Dear Friend,

We trust this finds you well and enjoying being able to get out and about with the end of the year in sight!

A year ago last week, on 24 November 2020, we launched our new brand, Australians Investing In Women. In April we released our first research report, Gender-wise Investing – A Springboard for Australia’s Recovery commissioned from Equity Economics, and were pleased by how well it was received and responded to by the philanthropic sector.

We are now proud to share with you the second research report in our series examining the impact of COVID-19 on women and girls – Changing the Trajectory: Investing in Women for a Fairer Future – which looks more closely at the impact of the pandemic on women’s employment, particularly on the employment and educational opportunities of young women in Australia.

We know you’ll find the analysis compelling and trust that you’ll be inspired by the examples of NFP initiatives featured in the report to help guide effective philanthropic investment. The NFP initiatives featured, and many others operating around Australia, provide invaluable support for young women affected by job loss or disruption to study. In doing so, they strengthen the futures of young women, and in turn Australia’s economic recovery from the adverse effects of the pandemic.

Tomorrow is #GivingTuesday, a perfect opportunity to think about how your giving impacts women and girls, and to invest in organisations making a difference in people’s lives. There are many ways you can make a difference and contribute to improving the lives of women and girls. So please share this message, and remember that philanthropy includes giving skills, knowledge, time and influence, not only money. ​

We know that strategic philanthropy can be a powerful lever for advancing gender equality.  Read on to learn about how the recipients of the 2021 Eve Mahlab AO Gender-Wise Philanthropy Award are supporting women to take their place at our nation’s decision-making tables and change the face of politics in Australia to better represent women.

We’ve also included some gift ideas that share the joy of the season while raising funds to support women and girls. Check out the beautiful cards created by Eleanor Wetenhall, who is following her mother Jo Horgan’s (Founder of Mecca Brands and one of our generous donors) example and investing in girls’ education.

Let’s seize this moment to change the trajectory. Invest in women for a fairer future.