• Total gifting for the year reached just under $720,000. up 30% from 2024 and up 127% from 2023.
• Since its inception, the Viridian Foundation has now contributed over $1.67 million, and we’re forecasting that we will pass $2 million in gifting in the financial year ahead.
• Charities benefitting from our grants and gifting in 2023/2024 rose to 31, up 7% from 29 in the prior financial year. Our clients and local staff community initiatives are such instrumental drivers in these numbers.

• Total gifting for the year was $403,670, up from $192,260 in the previous year.
• Six new Sub Funds were established to make sixteen in total.
• A special mention to the M&M Williams Sub Fund, a major donor to environmental & conservation issues, as highlighted by their generous donation to Bush Heritage Australia to help fund the purchase of a vital piece of bushland in the northern Murray Darling Basin (NSW) called ‘Nil Desperandum’. 
• Many first-time charities have been supported because of our Sub Fund clients: Australian Wildlife Conservation, Qld Conservation Council, Mackay Conservation Group, Oxfam Australia (Gaza Appeal), The Smith Family, Alzheimer’s Australia (WA), Royal Flying Doctor Service, Kindred Spirits Enterprises (NT), Thamarrur Youth Indigenous Corp, Assistance Dogs Australia and Gunyah Animal Healing Sanctuary.

Total Volunteer hours for the year increased to 2,699 hours, a 36% uplift for the 2024 FY, and since inception in 2019, volunteering across the group has now exceeded 8,000 hours.

In-kind value, measured by volunteer hours times the average wage rate across VFGL, since inception, has now exceeded $1miilion, covering volunteering categories:

• Cancer Council Pro Bono program ($264,430),

• National Step Challenge to fight Pancreatic cancer ($287,458)

• Local charity volunteering via the Community Program ($209,756) &

• Community Champion & Operational Leadership volunteering ($547,417)

Bringing the total ‘in-kind-value’ contribution to $1,309,061.

And Brand Value creation, in relation to the National Step Challenge since 2021, for both the Epworth Medical Foundation as well as primary sponsors, now stands at $591,265.

• Total Funds under management increased 25% for the year to $4.09m.

• New client sub-funds had their strongest growth yet again, backing up the stellar year in 2024. since 2019, with 45% growth and with funds inflows of more than $500,000, up 22% year-on-year.

• And consistent with last year, staff contributions via payroll have remained above 20%, contributing an aggregated $42,000 per annum to the Foundation. This remains an important indicator of whether our giving focus and impact resonates across our 400 employees, as does the fact that when considered against the latest ACNC Annual Charities Report (8th edition), typically, employee payroll donations across businesses represent only 6-8% in Australia.

One of our key charitable events, the Foundation runs is the W4R Step Challenge to end Pancreatic Cancer, now in its 5^th year.

The purpose and goal of the 31-day annual activity challenge in July remains:

• To remember and celebrate those lives lost to Pancreatic cancer
• To raise awareness and funds to improve Pancreatic cancer outcomes
• To drive healthy habits, in the collective, during the middle of winter

On the back of the success achieved in 2024, $175,000 was raised in the 31-day challenge, with 100% donated to the Jreissati Pancreatic Centre at the Epworth.

Since the inaugural event held in 2021:

• Total steppers participating has exceeded 5,000
• Total number of corporate teams (excl VFGL teams) reached just 397, 166 of which joined just in the last 2 years alone.
• Enormous gratitude again goes out to our 2025 primary sponsors in PAN-Tribal Asset Management, Arnold Bloch Leibler & Dexus. We simply would not be able to achieve the financial goals we achieve each year if it were not for their incredibly generous support.
• Total steps this year across all participants exceeded $212,000 km, meaning we achieved stepping through every country in the world (virtually).
• Most importantly, funds raised in FY25 reached $175,000, 100% of which was once again donated to the Jreissati Pancreatic Centre, bringing our total contribution over 5 years to $675,000.
• What this funding has helped introduce and now accelerate across 32 hospitals across Australia, is The APRISE study – a pioneering initiative led by the Jreissati Pancreatic Centre at Epworth, aimed at improving early detection and treatment of pancreatic cancer.

The study focuses on recruiting individuals at high genetic or familial risk to explore screening methods and identify biomarkers for early detection.

It is Australia’s first national study on this type of cancer. The Jreissati Pancreatic Centre is dedicated to improving survival rates and outcomes for affected individuals, and we’re proud of our association since the  Jreissati Centre opened in the same year we commenced our Annual Step Challenge.

Every June, the Board conducts a full strategic review to ensure the key priorities are reviewed and reinforced to further drive the underlying health and performance of the Foundation’s obligations.

The 4 pillars of focus will remain:

• Ongoing board renewal and leadership
• Financial Advisor education and awareness of Philanthropy
• Funding growth through promoting the Viridian Foundation and client sub-funds
• Giving and Impact growth