Foundation for the WA Museum

What Foundation for the WA Museum does

The Foundation for the WA Museum is a Perth-based non-profit charitable foundation established in 2017 as the independent fundraising arm for the Western Australian Museum. It operates the Discovery Endowment Fund, which holds approximately AUD $30 million in funds under management, and distributes annual strategic grants (AUD $555,000 in FY2022/23 and AUD $240,000 in 2024) to support museum collections, exhibitions, and research. Its programmes include the Marine Sustainability Fund, Minderoo Grants for fieldwork and research, the Annual Strategic Grant Program, and FameLab Australia, a national science communication competition produced under licence from Cheltenham Festivals since 2019. Revenue is generated entirely through philanthropic channels: six founding corporate partners (Minderoo Foundation, Rio Tinto, Stan Perron Charitable Foundation, Tianqi Lithium, Wesfarmers, and Woodside Energy) anchor the endowment, with additional multi-year strategic partnerships with Fortescue, Gold Fields, CITIC Pacific Mining, and Northern Star Resources. Individual giving flows through a Patron Program, website donations, and bequests, supported by fundraising events such as the Night at the Museum Gala and the Ngalang Koort Conversations series. The Foundation distributes these funds exclusively to the Western Australian Museum, making the Museum its sole programmatic beneficiary across regional sites including Boola Bardip, the WA Shipwrecks Museum, and the Museum of the Goldfields. It is governed by a board chaired by Anna Shave (appointed 2024) and led operationally by CEO Coralie Bishop.

Name

Foundation for the WA Museum

Legal name

Foundation for the Western Australian Museum Ltd

Website

https://fwam.com.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Foundation for the WA Museum is a Perth-based non-profit that raises and deploys philanthropic funds exclusively to support the Western Australian Museum, operating a AUD $30M endowment and programmes in marine research, science communication (FameLab Australia), and regional museum development.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Charitable Foundation / Museum Fundraising

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Grantmaking and Giving Services (8132), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813)

akta.pro primary industry

Community Foundations (BPAGAKAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Arts, Culture & Humanities Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAJ), Research & Science Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAI), Environmental & Climate Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAM)

Keywords

• Museum philanthropy services
• Charitable foundation grants
• Science communication training
• Marine biodiversity research
• Cultural heritage fundraising

Headquarters

HQ city

Perth

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Foundation for the WA Museum is a not-for-profit charitable foundation that raises and deploys private philanthropic funds in support of the Western Australian Museum. It operates the Discovery Endowment Fund (approximately A$30M in funds under management), runs an Annual Strategic Grant Program to the WA Museum, and channels donor and corporate support into programs such as FameLab Australia science communication training, the Marine Sustainability Fund, Minderoo Grants, and the Patron Program. Its work funds collections acquisition, scientific research, exhibitions, regional museum sites, and education and outreach programs across Western Australia.

Product overview

The Foundation for the WA Museum is a not-for-profit charitable organization that mobilizes, harnesses, and directs support for the Western Australian Museum. Rather than a commercial product company, the Foundation operates philanthropic programs including the Discovery Endowment Fund (approximately $30M in funds under management), an Annual Strategic Grant Program distributing ~$240,000 yearly to WA Museum projects, Minderoo Grants for diverse initiatives, the FameLab Australia science communication competition, and the Marine Sustainability Fund. The Foundation also facilitates corporate partnerships with organizations including Woodside Energy (28-year marine research partnership), Fortescue (Pilbara biodiversity research), and Gold Fields (regional museum support).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• FameLab Australia: World's leading public-facing science communication competition and training program, created by Cheltenham Festivals (UK), produced and hosted by the Foundation for the WA Museum since 2019.

Products and services

• Discovery Endowment Fund Principal endowment fund of the Foundation, established to support the WA Museum today and into the future, grown to approximately A$30 million in funds under management as of 2023.
• Annual Strategic Grant Program Annual grant distribution by the Foundation to the Western Australian Museum for strategic projects, distributing approximately A$240,000 in 2024 across the Legacy Collection Project and Kalyenup 2026 Project, and A$555,000 in 2022/23 including acquisition of the Red Rock Art Collection and Archive.
• Minderoo Grants Smaller grants focused on diverse projects across fieldwork, research and exhibit development, funded through the Discovery Endowment Fund.
• FameLab Australia The world's largest public-facing science communication training program and competition, produced by the Foundation since 2019 to promote excellence in science communication for early-career STEM researchers. The Foundation is the Australian country host and producer of FameLab, created by Cheltenham Festivals (UK).
• Marine Sustainability Fund Fund supporting marine research and conservation efforts, including partnerships for studying Western Australia's unique marine biodiversity.
• Patron Program Individual giving program allowing supporters to become patrons of the Foundation and the WA Museum through sustained personal contributions.
• Corporate Partnerships Program Partnership program connecting corporations with the Foundation's mission to support the WA Museum, including founding partners and strategic partners such as Minderoo Foundation, Rio Tinto, Stan Perron Charitable Foundation, Tianqi Lithium, Wesfarmers, Woodside Energy, Fortescue, Gold Fields, CITIC Pacific Mining and Northern Star Resources.
• Ngalang Koort Conversations Public conversation events featuring notable speakers discussing science, culture and community topics at the WA Museum Boola Bardip, used as an outreach and engagement platform for donors and the public.
• Impact Circle Grant Donor-voted grant program where Impact Circle members vote on funding allocation for specific projects supported by the Foundation.
• Leave a Gift in Your Will (Bequests Program) Legacy giving program allowing supporters to leave a gift to the Foundation and WA Museum in their will, as part of the individual giving portfolio.

Quantifiable outcome

• 700+ new species discovered through marine research collaboration
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered major, core and supporting.

• Northern Star ResourcesmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 April 2026Two-year research partnership to protect endangered WA butterflies Jalmenus aridus and Ogyris petrina through targeted research, monitoring, and public engagement.
• Woodside EnergycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 6 August 202528-year marine biodiversity research collaboration extended for 5 years to study Gascoyne coastline. Surveyed 575,000 km2, discovered 700+ species, published 160+ articles. First phase examines legacy collections.
• Zhang GuolisupportingGTM or Marketing Partner · 13 June 2025Acclaimed Chinese actor appointed Exhibition Cultural Ambassador for Terracotta Warriors exhibition. Host of CMG's 'The Nation's Greatest Treasures' with 10M+ views per episode.
• FortescuecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 28 February 2025Three-year research partnership for biodiversity research in Fortescue Marsh (Pilbara), focusing on ground beetles (Carabidae). Includes PhD student training in beetle taxonomy.
• Gold FieldscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 2 August 2024Three-year partnership as Presenting Partner for Aboriginal Bush Food & Medicine Garden at Museum of the Goldfields and Digital Audio Guides for all four regional museum sites.
• Community Broadcasting FoundationsupportingGTM or Marketing Partner · 8 July 2024Three-year support until 2026 for FameLab, providing media training to finalists and creating podcast series for community radio stations.
• Comm-it - Communication Solutions with SciencemajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 April 2024National Training Partner for FameLab Australia, providing science communication training to all participants including masterclasses and workshops.
• University of Western Australia (UWA)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 April 2024Three-year partnership to support FameLab Australia. UWA ranked 77th globally (QS 2025) with research across 28 fields rated in world's top 1%.
• CITIC Pacific MiningmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 October 2023Partnership supporting Diprotodon fossil excavation in Pilbara. Provided logistical and financial support for fieldwork and fossil recovery at Du Boulay Creek.
• Forrest Research FoundationmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 February 2023Hosts FameLab finalists at Forrest Hall for immersive science communication workshops. Andrew and Nicola Forrest committed $130M establishing Australia's largest endowment for doctoral research.
• Cheltenham FestivalscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCreator of FameLab, the world's leading science communication competition. Foundation is Australian country host and producer of FameLab Australia since 2019.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Queensland Museum Foundation: Foundation supporting the Queensland Museum. Operates the same model: independent non-profit fundraising arm enabling grants for acquisitions, research, and exhibitions for a state museum.
• Minderoo Foundation: Large Australian philanthropic foundation that is itself a founding partner of FWAM. Comparable in mission (Australian philanthropy), model (corporate-derived endowment), and engagement with research, environment, and community.
• Museums Victoria Foundation: Supports Museums Victoria in Melbourne. Runs philanthropy, corporate partnerships, and endowment-style giving for scientific research, collections, and exhibitions — highly comparable operating model.
• Australian Museum Foundation: Fundraising body for the Australian Museum in Sydney. Closest direct peer — also a state-level museum foundation raising endowment and annual giving from corporates and individuals to support museum collections, research, and exhibitions.
• Art Gallery of NSW Foundation: Foundation supporting the Art Gallery of New South Wales. Same model of charitable foundation corraling corporate sponsorships, patron programs, and bequests for collections and exhibitions.
• National Museum of Australia Foundation: Philanthropy vehicle for the National Museum of Australia. Comparable structure of corporates, bequests, and patron programs funding a national museum's collections and programs.
• South Australian Museum Foundation: Fundraising arm for the South Australian Museum. Directly comparable as a peer-state museum foundation supporting research, collections, and exhibitions, often backed by mining and resources companies.
• National Gallery of Australia Foundation: Philanthropic arm of the National Gallery of Australia. Comparable Australian cultural-institution foundation with corporate partnerships, endowment-style giving, and major acquisitions funding.

Broad incumbents

• Wellcome Trust: Global research-charity foundation. Comparable at the broader grantmaking-and-research-support level; an incumbent scale example of an endowment-driven research foundation FWAM could aspire to as it matures.

Emerging players

• Cheltenham Festivals: Creator of FameLab and Foundation's partner. Comparable as a science-communication event producer and ecosystem partner; provides FameLab's international platform framework.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/FoundationfortheWAMuseum
• Instagraminstagram.com/foundation_wa_museum

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Foundation for the WA Museum