The MA Foundation was launched in 2018. Its purpose is to positively impact the communities in which we operate.
Over time, we plan on growing the Foundation’s reach with our employees to continually shape its strategic priorities.
The current Foundation activities focus on:
- Giving to staff nominated charities and community causes,
- Developing long-term community partnerships; and
- Providing pro-bono professional services.
Since inception, the MA Foundation has donated over $6.8 million to over 35 charities.
About MA Foundation
Staff nominated charity giving
To date, over $4 million has been directed to 44 different charities nominated by MA Financial Group staff such as the Sydney Children’s Hospital, Westmead Children’s Hospital, UNICEF, Dementia Australia and the Fred Hollows Foundation.
Pro-bono professional services
In 2019, a team of corporate advisors led by Managing Director Chris Wyke worked pro-bono with JB Were to help the Australia Council Research Foundation (ACRF) position four new cancer research initiatives similar to a financial product or new fund investment.
The initiative is called “Impact Philanthropy” with the investment team taking a fresh approach to how ACRF fundraise by presenting the projects as they would financial products in an Information Memorandum.
Community partners
The MA Foundation has three Community Partners as part of our giving programme.
- GO Foundation – a focus on education and working to create a brighter future for Indigenous Australians
- Beyond Blue – supporting millions of Australians achieve their best possible mental health
- Mirabel Foundation – assisting children who have been orphaned or abandoned due to parental illicit drug use and are now in the care of extended family.
Each community partner is supported by a minimum annual donation of $50,000 over a three-year period to be invested in helping to realise their strategic objectives.
Foundation Board
The Foundation has three directors; Chairman, Mark Nelson, Andrew Pridham and Chris Wyke.
Mark is a founder and Chairman of the Caledonia Investment Group, Director of the Caledonia Foundation, Vice President of the Art Gallery of NSW Board of Trustees, Deputy Chairman of Art Exhibitions Australia and Kaldor Public Art Projects, a trustee of the Sydney Swans Foundation, and Governor of the Florey Institute of Neuroscience.
Andrew Pridham and Chris Wyke are also Directors of MAF.