Queensland Gives

19/08/2026

🤖 Using AI in grant-seeking: where efficiency meets responsibility

AI can be a powerful tool for grant writing and grants management — but using it well means balancing efficiency with data protection, accuracy and transparency.

Join us on Tuesday 25 August, 10:00–10:45am AEST for a practical session with Bianca Williams, Client Services Manager at Strategic Grants, exploring how AI can help create efficiencies in grant-seeking while maintaining funder trust and best-practice standards.

You’ll come away with:
✨ Practical tips for using AI effectively
✨ Real-world examples
✨ Ready-to-use checklists and templates
✨ Guidance for using AI in grant-seeking, philanthropy and major gift fundraising

With more organisations turning to AI, this is a great opportunity to understand not just what AI can do, but how to use it responsibly and strategically.

Join us and bring your questions!

Register here: https://events.humanitix.com/ai-for-grant-seeking-best-practice-tips-and-tools

19/08/2026

19/08/2026

Heartfelt thanks to everyone who joined us today to celebrate the 2026 QCF Sunshine Coast Community Foundation grant recipients!

It was a wonderful celebration of the extraordinary work of our charities on the sunny coast - thank you for all that you do!

Read the full list here: https://queenslandgives.org.au/grants/sunshine-coast-grant-recipients/

17/08/2026

𝗥𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗽𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 | 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲 𝗤𝘂𝗲𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗣𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗼𝗽𝘆 𝗔𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱𝘀

And for our final Recipient Spotlight, we’re celebrating the people who have been one of the talking points of the day: Soheil Abedian AM and Anne Abedian, recipients of the 2026 Community Award, proudly sponsored by Minderoo Foundation.

For more than two decades, Soheil and Anne Abedian have helped shape Queensland through their philanthropy, with total giving approaching $10 million across education, health, youth and community wellbeing.

Their support has created opportunities for hundreds of students, including more than 600 Griffith University students through equity scholarships, while their philanthropy at Bond University has supported almost 100 students and helped establish the Abedian School of Architecture.

Following personal loss to blood cancer, the Abedians also contributed to help establish the Clem Jones Sunland Blood Cancer Centre in Brisbane – a purpose-built village providing free accommodation for blood cancer patients and their families.

Their philanthropy goes beyond financial giving. Through mentoring, advocacy, fundraising and encouraging others to give, they continue to use their resources, experience and influence to create lasting change.

Congratulations to Soheil and Anne on this well-deserved recognition.

And there’s more to come! Soheil and Anne will join us for a special panel conversation at our Gold Coast event on 8 October, sharing their insights and experiences of philanthropy.
More details coming soon.

🎥 Watch as Soheil and Anne take to the stage to accept their award-winning video:

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

11/08/2026

Three years ago today, Queensland lost a remarkable leader and visionary, the Hon. Mike Ahern AO.

As the founder of the Queensland Community Foundation, Mike had a simple but powerful vision: to create a way for Queenslanders to give today and make a lasting difference to their communities for generations to come.

Established in 1997, Queensland Community Foundation was built on the belief that what you give today can last forever.

Three decades on, that vision continues to live in communities right across our state. Through the Foundation, almost $57 million has been delivered to hundreds of Queensland charities, with philanthropic gifts and be quests creating a lasting source of support year after year.

Mike Ahern was a man who understood the power of thinking beyond the present. His foresight, generosity and belief in the potential of Queensland helped lay the foundations for something designed not just to respond to the needs of today, but to continue serving Queensland communities well into the future.

Three years after his passing, his legacy is not simply remembered, it is living, growing and making a difference to communities across Queensland.

Today, we honour Mike and the enduring vision he gave Queensland.

Read more about Mike Ahern’s legacy and how community philanthropy is helping local communities build a lasting future:

Former Queensland Premier, Mike Ahern, was a man ahead of his time. In 1983, as technology minister in the Bjelke-Petersen government, he bought a parcel of land at Eight-Mile Plains in Brisbane for technology start-ups. Later recalling many laughed at the idea. By 2017, the same piece of land was h...

10/08/2026

𝗥𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗽𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 | 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲 𝗤𝘂𝗲𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗣𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗼𝗽𝘆 𝗔𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱𝘀

We are proud to celebrate Epic Hair Designs and McCullough Robertson Lawyers, recipients of the 2026 Board of Governors' Awards, proudly sponsored by Queensland Public Trustee.

For 18 years, Epic Hair Designs has made giving back part of the fabric of its business. Through donations, sponsorships, fundraising, in-kind support and advocacy, founders Brendon Mann and Brendan Smith have supported causes including domestic and family violence, homelessness, period poverty, cancer research and the arts. Their Epic Walk for DV is a standout example, with four events across Queensland in 2026 bringing together 1,700 participants and raising more than $363,000 for Women’s Legal Service Queensland.

McCullough Robertson’s commitment to philanthropy spans an extraordinary 100 years. Today, that legacy continues through support for 122 community partners across health, housing, the arts and access to justice. In FY26 to March, the firm delivered $3.1 million in pro bono support, with 6,950 hours of pro bono legal services contributed by its people. From supporting the Royal Flying Doctor Service and Queensland Ballet to providing vital legal services through LawRight, the firm uses its expertise, resources and people to create meaningful community impact.

Congratulations to Epic Hair Designs and McCullough Robertson Lawyers on this well-deserved recognition. Both demonstrate that philanthropy is about more than financial giving: it is about using your people, skills, influence and resources to strengthen Queensland communities.

Thank you to Queensland Public Trustee for proudly sponsoring the Board of Governors Awards and celebrating the organisations helping to create a more generous and connected Queensland.

🎥 Watch the recipients' speeches and hear what philanthropy means to them

07/08/2026

🌿 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗼𝗻: 𝗕𝗮𝗺𝗯𝗼𝗼 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁𝘀

What happens when caring for our waterways also creates opportunities for people to connect, contribute and thrive?

Meet Bamboo Projects, one of our Sunshine Coast Queensland Community Foundation grant recipients.

Bamboo Projects is a Queensland charity empowering individuals living with mental health challenges and disabilities through meaningful outdoor programs and therapies. Their work brings together environmental conservation, inclusive employment and community connection.

Through their Cleaning Up the Waterways Program, participants remove marine debris, collect environmental data and help care for our local waterways. Over the past three years, Bamboo Projects and its volunteers have removed more than 80 tonnes of marine debris from rivers, creeks and coastal environments across the region.

With support from the Community Foundation grant, the program is expanding across the Pumicestone Passage, with a goal of removing an additional 30–40 tonnes of debris over the next 12 months, while creating opportunities for around 120 volunteers to get involved.

And the impact goes beyond cleaner waterways. By bringing people together around a shared purpose, the program helps build confidence, connection, belonging and community pride.

💚 Cleaner waterways. More inclusive opportunities. A stronger Sunshine Coast community.

👉 Find out more about Bamboo Projects: Registered NDIS Provider & Disability Support Charity in the link below

04/08/2026

𝗪𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗹𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘁𝗼 𝗷𝗼𝗶𝗻 𝘂𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗳𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝗔𝗜 𝗪𝗲𝗯𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗿 𝗟𝘂𝗻𝗰𝗵 & 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻 𝗦𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀.

Artificial Intelligence is rapidly changing the way we work, but for many community and philanthropic organisations, it can be difficult to know where to start.

Queensland Gives is pleased to invite you to a free three-part online Lunch & Learn series with AI Advisor Corrie Dark, designed to demystify AI and explore practical ways it can support your organisation. From reducing administrative tasks to identifying opportunities for greater efficiency, these sessions will provide useful insights that can be applied immediately.

Three sessions will be carried over three weeks online:

𝟭. 𝗧𝗵𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝟮𝟬 𝗔𝘂𝗴𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝟭𝟮.𝟬𝟬-𝟭𝟮.𝟰𝟱𝗽𝗺
𝟮. 𝗪𝗲𝗱𝗻𝗲𝘀𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝟮𝟲 𝗔𝘂𝗴𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝟭𝟮.𝟬𝟬-𝟭𝟮.𝟰𝟱𝗽𝗺
𝟯. 𝗪𝗲𝗱𝗻𝗲𝘀𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝟮 𝗦𝗲𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟭𝟮.𝟬𝟬-𝟭𝟮.𝟰𝟱𝗽𝗺

Whether you're new to AI or already experimenting with it, this series offers a practical and accessible introduction in a supportive learning environment.

Corrie Dark has spent 20+ years in tech, building digital solutions for companies across Australasia always with one question in mind: what does this actually mean for the people using it? Known as the "Tech Translator", Corrie has a knack for cutting through jargon and making tech make sense to business leaders who don't want to become developers, they just want to feel confident with the tools being used. Today, Corrie runs Integrity AI, where she helps small businesses and leaders put AI tools to work, - safely and productively clearing out the tedious "work work" so teams can spend more time on what actually matters.

Please email [email protected] and a calendar invite will be sent to you with a link to join.

03/08/2026

𝗥𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗽𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 | 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲 𝗤𝘂𝗲𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗣𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗼𝗽𝘆 𝗔𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱𝘀

We are proud to celebrate Sonia Stradiotto Couture, recipient of the 2026 Queensland SME Philanthropist Award, proudly sponsored by Deloitte.

For more than three decades, Sonia Stradiotto has proven that business success and community impact can go hand in hand. Through every runway show, fundraising event and partnership, she has transformed fashion into a force for good, raising significant funds and awareness for charities supporting Queenslanders when they need it most.

From supporting unpaid carers and women experiencing hardship, to backing hospitals, families and grassroots organisations, Sonia's generosity extends far beyond financial contributions. Her leadership has inspired clients, collaborators and communities to give alongside her, creating a ripple effect of kindness that continues to grow.

Congratulations, Sonia, on this well-deserved recognition. Your passion, generosity and unwavering commitment to giving back remind us that philanthropy comes in many forms, and that every business has the power to make a lasting difference.

Thank you to Deloitte for proudly sponsoring the Queensland SME Philanthropist Award and celebrating the businesses creating meaningful impact across Queensland.

🎥 Watch Sonia's recipient speech and hear why giving back has always been at the heart of her business (link in comments).