Paul Ramsay Foundation Limited
Concentration RiskAbout
The Paul Ramsay Foundation is one of Australia's largest philanthropic foundations, established in 2006 by media businessman Paul Ramsay AO and funded by his estate after his death in 2014. The foundation works to stop disadvantage in Australia by investing in, building, and influencing the conditions needed for systemic change, partnering with over 253 organizations across the country.
Board Interlocks (1 shared directors)
Giving Philosophy
PRF operates on the belief that disadvantage is systemic and requires addressing underlying conditions rather than just symptoms. They employ a three-pronged approach: Invest (grants and impact investing from early exploration to substantial investment), Build (developing insights, data, knowledge and organizational capability), and Influence (using their platform to amplify voices and positively affect policy). They prioritize evidence-informed work, measure what matters, support innovation, and are committed to community-led, self-determining approaches, particularly for First Nations peoples.
Tips for Applicants
PRF is a large, strategic foundation seeking systemic change rather than transactional grants. They value evidence-informed approaches, community-led initiatives, and innovation. Given their scale (over $1.5B in cumulative grants), they likely fund substantial programs rather than small projects. Their Fellowship Program focuses on research with practical application potential. They explicitly practice 'Paying What It Costs' and have a Modern Slavery Policy, indicating expectations around grantee practices. Building relationships and demonstrating alignment with their strategic intent around stopping disadvantage is key.
Programs & Opportunities (28)
National open grant round supporting small-scale programs aimed at preventing contact with the justice system. Funding available for community-led prevention, alternatives to custody, or post-release support for young people, parents who are or have been in custody, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
A partnership with the Australian Communities Foundation, this grant round supports small-scale and/or early-stage programs aimed at preventing or reducing contact with the justice system, with a focus on diversionary measures and supporting post-release needs.
Grants for evaluations of social impact programs that include an ethical experimental component. Focus areas include children and young people having positive life paths free from entrenched poverty and harm; connected communities leading their own futures; conditions supporting thriving; and First Nations people and communities being self-determining. Maximum of $300,000 per grant.
Seven grants of up to $300,000 each for evaluations of social impact programs with experimental components. Outcomes sought: children/young people free from poverty and harm; connected communities leading their own futures; enabling conditions for thriving; self-determining First Nations communities.
A $2.1 million national open grant round (7 grants up to $300,000 each) for evaluations of social impact programs that include an ethical experimental component. The grants aim to deepen understanding and experience of evaluation techniques in Australia to better measure and create social impact, aligning with PRF’s outcomes for children, youth, communities, and First Nations people.
Funds evaluations of social impact programs that include an ethical experimental component. The grants aim to deepen understanding and experience of evaluation techniques to measure and create social impact, aligning with PRF’s outcomes for children/young people, connected communities, thriving conditions, and First Nations self-determination. Seven grants available, up to $300,000 each.
Fellowship opportunities for 2026 supporting individuals dedicated to creating positive change in communities affected by disadvantage. Provides funding and support for emerging and established leaders.
The Just Futures grant round supports small-scale programs aimed at preventing contact with the justice system, with a focus on community-led prevention, alternatives to custody, and post-release support. Eligible organisations can apply for medium grants of up to $500,000 or large grants of up to $1 million over five years.
Fellowship program announced for 2026 to support Fellows driving bold ideas to stop disadvantage in Australia.
Innovative philanthropy program where organisations work together on projects, with successful grantees determined by the applicants themselves. Ten organisations with ideas to break the cycle of disadvantage collectively developed and evaluated proposals, with five ideas receiving funding.
This program provides impact investments and targeted grants to support market building, aligning with the Paul Ramsay Foundation's impact areas and accepting concessionary financial returns due to the strength of impact created. It is delivered through a $60 million evergreen fund allocation.
A fellowship program supporting individuals who are driving bold ideas to address disadvantage across Australia.
A partnership with Australian Communities Foundation, this grant round supports small-scale and/or early-stage programs that prevent or reduce contact with the justice system, or prevent intergenerational incarceration, primarily for young people, parents who have been in custody and their children, or Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and communities.
These fellowships support individuals who are driving bold ideas to address disadvantage across Australia, fostering positive social change.
This national open grant round, in partnership with Australian Communities Foundation, supports small-scale programs aimed at preventing contact with the justice system. Funding is available for Australian organizations focusing on community-led prevention, alternatives to custody, or post-release support, particularly for young people, parents who are or have been in custody and their children, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
This program is an innovative form of philanthropy where organisations work together on projects to help break the cycle of disadvantage, with successful grantees determined by the applicants themselves through a peer review process.
Annual fellowship program supporting changemakers driving bold ideas to stop disadvantage in Australia. Applications open annually.
Supports innovative research ideas with potential to fill key knowledge and practice gaps and create meaningful change in areas of disadvantage
In partnership with Australian Communities Foundation, this program supports families and children to ensure every child has the opportunity to thrive upon school entry, with a particular focus on the developmental period between conception and age two.
This grant round supports the self-determination of regional and remote First Nations communities by offering grants to First Nations-led organisations to strengthen capacity and capability in leadership, governance, advocacy, and collaboration.
This funding opportunity supports programs and organisations focused on addressing the behaviours of fathers and other male caregivers who have used or are at risk of using domestic and family violence (DFV), aiming to improve the safety of victim survivors and achieve long-term family stability, especially for children and young people.
This grant round aims to strengthen cross-sector collaborations providing long-term support for families experiencing domestic and family violence in the Northern Territory, Queensland, South Australia, and Western Australia.
Impact-first catalytic investments for organisations contributing to strategic impact areas: thriving children, employment, justice and safety.
Funding to help prevent contact with the justice system, supporting early intervention and prevention programs for at-risk youth and communities.
Fellowship program supporting individuals driving bold ideas to end cycles of disadvantage in Australia. The 2026 cohort was announced in May 2026.
This grant awards funding to Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations (ACCOs) and First Nations-led organisations to create immediate community benefit, increase capacity, improve funding stability, and contribute to First Nations self-determination.
The Paul Ramsay Foundation provides funding to First Peoples Leading to offer scholarships for their First Nations designed and delivered leadership programs (Next Gen, Impact, and Changemakers). These scholarships support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leaders at all career stages by covering up to 85% of program costs.
This grant round funds evaluations of social impact programs that include an ethical experimental component, aiming to deepen the understanding and experience of evaluation techniques in Australia. It is open to registered charities and non-profit organisations.
Notable Grants
- $1.513 billion in total grants to date
- $180 million in impact investments
- 253 partner organizations supported
Financial History (4 years)
| Year | Revenue | Expenses | Assets | Surplus |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | $104.3M | $211.5M | $3.0B | $-52,630,934 |
| 2022 | $126.5M | $133.0M | $3.7B | $-74,825,479 |
| 2019 | $133.0M | $41.4M | $127.9M | $91.7M |
| 2018 | — | — | — | — |
Community Evidence
External EvidenceIdentity
- GS ID
- AU-ABN-32623132472
- ABN
- 32623132472
- Sector
- education
- Website
- paulramsayfoundation.org.au/
- Financial Year
- 2023
Focus Areas
Board & Leadership (18)
- ceo
- cfo
- chair
- director
- director
- director
- director
- director
- director
- director
- director
- other
- other
- other
- other
- other
- other
- other
Financials
- Revenue
- $225.0M
- Assets
- $3.0B
Method
- Match Confidence
- registry
- Cross-references
- 2 datasets
- Match Key
- ABN
- Relationships
- 140
Matched by Australian Business Number (ABN) — high confidence. This entity was found across multiple government datasets using the same ABN.
Data Sources
JusticeHub
External LinkThis entity is also tracked in JusticeHub with 0 interventions and 0 evidence records.
External ecosystem profile linked from GrantScope for additional context. JusticeHub content is maintained separately.
View on JusticeHubDisability Market Context
NDIS LayerThis organisation shows disability-related delivery signals. The strategic question is whether it sits inside a resilient market, a thin market, or a captured market where large providers take most of the money and local alternatives are scarce.