About the Endowments for Impact Challenge
The Endowments for Impact Challenge is a groundbreaking initiative designed to push the boundaries of how trusts and foundations in Australia invest their assets.
Traditionally, granting and investing have been treated separately, with investments solely focused on income generation, but the growing shift towards mission-driven investment is challenging this approach.
With over $50 billion in investable assets held by Australian grant-makers, this shift has the potential to create significant impact.
Yet many foundations face challenges in finding the right advisors to support their responsible investment goals. Common obstacles include advisory models that prioritise scale over flexibility, the challenge of differentiating credible advice from greenwashing and the tendency for investment committees to defer to their advisors.
The Endowments for Impact Challenge offers a new way forward, drawing inspiration from successful models in the UK and Canada. Through a collective public tendering competition, we aim to identify, challenge and promote investment practitioners who can best support the unique missions of charitable endowments.
How it works
In the coming weeks, we will issue a public tender seeking proposals from Australian investment advisors based on agreed criteria.
Our expert panel will help develop a shortlist, and advisors will be invited to present at a public event where attendees, including non-government organisations and asset holders, can engage with them directly.
We’ll publish the selection criteria and a comprehensive report to profile the winners, as well as highlight areas for improvement.
After the event, participating trusts and foundations will draw on the outcomes to engage their investment advisors.
Key dates
Registration of advisor interest: open now
Tender documents available to interested advisors: TBA (October/ November 2024)
Tender closes: Four weeks after tender opens
Public event for advisor finalists: TBA (early 2025)
Final report on Endowments for Impact Challenge: April 2025
Participating trusts & foundations
Supporters
Support the Challenge!
We're looking for supporters who are keen to back Australia's first Endowments for Impact Challenge. Please contact us for more information.