Westpac Foundation
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The Westpac Foundation
The Westpac Foundation is a charitable trust which invests to create and sustain social enterprise in disadvantaged communities in Australia.
The Foundation operates independently and without regard to the commercial interests of Westpac Banking Corporation.
History
In 1879 one man’s generosity created a legacy that has grown and changed into a broad reaching charitable trust. The Buckland Fund was established with £1000 by former director of Westpac Bank, Thomas Buckland. The fund aimed to help families of deceased bank officers who found themselves in difficult financial circumstance.
Then in 1999 the Fund expanded into a modern charitable trust that became The Westpac Foundation, beginning a new chapter in the life of one of Australia’s oldest corporate foundations.
The Catalyst Report
To mark 130 years since establishment and their 10th anniversary as the Foundation, in May 2009 The Westpac Foundation released their first report. Named 'the catalyst', the report provides an overview of the Foundation’s history as well as an insight into both their funding priorities and a selection of the projects they have funded.
Download the Report
Granting
Each year the Foundation provides grants to help not-for-profit organisations establish community based projects. Since the Foundation began in 1999, over $19m has been awarded in grants to over 120 organisations. The main focus is to help organisations address the causes of social problems in disadvantaged communities. The Foundation accepts submissions from not-for-profits with DGR status, where the program matches its funding priorities