What Mater Foundation does

Mater Foundation is a Queensland-based charitable foundation operating as the unified fundraising arm for the Mater network, which comprises seven hospitals, a world-class medical research institute, and a nationally accredited education provider. Established in 1906 (with its charitable heritage tracing back to the founding of the Sisters of Mercy in Dublin in 1824) and headquartered in Newstead, Australia, the foundation channels community generosity toward healthcare, research, and education outcomes across Queensland. It serves patients, families, donors, corporate partners, and volunteers, with specific beneficiary programs including neonatal critical care (Mater Little Miracles), breast cancer support (Mater Chicks in Pink), and cancer research (Mater Smiling for Smiddy).

The foundation's core product portfolio spans a lottery program (Mater Prize Home), recurring and one-time donation platforms, a bequest program (Gifts in Will), event-based fundraising (Brisbane to Gold Coast Cycle for Cancer, Noosa Tri, International Women's Day Fun Run), and corporate partnership programs with retail partners including Costco, Big W, and Drakes Supermarkets. Underlying infrastructure includes a donations platform with PCI DSS compliance validated by Foregenix (2025-2026), Zendesk for customer support, and digital marketing channels across Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn, and the foundation website.

The business model is multi-stream charitable fundraising with no traditional pricing. Revenue derives from individual donations (one-time and monthly tiers ranging from $35 to $160 per month), lottery ticket sales, legacy bequests, corporate partnerships, and event registration fees. The organization is a registered charity with the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ABN 96 723 184 640), governed by a board chaired by Virginia Ryan and led by CEO Andrew Thomas (appointed June 2020). Distribution reaches Queensland donors directly via the website, lotteries site, and offices, and indirectly through retail partner campaigns and community auxiliaries.

Name

Mater Foundation

Legal name

Mater Foundation Limited

Website

https://www.materfoundation.org.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Mater Foundation is a Queensland-based charitable foundation that raises and distributes funds for Mater's network of seven hospitals, research institute, and education provider through donations, lottery sales, events, bequests, and corporate partnerships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Charitable Fundraising / Hospital Foundation

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Voluntary Health Organizations (813212), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Educational Support Services (611710)

akta.pro primary industry

Research & Science Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Major Gifts, Planned Giving & Endowment Development (EDALAOAC), Fundraising & Annual Giving (EDALAOAB)

Keywords

• Charitable fundraising
• Hospital foundation
• Prize home lottery
• Healthcare philanthropy
• Community donations

Headquarters

HQ city

Newstead

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations: One-time and recurring monthly donations from individual supporters. Donations can be made directly through the website and are tax-deductible for donations of $2 or more.
2. Lottery Tickets: Mater Prize Home and other lottery ticket sales. When supporters purchase tickets, funds support ground-breaking research, exceptional patient care and education at Mater.
3. Bequests and Gifts in Will: Legacy giving program where supporters leave gifts in their Will to support Mater's ongoing mission. This provides sustainable long-term funding for healthcare, research and education.
4. Corporate Partnerships: Partnerships with businesses including retail campaigns (Costco, Big W, Drakes), corporate donations, and cause-related marketing initiatives.
5. Event Fundraising: Registration fees and fundraising from events including cycling challenges, triathlons, and community runs. Funds raised go directly to Mater's programs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Mater Foundation is a Queensland-based charitable foundation that raises funds to support Mater Health hospitals, Mater Research, and Mater Education. It runs cause-based fundraising programs (Mater Little Miracles, Mater Chicks in Pink, Mater Smiling for Smiddy), a recurring Mater Prize Home Lottery, a general donations platform, and a Gift in Will / bequest program for individual donors and corporate partners.

Product overview

Mater Foundation is a Queensland-based charitable foundation operating as a unified fundraising organization supporting Mater Health, Mater Research, and Mater Education. The core product portfolio includes: the Mater Prize Home Lottery (major fundraising vehicle), Mater Little Miracles (neonatal/pediatric care), Mater Chicks in Pink (breast cancer support), and Mater Smiling for Smiddy (cancer research cycling events). Supporting programs include donation platforms, gift-in-will bequests, event fundraising, hospital auxiliaries, and corporate partnerships. The organization connects donors with healthcare, research, and education outcomes across Queensland's Mater hospital network.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Mater Chicks in Pink: Supporting women living with breast cancer through free personalized services, equipment, and research funding.
• Mater Little Miracles
• Mater Smiling for Smiddy

Products and services

• Mater Prize Home Lottery

Quantifiable outcome

• 1,700+ premature and seriously ill babies cared for annually in NCCU
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Equity TrusteescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2016Mater is an inaugural partner in Equity Trustees' Medical Research and Health Partnership Program. This unique support through charitable trusts has enabled impactful research including capacity building for future leaders, supporting early career researchers, and closing the gender equity gap. Funded researchers include Dr Jodi Saunus, Dr Camille Guillerey, Professor Josephine Forbes, Associate Professor Kym Rae, and Dr Carlie Cullen.
• CostcocoreGTM or Marketing PartnerAnnual in-store fundraising campaign at Costco North Lakes, Ipswich and Coomera locations. Has supported Mater Little Miracles since 2015, raising more than $660,000. Funds help provide critical equipment and care for premature babies.
• Big WcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerNational Big W stores conduct annual fundraising campaigns selling $2 tokens and collecting donations in support of Mater Little Miracles. Supports seriously ill and premature babies at Mater.
• Drakes Supermarkets AustraliaminorGTM or Marketing Partner2021 Christmas Bauble Campaign raised $12,440 for Mater Little Miracles. Funds enable more mothers and unborn babies in rural and remote communities to access vital ultrasound care.
• Hospital AuxiliariescoreGTM or Marketing PartnerNetwork of volunteer auxiliaries raising funds for Mater hospitals: Mater Hospital Brisbane Auxiliary (raised >$500,000), Mater Mothers' Hospital Auxiliary (40+ years), Mater Private Hospital Redland Auxiliary, Mater Private Hospital Mackay Auxiliary (40+ years).
• Mater Foundation careers websiteminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorStaff recruitment through careers.mater.org.au. Working at Mater Foundation described as rewarding experience promoting philanthropic support with individuals, groups and companies.

Scale indicators11 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Children's Hospital Foundation Queensland: Queensland-based hospital fundraising foundation supporting Queensland Children's Hospital. Mater Foundation CEO Andrew Thomas previously served as Chief Marketing & Fundraising Officer here, and the two organizations compete directly for the same Queensland hospital donor base.
• Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital Foundation: Hospital foundation raising funds for Queensland's largest hospital, also based in Brisbane. Directly comparable in mission (hospital fundraising, medical research, patient care) and operating geography, competing for overlapping corporate partners and individual donors.
• Peter MacCallum Cancer Foundation: Major Australian cancer-research fundraising foundation supporting Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre. Mater Foundation's Mater Chicks in Pink and Smiddy programs target similar cancer-research donors across Australia, with overlapping cause and competitor event portfolios.
• National Breast Cancer Foundation: Australia's leading national breast cancer research fundraiser. Mater's Mater Chicks in Pink program and International Women's Day Fun Run directly overlap with NBCF on cause (breast cancer research) and donor acquisition channels across Australia.
• Cancer Council Queensland: State-based cancer charity running research funding, prevention, and support programs. Shares the same Queensland donor pool, community event fundraising model, and research-grantmaking mission as Mater's cancer-related programs.
• Alfred Health Foundation (Melbourne): Fundraising foundation for The Alfred, a major Melbourne tertiary hospital. Operates a comparable model — research funding, capital equipment, lottery programs, and major gift philanthropy — making it a useful benchmark for Australian public-hospital foundation economics.

Broad incumbents

• Royal Children's Hospital Foundation (Melbourne): Larger, established Australian hospital foundation with broader national reach and a longer-tenured major-gift program. Comparable in operating model (hospital fundraising, research funding, community events) but operates at greater scale and national scope.
• St Vincent's Health Australia Foundation: Fundraising arm for St Vincent's Health Australia, a large multi-hospital Catholic network with values-based heritage analogous to Mater's Sisters of Mercy tradition. Both share a faith-based hospital fundraising identity and similar capital equipment / research funding needs.
• Heart Foundation: Major national health-disease fundraiser with broad portfolio including research funding and community events. Comparable in cause-research fundraising model and Australian donor base, though with different disease focus.

Emerging players

• Cure Cancer Australia: National charity funding early-career cancer researchers. Mater Foundation's Mater Research funding and Equity Trustees partnership on early-career researchers creates direct overlap on cause and donor segment (cancer research philanthropy).

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks3 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/MaterFoundation/featured
• Facebookfacebook.com/MaterFoundationQueensland
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/mater-foundation
• Xx.com/MaterTeam

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Mater Foundation