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Future2 Foundation: Supporting Financial Wellbeing Across Australia

Introduction

The Future2 Foundation is the charitable foundation of Australia’s financial services profession. It supports grassroots community initiatives that improve financial literacy, financial capability, confidence, independence, and long-term financial wellbeing among Australians experiencing disadvantage.

Since 2007, Future2 has distributed more than AUD $1.9 million through its Make the Difference! Grants Program, supporting more than 190 community causes across Australia. Its funding connects financial services professionals with local not-for-profit organisations and programs that can create direct, measurable, and sustainable community impact.

Future2 supports programs benefiting:

  • Young Australians under 25
  • Australians experiencing financial or social hardship
  • Disadvantaged women
  • Regional and remote communities
  • First Nations peoples
  • People from migrant and refugee backgrounds
  • People affected by homelessness or poverty
  • People experiencing mental health challenges or social isolation
  • Individuals and families affected by domestic violence

Future2 raises money through donations, corporate partnerships, financial services industry support, fundraising events, volunteering, and community challenges. These funds are distributed to eligible grassroots organisations through competitive grant rounds.

History and Background

Future2 was established as the charitable foundation of Australia’s financial planning and financial services profession. Its grant-making activities began in 2007 through the Make the Difference! Grants Program.

The Foundation was created to harness the professional knowledge, networks, and philanthropic capacity of the financial services sector to support Australians facing disadvantage. Financial advisers and other financial services professionals have historically played an important role by fundraising, identifying local causes, nominating community organisations, volunteering, and maintaining relationships with supported projects.

During its earlier years, Future2 concentrated mainly on programs assisting disadvantaged young Australians between the ages of 12 and 25. Funded activities included mentoring, financial literacy, education, skills training, employment preparation, work experience, community participation, and support for young people experiencing homelessness or other forms of hardship.

The Foundation has since broadened its funding strategy. Its current work focuses on improving financial wellbeing across four categories:

  • Young Australians
  • Australians in need
  • Women experiencing disadvantage
  • People living in regional and remote communities

This expansion reflects the understanding that low financial literacy and financial insecurity affect many groups and are closely connected with poverty, housing instability, domestic violence, social isolation, mental health, migration experiences, and limited access to services.

Future2 reports the following results from its work:

  • More than AUD $1.9 million distributed to community programs since 2007
  • More than 190 grassroots causes supported
  • AUD $197,000 awarded in grant funding during 2025
  • More than 1,200 people supported through funded programs in 2025

The Foundation has set a longer-term objective of improving the financial wellbeing of 20,000 Australians by 2030.

Mission and Purpose

Future2’s mission is to improve financial wellbeing by supporting community-led programs that help Australians build stronger, more secure, and more resilient financial futures.

The Foundation recognizes that financial wellbeing is not limited to income. It also involves having the knowledge, confidence, skills, resources, and opportunities required to make informed decisions and respond to financial challenges.

Future2 seeks to:

  • Improve financial literacy and financial capability
  • Help people make informed financial decisions
  • Build financial confidence and independence
  • Support Australians experiencing hardship
  • Reduce barriers to financial education
  • Strengthen the capacity of grassroots organisations
  • Connect financial services professionals with community causes
  • Encourage charitable giving and volunteering within the financial services sector
  • Fund programs with measurable and visible results
  • Support solutions addressing the root causes of financial disadvantage
  • Promote sustainable programs that can continue beyond the grant period

The Foundation’s work is particularly relevant because limited financial knowledge can increase vulnerability to debt, financial abuse, housing insecurity, exploitation, and long-term poverty. Future2 therefore prioritizes programs that create lasting improvements rather than offering only short-term relief.

Governance and Structure

Future2 operates through a charitable trust. Future2 Foundation Limited acts as the trustee and has the authority to apply the trust’s income and assets for the benefit of people experiencing necessitous circumstances.

The Foundation holds Deductible Gift Recipient status from the Australian Taxation Office. This status allows eligible donors to claim tax deductions for qualifying contributions.

The organization’s governance framework is based on:

  • The Future2 Board Charter
  • The Future2 Trust Deed
  • The Trustee Act 1925 of New South Wales
  • Applicable Australian corporate, charity, and taxation requirements

The Board of Future2 Foundation Limited oversees organizational strategy, financial management, risk, grant-making, fundraising, partnerships, and compliance. The Board has resolved to support locally based organisations that help Australians experiencing genuine need.

  • Julie Berry CFP, GAICD — Chair: An experienced financial planning professional and company director who previously served as chair and board member of the Financial Planning Association of Australia.
  • Dave Slovinec — Deputy Chair: A financial services and risk-advice professional with experience in industry leadership, community fundraising, insurance, and superannuation education.
  • Ben Marshan — Director: A financial services, public policy, governance, professional standards, and regulatory specialist.
  • Olivia O’Neill — Director: A business leader with experience in recruitment, wealth management, financial services, corporate human resources, and strategic management.

The Grants Committee evaluates eligible applications against published criteria and makes funding recommendations. However, grants are awarded at the sole discretion of Future2 Foundation, subject to the quality of applications and the availability of funds.

Funding and Grants

The Make the Difference! Grants Program is Future2 Foundation’s primary funding mechanism. It provides financial support to grassroots initiatives that improve financial wellbeing and create measurable benefits for Australians in need.

For 2026, Future2 is offering one-year grants of up to AUD $15,000. Applicants must demonstrate that their proposed program aligns with at least one funding category and can deliver clear financial wellbeing outcomes.

Financial Wellbeing for Young Australians

This category supports financial literacy and education programs for people under 25.

Eligible activities may include:

  • Budgeting and money-management education
  • Understanding banking and financial products
  • Savings and financial goal-setting
  • Employment and income-readiness programs
  • Financial decision-making skills
  • Mentoring and practical life-skills training
  • Programs helping vulnerable young people transition to independence

Financial Wellbeing for Australians in Need

This category supports people experiencing hardship or exclusion. Priority groups may include:

  • People experiencing homelessness
  • People living in poverty
  • Individuals affected by mental health challenges
  • Socially isolated people
  • Survivors of domestic and family violence
  • First Nations peoples
  • People from migrant backgrounds
  • Refugees and newly arrived communities

Projects should demonstrate how the proposed activities will improve financial capability, stability, confidence, resilience, or access to appropriate support.

Financial Wellbeing for Women

This category funds initiatives that strengthen the financial literacy, security, independence, and confidence of disadvantaged women.

Programs may support women affected by:

  • Domestic or financial abuse
  • Unemployment or underemployment
  • Homelessness or housing instability
  • Migration and settlement challenges
  • Caring responsibilities
  • Social isolation
  • Poverty or limited access to financial services

Financial Wellbeing for Regional and Remote Communities

This category supports initiatives that improve access to financial education and capability-building in regional and remote Australia.

Programs may address challenges such as:

  • Limited access to financial services
  • Geographic isolation
  • Digital exclusion
  • Employment insecurity
  • Financial stress caused by natural disasters
  • Limited access to education and professional advice
  • Financial pressures affecting agricultural or remote communities

Who Can Apply?

Future2 welcomes applications from a range of community-based organisations, including:

  • Not-for-profit organisations
  • Charities
  • Community associations
  • Local grassroots programs
  • Eligible organisations without registered charity status

Applicants do not need to hold Deductible Gift Recipient status. However, they must meet all program eligibility requirements.

For the 2026 grant round:

  • The organisation’s annual revenue must not exceed AUD $5 million.
  • The organisation must not receive more than 15% of its recurrent funding from government sources.
  • The proposed activities must take place in Australia.
  • The application must be endorsed by an eligible financial services professional.
  • The program must align with at least one Future2 funding category.
  • The applicant must demonstrate measurable financial wellbeing outcomes.
  • An organisation that received a Future2 grant during the previous two years is not eligible for the current round.

Future2 gives priority to grassroots programs where a grant of up to AUD $15,000 can deliver direct, visible, and meaningful results.

Financial Services Professional Endorsement

Every application must be endorsed by a financial services professional. The nominator does not need to belong to a specific professional association, but nominations from members of Future2 partner organisations may receive additional consideration.

Eligible financial services professionals may include:

  • Financial advisers
  • Accountants and bookkeepers
  • Paraplanners
  • Mortgage brokers
  • Insurance professionals
  • Actuaries and underwriters
  • Investment analysts and fund managers
  • Superannuation professionals
  • Risk, audit, compliance, and governance specialists
  • Financial services executives and managers
  • Lawyers working in areas such as taxation or self-managed superannuation
  • Product, platform, and business-development specialists
  • Retired professionals who remain connected to the sector

The application includes two related components:

  • A section completed by the community organisation or program
  • A section completed by the nominating financial services professional

Either party may begin the process, after which the online system prompts the other party to complete the relevant section.

A strong and active relationship between the nominator and the community organisation may improve an application’s assessment score.

How Applications Are Assessed

Future2’s Grants Committee evaluates applications using an impact-focused assessment framework.

Competitive applications should:

  • Clearly explain the community problem being addressed.
  • Identify the target participants and their needs.
  • Demonstrate a direct connection between program activities and financial wellbeing.
  • Include specific and measurable outcomes.
  • Provide a realistic and transparent budget.
  • Explain how the program will continue after the grant ends.
  • Present evidence of community demand.
  • Use an evidence-based or well-developed program model.
  • Address root causes rather than only short-term symptoms.
  • Demonstrate appropriate governance and financial management.
  • Show potential for replication or expansion.
  • Identify relevant community or organizational partnerships.
  • Provide opportunities for Future2 or financial services professionals to engage through volunteering, fundraising, or expertise.

The Foundation also considers geographical and demographic diversity to ensure its grants reach different communities across Australia.

Ineligible Activities

Future2 generally does not fund:

  • Applications from individuals
  • Government bodies
  • Wholly government-funded organisations
  • Organisations with annual revenue exceeding AUD $5 million
  • Organisations receiving more than 15% of recurrent funding from government sources
  • Programs delivered outside Australia
  • Capital works and construction projects
  • Building projects
  • General organizational overheads
  • Conferences
  • General study programs
  • General fundraising appeals
  • Commercial activities
  • Retrospective costs
  • Travel that is not essential to program delivery
  • Research, except in special circumstances approved by the Board
  • Religious activities, although a faith-based organisation may be considered where the funded activity has a non-religious community purpose
  • Programs seeking 100% of their funding without demonstrating future financial support

Meeting all eligibility requirements does not guarantee funding. Future2 retains discretion over grant decisions and may choose not to fund a proposal depending on its merit, alignment, competing applications, and available resources.

Major Programs and Initiatives

Make the Difference! Grants Program

The annual Make the Difference! Grants Program is the Foundation’s central community investment initiative. Since 2007, it has supported more than 190 grassroots causes and distributed more than AUD $1.9 million across Australia.

The program links financial services professionals with community organisations and uses relatively small grants to generate visible local benefits.

Financial Literacy and Capability Programs

Future2 funds education that helps participants understand budgeting, saving, income, debt, banking, financial products, and financial planning. These programs aim to build practical knowledge that participants can apply in their daily lives.

Support for Young Australians

Youth-focused programs have been part of Future2’s work since its early years. Supported initiatives have included mentoring, education, employment preparation, life skills, work experience, and assistance for young people facing homelessness, poverty, disability, social isolation, or contact with the justice system.

Women’s Financial Wellbeing

Future2 supports programs that help disadvantaged women develop financial knowledge, independence, and security. This can be particularly important for women rebuilding their lives after domestic violence or financial abuse.

Regional and Remote Community Support

The Foundation supports locally delivered initiatives that bring financial education and capability-building to communities with limited access to conventional services.

Industry Fundraising and Community Challenges

Future2 organizes fundraising activities that mobilize the financial services profession. These include charity hikes, cycling events, corporate fundraising, workplace giving, sponsorships, and individual donations.

Such events raise money for the grant program while strengthening connections between the financial services sector and community organisations.

Impact and Examples of Work Funded

Future2 measures its impact through the number of programs supported, grant funding distributed, people reached, and financial wellbeing outcomes achieved.

Since 2007, the Foundation has:

  • Distributed more than AUD $1.9 million in community funding
  • Supported more than 190 grassroots causes
  • Reached communities across Australian states and territories
  • Funded education, mentoring, employment, financial literacy, and resilience programs
  • Built relationships between financial services professionals and local organisations

In 2021, Future2 distributed AUD $148,600 among 15 community not-for-profit organisations supporting socially and financially disadvantaged young Australians.

In 2025, it awarded AUD $197,000 and reported that more than 1,200 people benefited from funded programs during the year.

Examples of the types of initiatives supported by Future2 include:

  • Financial literacy workshops for young people
  • Employment preparation and work-readiness programs
  • Mentoring for young people experiencing disadvantage
  • Financial independence programs for women
  • Support for survivors of domestic and financial abuse
  • Money-management education for migrant and refugee communities
  • Financial capability initiatives for First Nations participants
  • Programs addressing homelessness and housing instability
  • Financial education in regional and remote communities
  • Community programs combining financial knowledge with practical life skills

The Foundation’s approach emphasizes grassroots projects where a modest grant can make a substantial difference to service delivery, participant reach, or program sustainability.

How to Apply

Applicants should begin by reviewing the current Future2 grant guidelines and confirming that the organisation, program, budget, and proposed activities meet all requirements.

The application process generally involves:

  • Reviewing the funding categories and eligibility criteria
  • Identifying a suitable financial services professional to endorse the application
  • Registering on the online grant application portal
  • Completing the organisation’s section of the application
  • Asking the nominator to complete the endorsement section
  • Providing a project description, target group, outcomes, and budget
  • Demonstrating how results will be measured
  • Explaining how the program will continue beyond the grant period
  • Submitting both parts before the deadline

For the 2026 funding round:

  • Applications opened: 9 July 2026
  • Applications close: 20 August 2026
  • Applicants notified: By the end of October 2026
  • Recipients announced: November 2026

Conclusion

Future2 Foundation is an important philanthropic initiative within Australia’s financial services profession. Through the Make the Difference! Grants Program, it supports grassroots organisations helping Australians build financial knowledge, confidence, independence, and resilience.

Its funding priorities cover young Australians, people experiencing hardship, disadvantaged women, and regional and remote communities. The Foundation prioritizes practical, community-led programs with measurable outcomes and the potential to create lasting improvements in financial wellbeing.

Eligible Australian not-for-profit organisations, charities, and grassroots programs can apply without holding Deductible Gift Recipient status, but each application must be endorsed by a financial services professional.

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