grant, please refer to the followng Ian Potter webpage.