Climateworks Australia and its co-founding philanthropic partner, The Myer Foundation won a major award at the 2017 Australian Philanthropy Awards held in Melbourne last night.

The award for the Best Large Grant honours significant achievements in Australian grant-making, celebrating a joint vision and best practice philanthropy. It recognised the achievement of Climateworks and The Myer Foundation, in partnership with Monash University, in co-designing a vision to bridge the gap between research and tangible action on climate change.

President of The Myer Foundation, Martyn Myer said of the co-designed vision, “I and the Foundation count Climateworks as almost certainly our most successful grant over the 60 years of work. I really can’t stress that highly enough”.

On behalf of the family members and staff, I thank Philanthropy Australia for this award, and more importantly, recognise the continued success of Climateworks Australia.

Martyn Myer, President, The Myer Foundation

Climateworks Australia Chair, John Thwaites welcomed the ongoing support of philanthropy in driving climate action and research.

“We congratulate our philanthropic co-founders, The Myer Foundation on their highly deserved prize,” he said.

“Established as a partnership with Monash University in 2009 with a AUD$4.6 million grant from The Myer Foundation, Climateworks has been able to establish itself as a leading independent adviser, identifying innovative, evidence based solutions to climate change and catalysing their implementation.

It has allowed us to remain truly non-partisan so that all governments and political parties have been able to work with us and trust our independent analysis and ability to broker win-win outcomes.

John Thwaites, Chair, Climateworks

“Our ongoing support from The Myer Foundation now totals AUD$6.2 million and it has been backed by other donors including a AUD$3 million grant from the Ian Potter Foundation.”

Climateworks Australia has also recently been recognised by another generous philanthropist who has provided AUD$2.5 million to the institute over five years, and offered to match every dollar raised up to a further AUD$500,000 per year over this period.

“We are also incredibly pleased that a philanthropic donor has agreed to support our work and put out a challenge to other donors that any funds will be matched dollar for dollar, (up to another AUD$2.5 million) effectively doubling the impact of their gift,” Mr Thwaites said.

Mr Thwaites encouraged philanthropists to join with Climateworks to help Australia transition to net zero emissions by mid-century.

“Our work is already having an impact but we need to accelerate the rate of change if Australia is to meet its commitment under the Paris Agreement of keeping global warming well under 2°C.