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The Wilson HTM Foundation

With its 24 year history of independent oversight and investment returns, the Wilson HTM Foundation is the major entity through which the firm supports the community.

The Foundation (formerly the Wilson HTM Charitable Trust) was established in 1987 with the main aim of supporting charitable causes which are actively championed by employees.

Managed by an independent Board of Directors, it gives the bulk of donations to charities supported by employees who are actively volunteering their time, skills and energy to help those in need.

The process is based on a philosophy of giving by staff, through staff and for staff:

• Money is donated in response to applications made by employees;
• Applications are assessed via an internal staff review committee which makes recommendations to the Foundation Board;
• Donations are given to charities where it is clearly shown that their activities are championed and supported by a staff member.

Each year annual donations are announced in June. In 2011 the following organisations and projects are being supported.

 

In 2011 the Foundation has also established a new partnership linked to the causes which a cross section of WIG clients said mattered the most to them; medical research and children's health issues. A multi year, $50K per annum partnership is being undertaken with HeartKids Australia, the only Australian charity focussing solely on the field of childhood heart disease (CHD).

 

How the money will help: Annual donations to HeartKids will help establish and grow an innovative "Grants in Aid" program offering small, one year research grants to build capacity in understanding CHD. This program is being established following clinical research which indicates the need to develop capacity in small, innovative institutions outside big research centres and hospitals. The concept - support to help small entrepreneurial researchers - follows the WIG and Foundation philosophy of backing innovative "start up" projects.

 

HeartKids promotes the following little known statistics about CHD in Australia:

• Is the most common birth abnormality affecting 1 in every 100 babies  
• 6 babies each day are born with a heart condition
• Heart Disease is the greatest killer of children under 5
• CHD takes more lives than all other childhood diseases - twice that of cancer
• HeartKids fill approx half the beds in all major children's hospitals

   

   

  The Foundation also has a long term national partnership with The Reach Foundation, which runs preventative programs positively impacting up to 60,000 young Australian each year. At its core, Reach is young people inspiring young people to help them "believe and achieve" 

  Through funding of almost $500,000 the Foundation is helping the Victorian based Reach further establish its presence and profile in Sydney. A permanent Sydney base is assisting Reach to expand its highly successful range of programs working with youth, teachers, parents, community groups, government and the corporate sector across NSW.