Jon Faine interviews Chris Spindler

Download a podcast of Jon Faine's The Conversion Hour on 25 June 2008 in which he interviews Chris Spindler.

Aims and strategies

The Towards a Just Society Fund (TJSF) is a small philanthropic organisation operating as a sub-fund of the Melbourne Community Foundation. The fund’s general aim is to:

“assist in the reduction of current injustices affecting particular groups and individuals in Australian society and/or to increase the capacity of such people to overcome any disadvantages, discrimination or injustices through their own efforts."

Since inception in 2003, TJSF has distributed grants with a total value in excess of $750,000.

Currently, TJSF is giving priority to projects that support an increase in Indigenous participation in education and improve Indigenous educational outcomes.

TJSF grants have supported a range of strategies, including:

• in partnership arrangements with Indigenous support units at tertiary institutions, funding bursaries to retain students identified by the unit as being at a “tipping point”. The bursaries usually provide supplementary support for books, conferences, other incidentals and emergency expenses
• in partnership arrangements with Indigenous community organisations, providing broad-based, low-level community support for participation in education, spanning from pre-primary to mature-age entry in tertiary and TAFE courses
• capacity building for secondary schools
• encouraging retention of students in secondary education through engagement in sport.

TJSF does not use a formal submission process, preferring to develop a strategy to achieve common goals in partnership with an organisation, institution or school. TJSF is able to provide funds only to organisations which have Deductible Gift Recipient (DGR) registration with the Australian Taxation Office.
Once the purpose and a potential budget figure has been agreed in principle, the organisation and TJSF conclude a simple one page agreement defining the purpose of any grant, administrative procedures, and reporting requirements.

Donations

Donations are tax deductible and should be made to the Melbourne Community Foundation, using the MCF Donation Form, with a request to place the amount in the TJSF sub-fund.

Any person making a donation of at least $1,000 in any one year may apply for TJSF membership.

Contact details

Mail: The Towards a Just Society Fund
c/- Melbourne Community Foundation
Suite 6, 19-35 Gertrude St
FITZROY VIC 3065
Tel: 03 9399 3380

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