Impact Stories

Sometimes, the greatest impact comes from extending support at the moments it matters most.

Through Future2’s Make the Difference Grants Program, funding is directed toward initiatives that help individuals build stronger financial futures and create lasting change within their communities.

One such organisation is Diamond Women, which supports women experiencing unplanned or unsupported pregnancies, often alongside homelessness, family violence and financial hardship.

Through its group-based learning and support programs, Diamond Women helps participants build financial capability, develop practical life skills, rebuild confidence and create pathways toward employment and independence. These programs provide a safe and supportive environment where women can take meaningful steps toward long-term stability for themselves and their families.

In 2025, additional funding through Future2 and its strategic partner AIA Australia will enable Diamond Women to expand these programs, ensuring more women can access vital support at a critical time in their lives.

The increased reach of these programs means more women will have the opportunity to strengthen their financial wellbeing, gain confidence in managing their future and move forward with greater independence.

As Diamond Women Founder and CEO Jenny Gurry reflects, “that’s the power of AIA’s partnership. It literally is life transforming.”

This support demonstrates how targeted funding can create lasting impact, empowering women to overcome significant challenges and build stronger futures for themselves, their children and their communities.

Together, Future2, AIA Australia and Diamond Women are helping create meaningful change where it is needed most.

In many regional communities, the challenge isn’t a lack of ideas, it’s a lack of access.

Access to financial education.
Access to support.
Access to the confidence needed to take the next step.

Through Future2’s Make the Difference Grants Program, organisations like Wilderness Collective are working to change that.

Based in Far East Gippsland, Wilderness Collective is focused on building more resilient, community led economies through programs like Micro Ready.

Designed for women aged 40+, the program provides financial education, coaching and peer support to help participants start or grow micro businesses.

At its core, the program addresses one of the biggest barriers to progress, financial understanding.

Participants gain practical skills to manage money, understand the true cost of running a business and make informed decisions. Just as importantly, they build the confidence to move from idea to action.

For many, it is the first time they have had access to this kind of support in a regional setting, where traditional pathways to education, networks and advice are often limited.

Through the support of Sufficient Funds and Future2, more women are able to access these programs, gaining the tools, knowledge and support needed to take the next step.

As these businesses begin to grow, the impact extends far beyond the individual.

Stronger financial capability leads to stronger businesses.
Stronger businesses support families and local economies.
And over time, that momentum helps build more connected, resilient communities.

Because when confidence grows, opportunity follows and the ripple effect can be far reaching.

Sometimes, the biggest financial challenges don’t come from what we don’t earn, but from what we were never taught.

Through Future2’s Make the Difference Grants Program, organisations like Tiny Foxes are helping young Australians develop the knowledge and confidence to make informed financial decisions before costly mistakes take hold.

Tiny Foxes focuses on early financial education, reaching young people at a critical stage of life when they begin earning money, making independent choices and establishing habits that can shape their financial future for years to come.

Through programs such as the Life Skills Academy, students gain practical skills in budgeting, managing income, understanding debt and making informed financial decisions. By presenting financial education in a relatable and accessible way, the program helps young people build confidence and develop healthy financial behaviours from the outset.

For many participants, it is the first time they have been equipped with the tools to take control of their financial future and understand the opportunities available to them.

As Co-Founder Trish Moore explains, the goal is to help young people avoid financial pitfalls that can take years to recover from and instead establish strong foundations for lifelong financial wellbeing.

Additional funding in 2025 will enable Tiny Foxes to expand the reach of this important work, bringing practical financial education directly to more young Australians at a time when these lessons can have the greatest impact.

With more students gaining access to these programs, hundreds of young people will be better prepared to make informed decisions, build financial resilience and create stronger futures for themselves and their communities.

Because when financial capability starts early, the impact doesn’t just change one outcome, it can change the path entirely.

Sometimes, the greatest impact comes from building the right foundations early.

Through Future2’s Make the Difference Grants Program, funding is directed toward initiatives that help individuals build stronger financial futures and create lasting change within their communities.

One such initiative is Foyer Oxford, which supports young people transitioning out of homelessness by providing the skills, confidence and opportunities needed to build independent and sustainable futures.

At Foyer Oxford, financial literacy is a critical part of the support journey. Participants learn how to manage everyday expenses, create and maintain budgets, understand financial responsibilities and make informed decisions about their money. These practical skills help lay the groundwork for long-term stability and self-sufficiency.

Beyond managing finances, the program equips young people with the confidence and capability needed to sustain employment, manage income effectively and plan for the future. By strengthening financial literacy alongside education, employment and housing outcomes, Foyer Oxford helps participants build the foundations for lasting independence.

As highlighted through the program, financial literacy is not just a skill—it is a foundation for opportunity. “A job will give you money, but if you don’t know how to manage those funds, you’re going to struggle.”

Additional support in 2025 will enable Foyer Oxford to continue expanding access to these important programs, helping more young people develop the financial capability and confidence needed to navigate adulthood successfully.

For participants, the impact extends far beyond learning how to budget. It means greater stability, stronger decision-making skills, increased confidence and a clearer pathway toward secure housing, employment and long-term financial wellbeing.

Together, Future2, HUB24 and Foyer Oxford are helping young people build stronger futures by creating the foundations for independence, resilience and lasting financial wellbeing.

Every Future2 grant represents more than funding. It is an investment in people, communities and organisations helping Australians build stronger financial futures.

In this Future2 Impact Story, Rachael Satchell, from Milford sits down with Andy Lee, Founder of Pluton, to discuss how Pluton supports young people through mentoring, education and practical financial literacy skills, and the impact of Future2’s funding on their work and community.

Their conversation explores why grassroots organisations are so vital to their communities, the difference partnerships can make, and how support from the financial services community can build greater financial confidence, resilience and opportunity beyond the initial grant.

Future2 is grateful to Milford for choosing to highlight Pluton’s work and for helping share the stories behind the Future2 Make the Difference Grants Program.

Meaningful change starts with people who understand their communities and are committed to creating a lasting difference.

In our latest Future2 Impact Story, Scott Brooks and Hayley Maxwell from Collective Resourcing speak with Mason de Wit from Speak & Share about the organisation’s work supporting young people, the challenges they are seeing within their community, and how Future2 funding has helped strengthen and extend their impact.

Founded by three mates who experienced the impact of isolation, grief and mental ill-health during the COVID-19 lockdowns, Speak & Share was created from a desire to make conversations around mental health more open, honest and accessible.

Their conversation offers a closer look at the people behind Speak & Share, the importance of grassroots organisations in responding to local needs, and the practical difference their programs are making in the lives of young people. By building emotional resilience, confidence and life skills, Speak & Share is helping young Australians develop a stronger foundation for their education, employment and future financial wellbeing.

To date, Speak & Share has impacted more than 25,000 people across Victoria through evidence-informed mental health education workshops delivered in schools, as well as podcasts featuring educational content that encourages young Australians to be more open about their mental health and the challenges they may be experiencing.

With the support of Future2, they wanted to reach as many young Australians as they can across Victoria.

We’re grateful to Collective Resourcing for helping us share Speak & Share’s story and shine a light on the impact that can be achieved when the financial services community supports organisations working at the grassroots level.

Through the Make the Difference! Grants Program, Future2 is proud to support organisations like Speak & Share as they create stronger, more resilient communities and better futures for young Australians.