Each year Mannifera members gather for our annual ‘muster’; coming together for a few days of intensive learning, relationship building and grantmaking as a collective. This year we gathered in the Yugambeh region in Southeast Queensland, and were privileged to spend time with a number of First Nations leaders from the region, who generously shared stories of their Country, and knowledge of First Nations governance principles that could inform the way we seek to reform our current democratic systems.

We were also very lucky to be joined by two of Mannifera’s four First Nations advisers, who shared the organisations they have chosen to grant to this year, as well as their thinking on how Mannifera could further evolve our First Nations-led practice to incorporate Aboriginal perspectives beyond the funding allocation that’s committed to First Nations economic inclusion.

As always, our time together at the muster has sparked new ideas about how we can evolve our practice, expand partnerships with civil society and philanthropy, and think more expansively about the change we are seeking. We look forward to sharing more reflections soon, but one focus for the year ahead will be building relationships with potential co-funders; that is, funders interested in supporting Mannifera’s purpose and grant partners without signing up to become full members of the collective.

At the muster we awarded $840,000 in signature grants to 15 organisations and committed a further $220,000 as multi-year grants over future years. Signature grants were awarded following an open application round, and represent the bulk of Mannifera’s funding allocation each year. We also awarded a small number of rapid response and capacity building grants throughout the year, and have dispersed funding to a number of organisations following multi-year commitments made in 2024.

A full list of these grants is available below. For more information on these organisations and the work we are funding you can get in touch with our Director of Engagement and Partnerships, Tambelin Boykin, or complete a co-funding expression of interest form.

First Nations economic inclusion (First Nations-led)

• Bush Music Fund - $50,000
• First Nations Academy of Excellence - $50,000
• First Nations Project Group - $50,000 + $30,000 + $20,000 (multi-year)
• Hoops4Health - $50,000 + $30,000 + $20,000 (multi-year)
• Maganda Makers - $20,000
• WA Aboriginal Leadership Institute - $50,000

Ensuring open and accountable government

• FARE - Influence Engine - $55,000
• Grata Fund - $50,000
• Transparency International - $60,000 x 2 (multi-year)

Building fair tax and economic systems

• Centre for Policy Development - $80,000
• The Community Tax Project - $50,000
• Jubilee Australia - $45,000
• Percapita - $60,000

Improving the quality of public debate

• The Conversation - $45,000
• Digital Rights Watch - $60,000 x 2 (multi-year)

Fostering inclusive political participation

• Women for Election - $65,000

Rapid response and capacity building grants

• Australian Democracy Network - $5000
• Centre for Public Integrity - $5000
• Per Capita - $15,000
• Public Interest Journalism Initiative – $5,000
• Sentiment Agency + Punter’s Politics - $10,000
• Transparency International Australia – $35,000

Multi-year commitments made in FY24, dispersed in FY25

• Australian Democracy Network (Year 2 of 3) - $50,000
• Cape York Grassroots Corporation (Year 2 of 3) $30,000
• Centre for Public Integrity (Year 2 of 2) - $70,000
• Galiwink’u Women’s Space (Year 2 of 3) $30,000
• Foundations for Tomorrow (Year 2 of 2) - $60,000
• Think Forward (Year 2 of 2) $80,000