Freemasons Foundation Victoria Limited

What Freemasons Foundation Victoria Limited does

Freemasons Foundation Victoria Limited (FFV) is a Victorian charitable foundation incorporated in 2014 and headquartered at Level 1, 288 Victoria Parade, Melbourne. It operates as the trustee entity for The Freemasons Public Charitable Foundation and the Freemasons Benevolent Fund, with roots tracing to an 1889 £500 founding donation by Sir William Clarke. The Foundation's purpose is to invest in programs that improve educational, healthcare and community welfare outcomes for Victorians.

FFV delivers its mission through a portfolio of grant programs: FFV Masonic Grants (supporting lodge-initiated charitable activities across 12 Masonic districts), FFV Community Grants (funding Victorian not-for-profits, with current focus areas in Education and Community Development), FFV Scholarships (498 Lodge scholarship grants plus 1,036 secondary and tertiary scholarships awarded), a Benevolence Program (financial assistance for Freemasons in hardship), a Disaster Relief Fund (established 2020), the Gather My Lodge volunteer gardening initiative, and the 1889 Bequest Society legacy-giving program. The Foundation has distributed more than $21.3 million across more than 3,400 grants valued at $68 million since 1889, including a $20 million milestone reached in March 2024 for grants since November 2014.

FFV's business model is donation- and investment-income based. Revenue is sourced from bequests and donations (including an 1889 founding donation and a $3 million bequest from Past Grand Master Reg Gregory) and from investment income generated by a 135-year disciplined endowment corpus, built originally from a £500 donation, subsequent member contributions, and the 1970 sale of the original Collins Street headquarters. FFV is governed by a board of directors and managed by a small professional team led by Chief Executive Officer Sandra Jacobs (appointed 2025), comprising a Programs and Community Engagement Manager, a Finance Manager and Company Secretary, and a Grants and Administration Officer. The Foundation operates exclusively within Victoria, Australia, with no proprietary technology platform; grant applications and stakeholder communications are conducted through its website, quarterly 'Square & Compasses' newsletter, social media channels, and the Masonic Lodge network.

Name

Freemasons Foundation Victoria Limited

Legal name

Freemasons Foundation Victoria Limited

Website

https://freemasonsfoundation.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Freemasons Foundation Victoria Limited is a Melbourne-based charitable foundation that distributes grants to Victorian not-for-profits, Masonic lodges, healthcare providers and students through a 135-year-old endowment corpus, having granted over $21.3 million across 3,400+ grants since its 2014 incorporation.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Charitable Foundation / Philanthropic Grant-Making

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Community Foundations (BPAGAKAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Education Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAK), Grantmaking & Philanthropic Funds (Institutional Donors) (BPADAOAB), Scholarship & Fellowship Foundations and Trusts (EDADAHAC)

Keywords

• Charitable foundation
• Community grants
• Disaster relief funding
• Education scholarships
• Philanthropic giving

Headquarters

HQ city

Melbourne

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Bequests and Donations: The Foundation receives bequests (legacies left in wills) and donations from Freemasons and their supporters. The 1889 Bequest Society acknowledges individuals who make a bequest in their lifetime. Funding originates from a 1889 £500 donation by Sir William Clarke and has been augmented by a $3 million bequest from Past Grand Master Reg Gregory.
2. Investment Income: The Foundation's corpus (built over 135 years of disciplined investment) generates income that is used for disbursements while preserving the capital base. Annual subscriptions from Freemasons initially funded the Fund before being retired after the 1970 sale of the Collins Street headquarters.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Freemasons Foundation Victoria is a charitable foundation that collects donations, bequests, and investment income on a preserved 135-year-old corpus, then redistributes those funds as grants to Victorian communities. Its portfolio includes Masonic Grants (supporting lodge-initiated charitable activities), Community Grants (to Victorian not-for-profits), Scholarships (secondary and tertiary education), a Benevolence program (financial assistance to Freemasons and dependents), and a Disaster Relief Fund (emergency funding for bushfire and flood recovery).

Product overview

Freemasons Foundation Victoria Limited operates as a charitable foundation managing a portfolio of grant programs and community service initiatives. The organisation offers four primary grant programs: FFV Masonic Grants (supporting lodge-initiated charitable activities), FFV Community Grants (funding Victorian not-for-profits), FFV Scholarships (supporting secondary and tertiary students), and a Benevolence Program (assisting Freemasons in hardship). Additional programs include the Disaster Relief Fund (established 2020 for emergency recovery) and the Gather My Lodge initiative (volunteer gardening service). The Foundation also manages the 1889 Bequest Society legacy giving program. These programs collectively contributed to over $20 million in charitable giving since 2014.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• 1889 Bequest Society: A society established to thank and acknowledge people in their lifetime for making a bequest to the Foundation. Named after the year 1889 when the original Benevolent Fund was established.

Products and services

• FFV Masonic Grants Grant program supporting Masonic Lodge-initiated charitable activities, enabling Victorian Masonic Lodges to access funding for community charitable projects in partnership with FFV. FFV provides matching funding to amplify lodge fundraising efforts across 12 districts.
• FFV Community Grants Grant program providing funding to Victorian not-for-profit organisations delivering vital support to people experiencing hardship, isolation and barriers to education. Applications are assessed by FFV staff and board, with current focus areas including Education and Community Development.
• FFV Scholarships Scholarship program supporting secondary and tertiary education for students, including 498 Lodge scholarship grants for children and grandchildren of Freemasons and 1,036 scholarships for continued education.
• Benevolence Program

Quantifiable outcome

• $20 million granted toward charitable projects improving lives and opportunities of Victorians since November 2014
• +9 more outcomes

Named customers22 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

26 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Australian Prostate Centre (APC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2016FFV's landmark $750,000 grant (2016) funded the Day Procedure Centre at APC, Australia's first public healthcare facility dedicated to comprehensive prostate cancer treatment. A subsequent $46,704 grant replaced diagnostic equipment. APC has treated over 50,000 patients and partnered with FFV on the ProsFIT exercise program ($50,000 in 2024). FFV's combined investment exceeds $1.2 million over the decade.
• Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia (PCFA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFFV and Masonic Lodges have supported PCFA through lodge-led giving (individual donations of $1,000–$3,000 from 2015–2016) and support for the Biggest Ever Blokes Lunch in Shepparton. Lodge Fraternal raised $5,000 in 2020 to support PCFA's evidence-based prostate cancer support resources.
• Epworth Foundation / Epworth HealthcarecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFFV has provided $274,580 in total support to Epworth since 2017, including $50,000 for Year 2 of the CONFIRM Trial (2024/25), a clinical trial led by Epworth Freemasons in partnership with the E.J. Whitten Prostate Cancer Research Centre, testing PSMA PET/CT imaging for low-grade prostate cancer management.
• St Vincent's Hospital MelbournecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner$17,284 FFV grant (2025) to the Nurse-Led Androgen Deprivation Therapy (ADT) Clinic, supporting men with metastatic prostate cancer. The nurse-led model provides holistic care for men managing side effects of hormone therapy.
• Male Bag FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerContributed $60,000 toward a $200,000 transperineal biopsy machine for Goulburn Valley Health in Shepparton (2022), matching FFV's $60,000 contribution for regional prostate cancer diagnostics.
• Let's Talk FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFFV committed a $300,000 impact grant over 3 years (2021) to support LET'S TALK Foundation's mental health awareness and suicide prevention initiatives across South West Victoria. Funding enabled employment of Community Engagement Officers for Warrnambool and Colac, database development, board training, and business planning.
• Think Pink FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFFV has supported Think Pink for over a decade, primarily through Monash Gully District Lodges. 2024/25 grant of $21,920 for the Think Pink Living Centre Physical Therapies Support Program 2025.
• Melbourne Symphony OrchestraminorStrategic or Co-development Partner$20,000 grant for MSO's Regional Tour 2025, bringing cultural enrichment and musical experiences to regional Victorian communities through mainstage concerts and school programs.
• Life Education VictoriaminorStrategic or Co-development Partner$10,000 IT Upgrade grant to transform school journeys for Healthy Harold programs, improving digital delivery of health education to Victorian students.
• Ronald McDonald House Charities Victoria & TasmaniaminorStrategic or Co-development Partner$20,000 for continuation of the Early Years Empowerment Project supporting families with young children.
• Outside the Locker Room Charity LtdminorStrategic or Co-development Partner$25,000 for mental health education sessions targeting regional and rural communities.
• Starlight Children's FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development Partner$25,000 for the Livewire wellbeing program at Royal Children's Hospital, supporting young people facing health challenges.
• For Change Co.minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMasonic Grant via Melbourne St Clair Reunion Lodge funded hospitality training for three young people facing homelessness through the Pathways For Change program. For Change Co. provides 134+ young people with employment training across six social enterprise venues.
• Goulburn Valley HealthminorStrategic or Co-development Partner$60,000 FFV contribution toward transperineal biopsy machine (2022) improving access to safer prostate cancer diagnosis in the Goulburn Valley and surrounding communities.
• Bendigo Health FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development Partner$17,000 contribution (2019) toward an ultrasound-guided biopsy machine as part of a $243,000 community fundraising effort, improving regional prostate cancer diagnostics.
• Mercy Health FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development Partner$25,000 grant for outdoor exercise area at Mental Health and Wellbeing Services, Werribee Mercy Hospital.
• Youth InsearchminorStrategic or Co-development Partner$15,000 for mental health recovery support through Youth Insearch weekend workshops in Latrobe.
• The Project Rockit FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development Partner$20,000 for Breaking Barriers program, empowering youth with civic and digital skills to tackle bullying.
• Spinal Research InstituteminorStrategic or Co-development Partner$48,860 for Engage and Collaborate Phase 3 program supporting a healthier SCI (spinal cord injury) community.
• Integra Service Dogs AustraliaminorStrategic or Co-development Partner$5,000 FFV grant plus $1,000 from Victoria Naval and Military Lodge placed service dog Sage with a Navy veteran living with PTSD. Integra works with Veterans, First Responders and their families.
• E.J. Whitten Prostate Cancer Research CentrecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partner with Epworth Freemasons for the CONFIRM Project clinical trial, testing PSMA PET/CT as a less invasive alternative to annual biopsies and MRIs for low-grade prostate cancer management.
• Grand Council of Royal and Select Masters of VictoriaminorStrategic or Co-development Partner$17,000 combined donation (2025) with FFV and WeCare Foundation to support professional development of Victoria's Prostate Cancer Specialist Nurses.
• WeCare FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint $17,000 donation with FFV and Grand Council of Royal and Select Masters of Victoria (2025) for Prostate Cancer Specialist Nurse professional development.
• Good360 AustraliaminorStrategic or Co-development Partner$25,000 grant for refurbished digital devices to financially disadvantaged Victorian residents.
• Gippsland Southern Health ServiceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupported the Dolly Parton Imagination Library program in South Gippsland, delivering free books to children from birth to age five, in partnership with Outtrim Masonic Lodge.
• Royal Children's Hospital MelbournecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary beneficiary of Freemasons Victoria's Good Friday Appeal contribution ($155,000 combined including $50,000 from FFV). The 2026 Appeal raised a record $25.2 million for clinical care for children statewide.

Scale indicators19 records

Recent moves3 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• The Myer Foundation: Australian family foundation supporting arts, education, poverty and the environment. Comparable as a long-established corpus-driven grantmaking foundation with similar thematic focus on education and community welfare.
• Vincent Fairfax Family Foundation: Australian family foundation focused on community wellbeing, education and disadvantage. Comparable as a private corpus-driven grantmaking foundation distributing grants to NFPs across similar thematic areas.
• Paul Ramsay Foundation: Major Australian philanthropic foundation focused on health, education and place-based community initiatives. Comparable in scale and grantmaking approach, distributing multi-million dollar grants across NFP and research sectors.
• The Ian Potter Foundation: One of Australia's largest private grantmaking foundations, distributing tens of millions annually across health, education, arts and community welfare. Directly comparable as a major Australian philanthropic foundation making strategic grants to NFPs, with a corpus-driven investment model.
• Lord Mayor's Charitable Foundation: Melbourne-based community foundation making grants across health, education, homelessness and the arts. Directly comparable as a Victoria-focused grantmaking foundation with a corpus-driven model and similar community impact orientation.
• Sidney Myer Fund: Sister foundation to The Myer Foundation, making grants in arts, education and humanitarian causes. Directly comparable as an Australian perpetual endowment-style grantmaking foundation with multi-decade disbursement history.

Broad incumbents

• The Smith Family: Large Australian charity providing education support to disadvantaged children — directly comparable to FFV's scholarship and education grant programmes, though operating a wider service-delivery model rather than pure grantmaking.

Others

• Perpetual Trustees — Not for Profit Funds: Australia's largest manager of charitable trusts and NFP funds. Comparable as the dominant infrastructure provider enabling sub-fund and corpus management for Australian philanthropic foundations, including sub-fund structures FFV offers to donors.
• Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia: National health-focused NFP that is both a grantee of and partner to FFV. Comparable as a recipient of FFV's largest thematic grant area (prostate cancer), making it the most relevant fundee peer for understanding FFV's downstream impact in the health sector.
• Australian Prostate Centre: Victoria's dedicated public prostate cancer treatment facility, recipient of FFV's landmark $750K grant. A direct grantee/partner that defines the upper end of FFV's grantmaking reach and demonstrates the Foundation's capacity to anchor major healthcare infrastructure projects.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@freemasonsfoundationvictoria
• Facebookfacebook.com/freemasonsfoundationvictoria
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/freemasons-foundation-victoria

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Freemasons Foundation Victoria Limited