Economic equity and opportunity for young people
The material basics, skills, agency and opportunities to lead independent, fulfilling lives.
Our approach to partnership
People's lives are shaped by interconnected factors, from their home environment, health and financial circumstances to education, employment, relationships and a sense of belonging. These influences can reach across a lifetime and from one generation to the next. Our partnerships reflect this broader understanding, bringing together resources and expertise to strengthen the conditions that help young people, families and communities thrive.
We develop our philanthropic partnerships directly rather than through open grant rounds, working closely with organisations that know their communities and fields deeply. This allows us to build relationships over time, understand where our contribution can be most useful and shape each partnership around what we want to achieve together.
The outcomes we seek
Our partnerships contribute to three interconnected outcomes that reflect the opportunities, relationships and wider conditions that help people and communities thrive.
Shared wellbeing and connection across generations
Strong relationships that foster wellbeing, belonging and mutual support.
Resilience and future readiness for communities
The skills, relationships and resources to adapt and thrive through social, economic, environmental and technological change.
How we contribute
Member-led giving
Freemason Members have a long tradition of generosity and practical service, together with strong connections to the communities they know best. Our Member programs build on this foundation through local giving, volunteering and partnerships shaped by local knowledge.
Philanthropic partnerships
We invest in organisations pursuing significant change over time. Longer-term giving provides greater certainty to plan, develop effective approaches and build on progress over time.
Impact investing
We invest part of our portfolio in opportunities that seek positive social or environmental outcomes alongside financial returns. In this way, our capital can contribute to solutions today while preserving and growing the assets entrusted to us for future generations.
Collaboration to shift systems
We collaborate across philanthropy, community organisations, research, government and others to improve these wider conditions and help create change that reaches beyond individual programs.
Our partnership principles
Our partnerships are built on mutual respect, openness and a genuine appreciation of what each organisation contributes. These principles guide how we work together over time.
A shared ambition
We start with the change we want to create. Our Strategy provides a common direction, while the knowledge and experience of each partner help determine the best way to move towards it.
Evidence and experience
We draw on different sources of knowledge. Research and evidence offer important insight, alongside practical experience and the perspectives of people closest to the issues. Each helps us see the picture more fully and make thoughtful, informed decisions.
Young people as knowledge holders
We recognise young people as active participants in shaping the future. Their lived experience, ideas and perspectives can challenge assumptions, deepen understanding and lead to better decisions. We value approaches that recognise young people’s agency and create genuine opportunities for them to shape decisions that affect their lives.
A long-term view
We create the conditions for progress over time. Longer-term relationships provide greater certainty to plan, adapt and build on what is working, while allowing new evidence, ideas and circumstances to inform the direction of the work.
Shared responsibility
We are clear about what each partner contributes. Open conversations about roles, resources, decisions and responsibilities create a strong foundation for working well together and keeping our attention on the outcomes we share.
Working alongside our valued partners across Queensland and Papua New Guinea
How partnerships develop
Every partnership develops differently. We take time to get to know an organisation, the people and communities connected to its work, and the change it is seeking to create.
Starting a conversation
We get to know your organisation, its work and the experience and thinking behind it.
Exploring the opportunity
We consider how the work connects with our Strategy, what each of us could contribute and what a partnership could achieve.
Shaping the partnership
We agree on the outcomes we will pursue, the role each of us will play and how progress will be understood over time.
Partnership FAQs
If you are considering a partnership with Hand Heart Pocket, these answers explain how we might work together.
New relationships develop in different ways, including through our networks, introductions and conversations with organisations whose work connects strongly with our Strategy.
We welcome introductions from organisations that see a connection between their work and our Strategy. You can tell us about your organisation, the people and communities you work alongside and the change you are seeking to create. An introduction gives us an opportunity to get to know your work and begin a conversation.
Young people are at the heart of our 2030 Strategy, but their lives are connected to families, communities and the generations around them. We therefore consider how an organisation’s work contributes to this wider environment and the conditions that enable young people and communities to thrive.
We work across Queensland and Papua New Guinea, reflecting our history and longstanding connections with Freemason Members and communities in both places.
The length of a partnership depends on the work and the outcomes we are seeking to achieve. We recognise the value of longer-term relationships and the greater certainty they can provide to plan, adapt and build on progress.
Our contribution is shaped by the partnership. Alongside financial resources, this may include strategic thinking, connections, evidence and evaluation, organisational capability or opportunities to collaborate with others.
We look for a strong connection with our Strategy and a clear understanding of the change an organisation is seeking to create. We also value strong governance, sound evidence, deep knowledge of the people and communities involved, and approaches that recognise their strengths and participation.
We establish a clear understanding of the outcomes we are working towards and how progress will be measured. Data and evaluation show us what is changing, while practical experience and the perspectives of people involved provide important context. Together, they inform the decisions we make as the partnership develops.
Let’s explore what we could achieve together
If your organisation’s work connects with our Strategy, we welcome the opportunity to hear from you. Tell us about the change you are working towards and where you see the potential for partnership.