ML GIVING
The pro-bono time we donate to support important conversations where they are needed most is provided through our foundation, ML Giving.
Our vision for ML Giving is to support emerging and under-served people / communities to create deeper conversations leading to stronger democracies.
ML Giving provides an avenue through which:
not-for-profit work can occur on issues/topics that we deem ‘important’ for society, democracy, and broader engagement
our team can donate their time to these same issues
we donate money to enable better local and community action around democracy and key issues facing society
we leverage our ‘effort’ to create more action
we can change or improve deliberative practice (through research and advocacy).
“Giving has really always been part of who we are. We are just making it official now!
We can’t wait to take this even further over the coming months and years.”
ML GIVING PRINCIPLES
The principles that underpin the work we select are:
The work must focus on furthering local community inclusion and action beyond just getting input and more into enabling local decision-making.
The work must involve democratising the process as much as possible for society i.e. opening up to more voices, more often and giving more control away.
The work must involve communities or issues that won’t ordinarily get funding or support to do the work.
outcomes we hope to achieve
Wider Reach: We can help those who really need it and cannot yet afford it.
Deeper Meaning: We deepen the work we do in the world – we work on work we consider important.
Direct Pursuit: We can pursue something we want to advocate on/for.
Raise the Bar: Move direct learnings into the public space to increase the knowledge and skill level in engagement and deliberation.
Ml giving in action: empowering refugee women
Our first pro-bono project officially under the new ML Giving banner was facilitating a business planning process for refugee women in Geelong, hosted by Cultura.
Five workshops were delivered that empowered participants (10 women from mostly Farsi and Dari speaking communities) to develop their own business plan.
Read about how this project helped these incredible women get ready to turn planning into action in this case study.
Want to talk to us about an idea?
If you have an opportunity that aligns with the principles of ML Giving, we welcome you to get in touch with us so we can talk it through with you. We do have to limit our not-for-profit work to just a few special initiatives each year, however, we will give every approach to us due consideration.