For too long, philanthropy has been associated with extreme wealth, gala dinners, private foundations, and complex legal structures. Something seen as strictly the domain of those with high levels of wealth.
But two women are changing that.
Elyse Cook and Bella Conyngham created The Purpose Fund, a modern giving circle that makes philanthropy visible, participatory, and accessible to everyday people.
The Purpose Fund brings individuals together to pool their donations, learn about community issues, and collectively decide where funding goes. Members contribute a modest annual amount – starting at just $100 – and engage with social and environmental issues through shared learning. They then vote on which organisations receive grants across three focus areas: thriving minds, thriving communities, and thriving ecosystems, transforming giving from a private act into a shared, community-driven experience.
Having worked across corporate and private philanthropy, Cook has seen firsthand how many people want to give but feel excluded by the perceived barriers. Her aim is to make giving feel more accessible, so more Australians can connect with and support their local communities. “There’s this idea that you need significant wealth or specialised knowledge to be involved,” she says. “In reality, people just need a way in.”
That “way in” is what collective giving provides: a low-barrier entry point that transforms individuals from passive donors into active participants. Contributions are pooled, power is shared and decision-making is placed in the hands of the community.
Conyngham, who works in the philanthropy sector and sits on the board of the Australian Endometriosis Foundation, sees this as a fundamental shift in how giving operates. “When people are part of the process, not just the outcome, it changes their relationship to giving,” she says. “It builds confidence, connection and a deeper understanding of the issues they care about.”
Together, Cook and Conyngham are helping redefine philanthropy not as an elite pursuit, but as a practice one that can begin early, evolve over a lifetime and belong to anyone willing to show up.
For the for-purpose sector, the rise of giving circles also reflects frustration with traditional funding models. Many charities rely on restricted grants tied to specific programs, limiting their ability to respond to changing needs.
The Purpose Fund provides unrestricted funding, allowing organisations to decide how best to use the money. It also supports both prevention and crisis response, recognising that long-term social change and urgent intervention are often intertwined.
This approach aligns with a growing body of research suggesting that trust-based philanthropy leads to stronger outcomes, particularly in community-led work.
Australia consistently ranks highly on global measures of generosity, driven largely by volunteering and informal support. Moments of national crisis, such as the Black Summer bushfires, reveal how quickly people mobilise when acting together.
What collective giving seeks to do is make that instinct part of everyday life, not just a response to disaster.
For members, the appeal is not only financial. Giving circles offer education, community and a sense of agency. They provide a space to engage with complex issues without needing to be an expert, and to see how individual contributions can be amplified through shared action.
Importantly, they also challenge the idea that philanthropy is something to grow into later.
“Giving is a practice,” Cook says. “It’s not about waiting until you have more. It’s about showing up with what you have now.”
The Purpose Fund
The Purpose Fund is volunteer-run and operates as a sub-fund of the Australian Philanthropic Services Foundation. Donations are tax deductible and governed within an established charitable structure.