The Client: A mother, in her 60’s, with a 36-year-old daughter & two young grandsons. Since losing her husband almost 20 years ago, in a marriage where it wasn’t feasible for her to work, she has gone on to build her wealth.

The Issue: Witnessing women over 55 being the fastest growing group of homeless in Australia, our client wanted to “create more & better housing options for older women”.

The Strategy: Faced with the enormity of the housing crisis & considering the donation size & duration , we advised our client of an alternative strategy – which would create more & longer-term impact with a smaller donation.

The Gift: After extensive due diligence & building a trusted relationship with a for-purpose organisation, Women for Election, we recommended our client provide a multi-year grant to support organisational capacity & provide them with a path to scalability & sustainability.

The Rationale: Women for Election provide women with the skills to stand for & succeed in public office, with a goal of improving gender parity in Australian politics. The grant was coupled with a grant to Women’s Community Shelters, to support short & medium-term accommodation for women over 55 escaping domestic violence.

The Outcomes: By supporting more female representation, our client was able to influence government discussions, including about homelessness amongst women over 55. This was achieved alongside contributing to alleviating the immediate housing shortage.