OUR STORY
OUR PURPOSE
For over 25 years, we have had the privilege of working in partnership with Australia’s not-for-profit sector, other funders and all levels of government.
The Nelson Meers Foundation was established in 2001 by businessman and philanthropist, Nelson Meers AO, and his daughter, Sam Meers AO. We were the first ‘prescribed private fund’ (now ‘private ancillary fund’) to commence operation in Australia. Since we began our funding program in 2001, we have funded over 250 innovative and diverse projects and over 200 different organisations.
We are inspired every day by our many project partners. We aim to support the organisations we work with by placing our trust in them, and providing them with the conditions to grow, connect and scale their projects.
The Nelson Meers Foundation is family-led, and our grantmaking is underpinned by our family values of creativity, fairness, sustainability and collaboration. The Foundation supports the multi-generational personal giving of the individual members of the Meers family, who give in their personal capacity to programs both within and outside the Nelson Meers Foundation’s funding remit.
To extend our impact beyond our grantmaking, we take public positions that support our work, actively seek to collaborate with our philanthropic peers, and encourage collaboration between the organisations we support.
We strongly believe that private giving plays an integral role in ensuring the vitality and resilience of Australian society and we actively advocate for greater opportunities for philanthropic giving, and more impactful philanthropic giving, in Australia.
From a governance perspective, our operations are overseen by an advisory board chaired by Sam Meers AO and comprised of family members and members of the community.
What We Do
Over the past 25 years, the Nelson Meers Foundation’s key objective has been to foster innovative artistic and cultural expression, and to encourage greater engagement with the diversity, complexity and richness of our cultural sector.
We have done this by supporting organisations and projects that create positive change, promote individual wellbeing, community cohesion and cultural tolerance, particularly through the lens of the arts and culture.
Our experience over this time, through the wisdom of the many project partners we have worked with, and the more recent engagement of the next generation of the Meers family, has led us to expand our funding remit to reflect our vision for a society in which cultures, communities and the planet can thrive together.
We value creativity, experimentation and cross-disciplinary thinking. We see artists, cultural practitioners, community advocates and environmental innovators as essential to addressing complex challenges. We focus on elevating diverse voices and backing high-impact projects that recognise the deep interconnection between cultural expression, strong communities and a healthy environment.
We aim to create the conditions for ideas to grow, connect and scale, providing flexible, trust-based funding, with an emphasis on minimising administrative burden and allowing our partners to lead their projects in the ways they know will be most effective. Rather than funding single outcomes, we support ideas that can spark lasting systems change, build partnerships and influence across sectors and generations.
Our approach is relational and collaborative, grounded in ongoing dialogue, shared learning, transparency and respect.
/ Nelson Meers
Engage With Us
Our Game Changing Award 2027 is open for EOIs.
Our annual Game Changing Award invests in bold ideas where targeted philanthropic funding can unlock lasting change.
We are looking for projects that challenge existing ways of thinking, inspire new conversations and create impact that extends well beyond the life of the Award.
Meaningful change may occur through culture, ideas, public imagination and understanding, as well as systems, policy, practice or broader community outcomes.
We encourage new or unexpected partnerships where they strengthen the idea or its impact.
Your project may include creative works, community initiatives, research, public engagement, education, storytelling, partnerships, pilot programs or other innovative approaches that align with our purpose.
We invite you to submit an EOI by 14 December 2026 for a project taking place from July 2027 onwards.
Please note you must be an Item 1 DGR charity to be eligible.
The Expression of Interest (EOI) will be assessed against the following criteria:
Alignment with the Foundation’s purpose and the ambitions of the award: the extent to which the project aligns with the Foundation’s purpose, values and priorities, and demonstrates the ambition, originality and potential sought by the Award.
Strength of the idea: the insight, originality and distinctiveness of the idea, including the thinking and evidence that underpin it, and what it identifies or offers that is different from existing approaches.
Potential for meaningful and lasting impact: what could change, for whom, and the potential for that change to endure or spread beyond the funded project.
Capability to deliver: the experience, expertise, leadership and relationships that the organisation and its people bring to the project, appropriate to the scale and stage of the organisation, including their capacity to build the momentum and, where needed, partnerships to achieve the intended impact.
Feasibility: the extent to which the proposed approach, timeframe and budget are realistic, proportionate and appropriate to the project’s ambitions, while allowing sufficient flexibility to respond to opportunities and learning as the work progresses.
We expect to make up to two awards of $50,000 – $100,000 each. For particularly compelling projects, we may consider larger or multi-year commitments where justified by the proposed impact and funding needs, subject to available funding and Grants Committee approval.
The EOI should be no longer than 500 words and include:
A summary of your organisation and the proposed project.
The issue or opportunity the project seeks to address: why this idea, why now, and what makes this approach different from what is already being done?
The impact you hope to achieve, including any potential for longer-term influence or change.
The amount of funding you are seeking from the Foundation and how it would be used.
The overall project budget and funding position, including funding secured or being sought from other sources.
The proposed timeframe for the project and when funding would be required.
Selection process:
Stage 1: EOI by 14 December 2026
- A shortlist of applicants will be invited to develop a full proposal.
Stage 2: Full Proposal by 29 March 2027
- Shortlisted applicants will be invited to provide a more detailed full proposal.
Stage 3: Funding Decision by 31 May 2027
- Final decisions will be made by the Foundation’s Grants Committee.
What we are looking for:
We are less interested in business-as-usual projects and more interested in ideas that have the potential to shift thinking, practice or outcomes.
We are looking for fresh thinking, a clear understanding of the issue or opportunity being addressed, strong leadership, and the potential for impact that extends beyond the life of the grant.
We recognise that ambitious ideas involve uncertainty, and so we are prepared to support thoughtful risk where the potential impact justifies it and there is a credible approach to learning and adaptation.
Next steps:
Please send your EOI to info@nelsonmeersfoundation.org.au by 14 December 2026.
Please use the following subject line: Game Changing Award EOI – [Organisations Name]
