Over the past year, the Board made a conscious decision to pause and consider where the Foundation could make its greatest contribution. Through external research, stakeholder consultation and robust Board discussion, we examined emerging community needs, tested our assumptions and considered the capabilities and responsibilities of the Foundation. The resulting 2027–2029 Strategic Plan is grounded in Place-Based Giving, Community Impact and Growth with Purpose. It reflects a shared determination to be ambitious about impact while remaining disciplined in our stewardship of the Foundation’s resources.

Traditional Grant Giving will remain central to our work, strengthening trusted community partners and supporting initiatives that improve health outcomes. Alongside this, we will develop Catalytic Investing: using funding, infrastructure and relationships to stimulate
collaboration, attract wider investment and enable new responses to unmet needs. We do not seek to become a service provider; our role is to help capable organisations deliver outcomes that might otherwise be out of reach. Growth must remain sustainable and within our means, preserving our capacity to contribute for generations to come. The Board will judge the success of this direction not by the number of initiatives undertaken, but by the meaningful and enduring difference they make for people in our community.

I extend the Board’s sincere thanks to Professor Paul Smith, who concludes 17 years of distinguished service as a Director and Chair since joining in 2009. His wisdom, commitment and leadership have strengthened the Foundation’s ability to influence and improve health
outcomes in Canberra. As we look ahead, we do so with gratitude for that legacy and confidence in the opportunities before us.

Dr Tim Makeham

The Board took the strategic review seriously, investing time in understanding Canberra’s changing health needs and challenging how our resources could be used more effectively. Management now has a clear mandate to translate that work into results. Over the next three
years we will maintain established grant programs while building the partnerships and capability needed for larger, collaborative and catalytic investments. This is a step change in how we operate, requiring careful judgement, financial discipline and a focus on outcomes rather than activity. That means being selective about opportunities that are evidence based, understanding where we can add distinctive value, and working alongside government and
service providers rather than duplicating their responsibilities or expertise.

We are at an exciting juncture with the implementation of our new strategic plan, as much because this year also tested our ability to respond when circumstances change suddenly. In March, our tenant, the AEIOU Foundation, entered administration and its Canberra early
learning and intervention service housed in our Garran health precinct closed without warning. Families of children with severe autism were left facing the loss of specialised care, often with few alternatives. As owner of the purpose-built facility, we worked intensively with
families, former staff, government, advisers and prospective operators. Establishing a new partnership with Communities at Work enabled a pilot approach to reopening the centre and beginning to restore services. The Centre’s longer-term sustainability remains a priority, but
our immediate response shows us that compassion and collaboration go hand in hand and are crucial for holistic solutions when disruption happens.

This year we also helped bring Streetside Medics to Canberra. Launched with the support of the Prime Minister, this free GP service takes healthcare to people sleeping rough and experiencing homelessness, including people long disconnected from mainstream care. These two very different initiatives demonstrated the value of recognising a gap, convening the right partners and enabling others to deliver essential services. In both cases, the Foundation’s role extended beyond funding alone. We helped create the conditions for services to reach people who needed them, while recognising that sustainable outcomes depend on strong partners and shared responsibility.

I have personally valued Professor Paul Smith’s counsel and support, and share the Board’s appreciation for his extraordinary service. I am equally encouraged by the growing pride our Members take in the Foundation’s work and the connections they sustain across Canberra’s
medical and wider community. Finally, I thank our staff. Small in number but exceptional in capability and commitment, they navigate complex challenges with initiative, professionalism and good humour. They are excellent at what they do and a pleasure to work alongside. I am grateful to the Board for the mandate to lead, and excited by what we can achieve together in the year ahead.

Mr Joe Roff