Watertrust Australia

What Watertrust Australia does

Watertrust Australia Ltd is an independent, non-profit charity established in 2021 and headquartered at the Australian Academy of Science (Ian Potter House) in Canberra. Its stated mission is to improve how water and catchment policy decisions are made in Australia by acting as an impartial honest broker between competing stakeholders and convening inclusive, evidence-based deliberation processes. Core service offerings include structured decision-making (SDM) workshops and decision-sketches, roundtables and Insights Forums, policy research publications, and co-designed governance reform support. Notable engagements include supporting the Murray-Darling Basin Plan review in partnership with the Murray-Darling Basin Authority, co-designing Integrated Water Management governance for Greater Adelaide with the South Australian Government, facilitating water allocation planning with the Northern Territory Government in Western Davenport, and convening First Nations water policy roundtables in partnership with the National Native Title Council, Indigenous Land and Sea Corporation, and Australian National University.

The core technology is human facilitation expertise grounded in the structured decision-making methodology, including international knowledge exchange with Compass Resource Management from British Columbia, rather than a software product or platform. Watertrust does not develop proprietary technology, sell licences, charge fees, or operate a commercial revenue model. A core team of approximately 12 staff, augmented by an 'extended Watertrust' bespoke-team model for individual projects, delivers services across multiple Australian jurisdictions and policy domains. The go-to-market is community- and event-led: convening roundtables, decision-sketch workshops, annual gatherings, and Insights Forums, complemented by direct engagement with federal, state and territory government agencies and formal submissions to national policy inquiries.

The business model is philanthropic rather than commercial. Watertrust is funded entirely by a coalition of 14 philanthropic foundations including The Ian Potter Foundation, The Myer Foundation, Colonial Foundation, the Margaret Reid 'Kingston' Bequest, the Besen Family Foundation, the Wright Burt Foundation, The Ross Trust, The William Buckland Foundation, The Yulgilbar Foundation, Lord Mayor's Charitable Trust, The Quercus Foundation, Letcombe Foundation, Pixel Seed, and the Doc Ross Foundation. Funding is secured to operate at scale for at least 10 years with a five-year review point. No revenue or financial figures are publicly disclosed, and the entity is governed by an independent board with no parent company or external equity backing.

Name

Watertrust Australia

Legal name

Watertrust Australia Ltd

Website

https://watertrustaustralia.org.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

2021

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Watertrust Australia is an independent, philanthropically funded charity established in 2021 that convenes inclusive structured decision-making processes to improve water and catchment policy outcomes for Australian governments, First Nations, and stakeholders.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Water Policy Advisory Services

NAICS

Environmental Consulting Services (54162)

akta.pro primary industry

Water Resources & Watershed Protection (BPAGAGAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Water, Wastewater & Hydraulics Engineering Consulting (BPAHAIAD), Water Resources Administration (Watersheds, Rivers, Groundwater) (BPAIAMAE)

Keywords

• Water policy facilitation
• Structured decision making
• Stakeholder engagement
• Catchment policy consulting
• Collaborative governance services

Headquarters

HQ city

Canberra

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Philanthropic Grants: Watertrust Australia is funded entirely by a coalition of philanthropic organisations. Their funding supports operations at scale for at least 10 years with a five-year review point. Funders include The Ian Potter Foundation, The Myer Foundation, Colonial Foundation, Margaret Reid 'Kingston' Bequest, Besen Family Foundation, Wright Burt Foundation, The Ross Trust, The William Buckland Foundation, The Yulgilbar Foundation, Lord Mayor's Charitable Trust, The Quercus Foundation, Letcombe Foundation, Pixel Seed, and Doc Ross Foundation.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Watertrust Australia provides independent policy facilitation and convening services to improve water and catchment policy decision-making in Australia. Its deliverables include structured decision-making (SDM) workshops and decision sketches, multi-stakeholder roundtables (e.g., First Nations water rights, Greater Adelaide IWM governance), policy research and analysis publications, and evaluation frameworks delivered through collaborative co-design with governments and stakeholders.

Product overview

Watertrust Australia is an independent, nonprofit policy facilitation organization (established 2021 as Watertrust Australia Ltd) that does not offer traditional technology products or software services. Rather, it provides advisory services, facilitation, and collaborative process design to improve water and catchment policy decision-making in Australia. Its service offerings include: structured decision-making workshops and decision sketches (e.g., Upper Murrumbidgee, Western Davenport); convening and facilitating roundtables and stakeholder forums (e.g., First Nations water rights roundtables, Greater Adelaide Integrated Water Management governance reform); policy research and analysis producing publications such as its Equity, Fairness and Justice initiative reports, foundational documents, and governance/annual reports; and evaluation framework services. These are professional/advisory service engagements, not packaged software products.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Structured Decision-Making (SDM) Workshops and Decision Sketches Facilitated, evidence-based workshops that walk diverse water stakeholders through a range of management scenarios so they can deliberate, learn from one another and identify the best possible outcomes. Delivered for government clients and stakeholders on specific water and catchment issues such as the Upper Murrumbidgee and Western Davenport water allocation.
• Multi-Stakeholder Roundtables and Convening Forums

Quantifiable outcome

• Convened 24 Indigenous leaders with Commonwealth Minister for Environment and Water for first national roundtable on First Nations water rights
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Australian National UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 May 2023Co-hosted the second national roundtable on First Nations water policy reform with over 80 participants. ANU provides academic expertise and institutional framework for water policy research and dialogue.
• National Native Title CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 May 2023Co-hosted the second national roundtable on First Nations water policy reform. Represents peak body for native title and First Nations land and water interests.
• Indigenous Land and Sea CorporationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 May 2023Co-hosted the second national roundtable on First Nations water policy reform. ILSC supports First Nations people to manage land, sea and water assets.
• Australian Academy of SciencecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWatertrust Australia is headquartered at the Australian Academy of Science (Ian Potter House) for an initial period of at least five years. This strategic hosting arrangement provides access to deep expertise from a wide range of disciplines and connects Watertrust with Australia's learned academies.
• Gilbert + TobinminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as a partner supporting Watertrust Australia's work, providing legal and advisory expertise.
• One Basin CRC (Cooperative Research Centre)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWatertrust participates in One Basin CRC panels focusing on topics such as empowering local communities in relation to Murray-Darling Basin Plan review.
• Compass Resource ManagementcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational structured decision-making experts from Compass Resource Management (Brian Crawford, Michael Harstone, Lee Failing) partnered with Watertrust to deliver decision-sketch workshops for Upper Murrumbidgee and showcase SDM processes. They bring expertise from BC Hydro water use planning in Canada.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Compass Resource Management: Canadian structured decision-making consultancy that partners with Watertrust to deliver SDM workshops (e.g., Upper Murrumbidgee decision-sketch). Direct peer because it practices the same SDM facilitation methodology in water and natural resource policy.

Regional players

• The Nature Conservancy Australia: Australian arm of global conservation non-profit, active in water and catchment programs including Gayini (featured on Watertrust's homepage). Comparable as a non-profit operating in Australian water/land conservation with multi-stakeholder engagement.
• Australian Conservation Foundation: Australia's largest national environmental advocacy non-profit. Comparable as a non-profit working across stakeholders and government on environmental policy, though it is advocacy-led whereas Watertrust is facilitation-led.
• Reconciliation Australia: Australian non-profit facilitating relationships and conversations between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and broader Australia. Comparable as an independent convener working on rights-based, multi-stakeholder processes.
• Australian Water Partnership: Australian government-funded initiative supporting integrated water management capacity-building across the Indo-Pacific. Comparable in supporting inclusive water governance processes and multi-stakeholder engagement in the region.
• Goyder Institute for Water Research: South Australian water research partnership bringing together government, universities and industry. Comparable in mission to inform water policy through independent evidence; previous employer of Watertrust Principal Kane Aldridge.
• Wentworth Group of Concerned Scientists: Australian independent group of scientists focused on water, land and biodiversity policy reform. Comparable as an Australian non-profit providing independent, evidence-based advice to influence water policy outcomes.

Broad incumbents

• The Pew Charitable Trusts: Major US-based philanthropic organization funding environmental policy reform including water. Comparable in operating model as an independent philanthropic-funded body influencing water policy through research and convening.

Emerging players

• International WaterCentre: Australia-based water capacity building and research organization focused on integrated water management and development. Comparable in working across government, academia and communities on water policy capacity.
• Murray Lower Darling Rivers Indigenous Nations (MLDRIN): Aboriginal-led body representing First Nations in Murray-Darling Basin water governance. Comparable as a stakeholder in First Nations water rights processes that Watertrust convenes, with shared policy reform mission.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/WatertrustAU
• Facebookfacebook.com/WatertrustAU
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/watertrustau

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 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 Watertrust Australia