Elevate Impact

A sharper story and a stronger funding base to close the education gap

Cathy Freeman Foundation · Funding Strategy · Reconciliation, Mutual Respect and Tolerance, Social and Public Welfare

We built a funding and communications strategy for the Cathy Freeman Foundation, sharpening its story and opening new funding streams to close the education gap.

The challenge

The Cathy Freeman Foundation empowers First Nations children through education, walking alongside them from Pre-Prep to Year 12 to close the gap in attainment. The mission was strong and the brand was loved. What it needed was a clearer narrative and a more deliberate approach to funding, so it could deepen supporter relationships and secure the long-term, sustainable income its community programs depend on.

What we did

We partnered with the Foundation to build a funding strategy and refresh how it tells its story. We refined the brand narrative and sharpened the messaging, then mapped the funding opportunities that fit, strengthening the case for support across government, corporate and philanthropic partners. The result tied the story and the money together: a clearer voice that engages supporters, and a structured plan for converting that engagement into sustainable funding.

The impact

The Foundation came away with a funding strategy and a partnership framework built for growth, plus a clearer story to take to the people who fund it.

Deliverables

Brand narrative refresh

Sharpened key messaging

Funding opportunity mapping

Case for support

Partnership framework and strategy

Impact reporting

Case studies