Overview
Philanthropy Australia, in partnership with Regen Labs invites you to join an upcoming webinar exploring the role of place-based approaches to addressing the polycrises. What is clear is that we need to "fund the glue" that enables bold visions to gain momentum. We will be exploring this and questions such as:
How might we build local economies that regenerate communities and our natural environment, rather than extract?
What are the effective ways to invest in social, economic and financial infrastructure in regional Australia to achieve transformative systems-change?
What is the level, depth and scale of the investment required?
How three experienced philanthropic leaders are creating catalytic transformation by investing in place and community-led regeneration. Learn the practices that work, the patterns that emerge, and what it really takes to fund regeneration in a time of multiple, intersecting crises.
Date and time
Tuesday 18 November 2025
12.30pm - 1.45pm AEDT (ACT, NSW, TAS, VIC)
12.00pm - 1.15pm ACST (SA)
11.30am - 12.45pm AEST (QLD, NT)
9.30am - 10.45am AWST (WA)
Online event
Details will be provided after the registration is submitted. Please note this session will be recorded.
Audience
This event is for Philanthropy Australia Impact and Engage funder members only. If you are not yet a member of Philanthropy Australia or want to find out more about the philanthropic work in this area, please reach out to membership@philanthropy.org.au. Learn more about Philanthropy Australia membership.
Guest speakers
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Phil Freeman - Co-founder of Regen Labs & Director Catalytic Finance
Phil Freeman is an entrepreneur and co-founder of Regen Labs, where he has spent the past two years pioneering new models for community-led regenerative finance across regional Australia. Under his leadership, Regen Labs has facilitated the flow of catalytic loans and grants to regenerative and social enterprises and completed feasibility on a Regen Community Investment Fund working with partners such as the Wyatt Trust, PRF, Social Enterprise Finance Australia and River Capital. Phil is passionate about the roles entrepreneurs, investors and community play in economic transitions. He is also founder and Company Secretary of Open Supply Chains, serves on two Boards: Grow Your Mind and Montessori East.
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Dr Dimity Podger - Co-founder & Director of Regenerative Enterprise Programs at Regen Labs
Dr Dimity Podger is a regenerative entrepreneur, collaborative leader, and program designer passionate about transitioning local economies to heal community and Country. As co-founder of Regen Labs, she leads the Regen Economy Activator Program (REAP), bringing together convenors, enterprises, First Nations leaders, funders, and government to collaborate for system change. Core to this work is finance: Dimity co-designed the Regen Community Investment Funds feasibility study and conducted global research with Really Regenerative for Joseph Rowntree Foundation on how philanthropy can catalyse community-led regeneration. She convenes WEAVE Regen Economy Systems Lab, commissioned by SEA for SEDI, generating hopeful, practical innovations across finance, business model, and social infrastructure with place-based partners.
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Niall Fay - Chief Executive at the Fay Fuller Foundation
As the Fay Fuller Foundation’s Chief Executive, Niall’s job is to steer the Foundation, ensuring that our actions align with our purpose. Best described as having a non-linear background, our CE brings a little something new to philanthropy having worked across government, business, and university sectors in a range of roles, but always with a focus on bringing together exceptional people and organisations to solve complex problems. In his current position, Niall’s goal is to drive change around impact-driven, purposeful, and people-centred philanthropic funding. He believes that modern challenges are best addressed cooperatively but ultimately led by the voice of community.
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Sam Henderson – CEO, Northern Rivers Community Foundation
A long-term resident of Northern Rivers in Bundjalung Nation, Sam’s history encompasses corporate, not-for-profit, and governmental roles, with extensive experience working with First Nations peoples on economic development projects in remote and regional areas. Sam currently leads the Northern Rivers Community Foundation (NRCF), an important source of funding and support for community organisations and networks across the region, particularly post-2022 floods. In this role, he is stewarding NRCF to work more systemically while continuing to support place-based grassroots groups to develop and deliver solutions appropriate for their community. NRCF has the largest footprint of any community foundation in Australia, covering seven LGAs with over 300,000 residents.
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Hosts
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Philanthropy Australia
Philanthropy Australia is the national peak body for philanthropy. Our members include trusts, foundations, families, individual donors, professional advisors, companies, intermediaries and not-for-profit organisations. Learn more here: philanthropy.org.au
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Regen Labs
With thanks to Regen Labs for partnering with Philanthropy Australia for this event. Regen Labs is part of WEAVE Regen Economy Systems Lab, a learning community funded by Social Enterprise Australia.
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