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Annual Giving
$5.0M
Grant Range
$10K – $5.0M
Giving Ratio
97.3%

About

The Susan McKinnon Foundation is an Australian philanthropic entity established by Susan McKinnon and Simon Holmes à Court. It focuses on strengthening democracy, promoting climate action, and fostering integrity in Australian politics through strategic funding of initiatives like the McKinnon Institute for Political Leadership.

Tips for Applicants

The Susan McKinnon Foundation primarily engages in proactive funding of strategic initiatives and established partnerships, rather than operating open grant application rounds. Prospective recipients are generally identified and approached directly for specific projects aligned with their core mission of strengthening democracy, political leadership, and climate action.

Giving Philosophy

The foundation approaches giving with a focus on systemic change, aiming to improve political leadership, civic engagement, and climate policy outcomes. They support non-partisan, evidence-based approaches and often collaborate with academic institutions and other philanthropic groups to achieve their objectives.

Notable Grants

Support for the establishment and ongoing operations of the McKinnon Institute for Political Leadership, a collaboration with the University of Melbourne aimed at developing ethical and effective political leaders.

Giving History

2020
$1.1M
2021
$2.9M
2022
$5.0M
+366% increase from 2020 to 2022

ACNC Financial History

YearGrants GivenRevenueTotal AssetsNet Assets
FY2023
$31.0M
$30.9M AU + $150K intl
$15.3M$569.6M$569.2M
FY2022
$31.0M
$30.8M AU + $185K intl
$8.2M$530.4M$530.2M
FY2021
$7.1M
$6.9M AU + $170K intl
$332.9M$609.4M$609.3M
FY2020
$5.8M
$5.7M AU + $102K intl
$12.7M$136.2M$136.1M
FY2019
$3.6M
$3.5M AU + $133K intl
$54.7M$115.4M$115.3M
FY2018
$1.7M
$1.5M AU + $164K intl
$16.2M$72.1M$72.1M
FY2017
$663K
$548K AU + $115K intl
$44.2M$52.2M$52.2M
7yr total$80.8MSource: ACNC Annual Information Statements

Focus Areas

educationcommunityenvironment
Geographic
AU-National
Recipients
nfpuniversityresearch

Financial Details

Source of Wealth
The foundation's wealth is derived from inherited funds from the Holmes à Court family. Simon Holmes à Court is the son of the late Robert Holmes à Court, a prominent Australian businessman who made his fortune through diverse investments across industries including mining, media, and agriculture.
Revenue Sources
inherited, finance

Board & Leadership

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Linked from structured person roles rather than unstructured foundation summary text.

Data Sources

Profile quality: high
Foundation profile updated: 16 June 2026 (today)
Website scan updated: 16 June 2026 (today)
Added: 27 February 2026 (110 days ago)
View on ACNC Register →