Peel Community Foundation

14/10/2026

Some of the most important lessons a young person can learn are how to stay safe, how to set a boundary, and how to know they are never alone.

Over the past few weeks, more than 60 young people across the Shire of Murray learned exactly that, through the Brighter Futures Youth Program : Pinjarra, created and delivered by Pinjarra local Tanya Langford.

Tanya built this program from her own experience and her deep connection to Pinjarra. Across a series of workshops, her team paired honest conversations about personal safety, healthy relationships and mental wellbeing with self-defence. It is early intervention at its best: helping young people recognise and prevent bullying and abuse, make safe choices, and understand they never have to face their worries alone.

The response from students and teachers alike was overwhelmingly positive. In Tanya’s words: “We have made a difference in their lives.”

Brighter Futures is one of three local initiatives Peel Community Foundation supports through Together for Tomorrow Pinjarra Giving, in partnership with Pinjarra Junction Shopping Centre.

Thank you to Tanya and her team, to Fairbridge College, and to every young person who showed up and backed themselves. This is what place-based giving is all about: backing local people with local knowledge to create lasting change for the young people of Peel.

12/10/2026

Less than two weeks to go until the Mandja NAIDOC Dandjoo Yoki Community Day 🖤💛❤️

Kicking off on Monday 19 October, the Commission is proud to be one of the sponsors supporting Winjan Aboriginal Corporation and the program for Mandja NAIDOC Dandjoo Yoki 2026, as we come together to celebrate 50 Years Deadly!

Join us for a week of culture, connection and community across Bindjareb boodja.

Check out the flyer below for more details and please share with your family, friends and networks. We look forward to seeing you at one of the many events planned.

06/10/2026

Why does Peel Community Foundation focus on capability?

Because capability creates choices.

It can mean having the confidence to ask for help, the skills to manage challenges, the support to stay connected to education or employment, or the opportunity to take part in community life.

That is what the three initiatives supported through Together for Tomorrow – Pinjarra Giving are working to create:

🍏 Healthy Choyces Wellbeing Program helps young people strengthen emotional wellbeing, healthy relationships, coping skills and practical life capabilities.

🌿 Brighter Futures Youth Program builds confidence, personal safety, boundary-setting and knowledge of where to seek support.

⛹️‍♀️ Pinjarra Power with Hoops uses sport and mentoring to grow skills, friendships, participation and a sense of belonging.

The photos from each of the programs in action say it all. Congratulations to our grant recipients for the success and engagement you have engineered.

Together, these initiatives show that capability is not one single skill or pathway. It is the confidence, connection, support and opportunity that help a young person imagine, and move towards a stronger future.

When local people and organisations are supported to build capability, the benefits ripple across families, communities and the wider Peel region.

These initiatives are supported by Peel Community Foundation through Together for Tomorrow - Pinjarra Giving, in partnership with Pinjarra Junction Shopping Centre.

To support the work of Peel Community Foundation, explore a partnership or donate to a place-based program making a difference in Peel, reach out to us today: https://peelcf.com.au/contact-us/

Get involved. Come along to one of our upcoming events: https://peelcf.com.au/events/

23/09/2026

Yesterday, Kristie Tonkin, our Chair, and Liz Dare, our Deputy Chair, joined the crowd at MakeShift Summit for a top-up of inspiration, reflection and playful engagement on how we think about the futures we want to shape.

They heard from political economist Katherine Trebeck, who introduced them to the Four Ps framework:

Purpose: treat the economy as a means to serve people and planet; measure what truly matters and power down harmful activities; and question productivity in a way that examines the costs of productivity rather than measuring only its value to GDP.

Prevention: address root causes proactively, rather than repairing harm downstream of decisions that didn't account for the consequences.

Pre-distribution: reduce inequality by supporting community wealth.

People: increase participation, engagement and agency, so people feel heard and can shape decisions.

That set the scene to explore futures in breakout groups. Kristie joined the Brave New Capital conversation on putting money to work for better futures, while Liz playtested Dawn, a board game about the challenges of transitioning to a healthier planet.

After a wonderful lunch, they looked at how we're making transitions in our own work through the lens of Berkana's Two Loops Model. They came away with plenty to think about and fresh inspiration for their work at Peel Community Foundation.

Thank you for hosting, GoodTogether. We left reinvigorated to keep our aspirations high for growing a culture of giving across our region.

15/09/2026

Client conversations matter. Our first Professional Adviser's Roundtable explored why we should feel comfortable talking about giving with our clients. Last week, we asked how.

Professional advisers from across Peel came together to unpack why these conversations matter and how advisers can have them with confidence.

It was good to hear Hüberli CA and Lumley unpack how they each approach this in practice, with different scenarios, different types of clients, and the real questions that open up a conversation about giving, purpose and what someone genuinely cares about. We also touched on ways to bring the next generation into that conversation, so that giving becomes something passed down alongside wealth and values. As a group we also came up with some key questions that could be used.

The discussion was interactive and honest, with advisers working through real client scenarios together and sharing what they'd actually say. A heartfelt thank you to Tom and Nia for generously sharing their experience again, and to our facilitator Smith for guiding the conversation so well.

If you are a professional adviser, broker, lawyer, accountant, financial planner or other professional in and keen to be involved in our future discussions, reach out to Lyn - [email protected]

Download the PCF Client Giving Handbook with useful resources for professionals here:https://peelcf.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/PCF_Client-Giving-Handbook-Digital-Version55164800.1.pdf

09/09/2026

Do you know a local project that's ready to grow, if only it had the backing?

You don't need a fully developed project to reach out to us. An early-stage idea, a collaboration you're exploring, even just a conversation, all of it counts.

Peel Community Foundation supports place-based initiatives that strengthen communities across the Peel region through collaboration, aspiration and capability building, education, wellbeing, and local leadership. We are currently accepting Expressions of Interest across two giving programs:

Together for Tomorrow – Capability Giving
Supporting initiatives that strengthen education, aspiration, skills, participation and long-term community capability across the Peel region. Initiatives aligning with insights from Peel Away the Mask III and the People of Peel Roadmap, and grounded in local community engagement, will be prioritised.

Together for Tomorrow – Pinjarra Giving
Supporting youth-informed initiatives that strengthen connection, capability and wellbeing for young people in Pinjarra, while growing a local culture of giving.

Submitting an EOI isn't a funding application, it's the start of a conversation. It may lead to an invitation to apply for funding, a partnership opportunity, or a referral to another support pathway that fits your idea even better.

If you're building something that could strengthen education, employment or community participation in Peel, we would like to hear from you.

Submit an Expression of Interest and start a conversation with Peel Community Foundation:
https://peelcf.com.au/pcf-eoi-form/

Together, we can back local people and local solutions that create lasting benefit across Peel.

Australia

02/09/2026

One week to go.

Professional Advisers Roundtable: Closing the Knowledge Gap

Most clients want to talk about giving, legacy and impact. Many advisers avoid the topic, not through disinterest, but because the knowledge and referral pathways aren't clear.

This session is a practical peer discussion on how trusted advisers can bridge that gap, strengthen client relationships and add real value in estate, succession and legacy planning conversations.

We'll cover what motivates people to give, how to open these conversations with care, how a local community foundation simplifies the process, and what resources are available to support you.

📅 Wednesday 9 September
🕔 5.00 to 7.00pm AWST
📍 WOTSO Mandurah
🔗 Register: https://events.humanitix.com/professional-advisers-roundtable-closing-the-knowledge-gap

Accountants, lawyers, financial planners, bankers, brokers and other trusted advisers with clients across Peel: we'd love you at the table.

Questions? Contact Lyn Walster Hawkins, PCF Strategic Partnerships & Philanthropy Lead, at [email protected]

Peel Community Foundation practical peer discussion for accountants, lawyers, financial planners and trusted advisers exploring philanthropy and client giving

27/08/2026

Peel Community Foundation was delighted to present to the Pinjarra Rotary Club at Pinjarra Golf Club, sharing our vision, mission and the many ways local giving can create lasting impact across Peel.

PCF Chair, Kristie Tonkin, spoke about our work to build a culture of generosity - from the long-term Enduring Fund to scholarships and grants that create opportunities and help change lives.

A particular focus was Together for Tomorrow – Pinjarra Giving and the opportunities we see to back Pinjarra’s young people; supporting initiatives that build capability and create safe, accessible places for young people to connect, learn and thrive.

Deputy Chair Liz Dare shared PCF’s approach to grant-making: connecting community need with funding, starting with listening. Through community sensing, data, conversations and local relationships, we seek to better understand the aspirations, needs and gaps within our communities. Philanthropy can be directed where it makes a meaningful, place-based difference.

Board member Chris Muir-Smith reflected on her long ties with Rotary, her passion for the work of PCF, the strong alignment between Rotary and PCF’s values, and the opportunities that come when local organisations join forces and work together for greater impact.

Thank you to the Rotary Club of Pinjarra for the invitation, the warm welcome and, most importantly, the conversation.

For PCF, hearing directly from community groups, service organisations, business associations, clubs and local people is vital. These diverse voices help us understand what is happening on the ground, where opportunities exist and where philanthropy and partnerships can make a difference. Our role is not simply to provide funding - it is to listen, connect people and ideas, and help mobilise generosity around local solutions.

We’d love to hear from more groups across the Peel region. If you have insights to share, an opportunity to collaborate, or would like Peel Community Foundation to present to your organisation, please reach out.

Contact Peel Community Foundation
Together, we can create good… forever.

26/08/2026

Three years ago, Charli Boyd wasn't sure university was possible at all, she's now in her final year at Murdoch University.

Charli grew up in Mandurah, raised by her grandparents. When she finished high school, the cost of uni felt out of reach. Then she received the Murdoch University - Peel Community Fund Scholarship.

Since then, she's spent a week touring farms and production facilities in Albany and Kojonup, built a network across the Peel agricultural sector, and found the confidence she says she didn't have on her own.

"I realised it was worth more than money when I started attending scholarship events and meeting the donors and seeing how much effort and how much passion they put into what they do. Someone has faith in me regardless of my background or where I live."

Her message to local students wondering if they should apply: "If I can do it, anyone can do it. It is possible. You just have to put the work in."

Watch Charli's story below. 💚

20/08/2026

Basketball can be about much more than the game.

Pinjarra Power Within Hoops provides free basketball and mentoring sessions for local young people, creating opportunities to build skills, friendships, confidence and connection. This is one of the initiatives Peel Community Foundation supports through Together for Tomorrow - Pinjarra Giving.

The Pinjarra Power Within Hoops program is designed to be accessible and welcoming, with sessions held at the Murray Aquatic and Leisure Centre.

"These community programs are not only about giving all kids access to sport, but access to mentors and support, in the hope that one day they will become the mentors of the next generation." - Chloe Barrett-Lennard, Pinjarra Power Basketball Association

Peel Community Foundation is proud to support this local initiative through Together for Tomorrow - Pinjarra Giving in partnership with the Pinjarra Junction Shopping Centre.

If you would like to support the work of Peel Community Foundation, partner with us or simply donate to the place-based programs that make a difference in Peel, reach out to us today. https://peelcf.com.au/contact-us/