Grants

Principal Focus

The Foundation’s principal focus is on education as it provides the essential basis for a successful and satisfying life.

The Bryan family believes all children deserve equitable life opportunities. Access to a good education provides children with the opportunity to reach their full potential and to secure fulfilling and meaningful employment. Early childhood education is a particular area of focus for the Foundation.

Education is in the Bryan family’s DNA. It is illustrated by the fact that family members across four generations have been actively involved in the education sector.

Grant Parameters

Grant parameters for The Bryan Foundation’s Core Impact Programs include:

  • Must be Queensland-based education programs, particularly early childhood education
  • Funding programs of significant amounts and time periods to make a genuine difference
  • Supporting early stage and new programs in Queensland
  • Measuring outcomes and fund for impact and output
  • Building capacity and sustainability so that programs continue after Foundation grants cease
  • Ultimate end goal is systemic change that will likely require 10 year grant programs
  • Preparedness to fund overheads
  • Accepting risk and the possibility of failure
  • Collaborating with other Private Ancillary Funds, government agencies and like-minded organisations
  • Extraordinary events, such as COVID-19

The Bryan Foundation does not accept unsolicited grant requests.


Grant Procedures

At the commencement of each grant, The Bryan Foundation and the recipient organisation agree on a clearly articulated impact statement, which includes measurable key performance indicators. Part of each grant may be allocated to fund an independent professional evaluation program.

An exit strategy is also agreed upon upfront, so that the recipient organisation can continue to provide sustainable education and training to young Queenslanders, even after The Bryan Foundation ceases its direct funding support.

If applicable, at the end of the grant period, the Foundation may offer the recipient organisation a transition from direct grant assistance to an  

impact investment, which may be in the form of a concessional interest rate loan, mezzanine finance loan, guarantee or equity investment.

Recipient organisations are required to submit half yearly reports to the Board. The Foundation Directors undertake annual site visits to assist in cultivating open and transparent relationships.

The Foundation is not open for potential recipient organisations to apply for grants as its philanthropic programs are targeted and selected by the Foundation’s Board.

Directors’ Programs

Under the Bryan family’s charter of creating a perpetual family legacy of giving back to the community, individual board members may also select and manage specific Directors’ Programs, which may be outside the Foundation’s Core Impact Programs.

Examples of Directors’ Programs supported by the Foundation include:

Family Council Programs

The Bryan family actively involves younger members of the family in the Foundation through its Family Council.

Family members under the age of 25 are encouraged to select and manage grant programs to equip them with experience in philanthropy.

Family Council projects are not restricted to Queensland education programs with examples including: