About Us

Launched in 2004, The EastWeb Fund (TEF) grew out of two visionary philanthropists’ offer to a group of young people to form the advisory board and take over management of a sub-fund of the Melbourne Community Foundation (MCF), now the Australian Communities Foundation (ACF). 

The Board identified Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, asylum seeker and refugee communities as among those experiencing the most significant disadvantage in the wider community and it was decided that TEF could best promote social justice by working towards social change in those communities. It was decided that the funds would best be utilised supporting small, start-up community building projects devised and run by the communities, for the communities. Access to education, employment, healthcare, and maintenance of cultural heritage are key predictors of equity and equality in Australian society and these were adopted as our focus areas.

It was clear that TEF was doing philanthropy differently and we began to catch the interest of other funding bodies. The involvement of young people as the driving force was unique.