Blackbird Foundation Where Creativity Rules

You weren’t expecting that heading from an accounting firm specialising in the Not-for-Profit Sector! Well, what is even more interesting is that through our specialisation, we have the opportunity to work with inspiring organisations that have an enormous impact on the lives of others. The Blackbird Foundation is one such client doing incredible work with young people. By investing in talented young people, they help their mission: “Creativity is at the heart of what it means to be human” endure, progress, and become a movement rather than a slogan.

The organisation is the brainchild of the founders of Blackbird Ventures. A unique company that successfully invests in start-ups, particularly in the technology space in Australia and New Zealand. The synergy is easy to spot. Investing in start-ups as a commercial enterprise is a savvy business model, and using that experience and skill set to charitably invest in the ideas and passion of young people to help them “start up” and ignite their dreams makes complete sense.

These guys keep creativity alive through their charity, which they exclusively fund through the success of the commercial start-ups they support. It is a flywheel, and their charity works the same way. They don’t advertise. The participants come to them and present their ideas through word of mouth from other participants.

It is a community that builds on itself, and creativity can be found anywhere. It may come from STEM platforms to cooking recipes or a project in which a young graduating doctor produces an illustrated children’s anatomy book to help kids understand how their body works. Whatever the idea, the Blackbird Foundation team will take a look. It only needs to fit the storytelling brief to get a fair hearing and, from there, possible funding.

The mission is simple but effective: They believe young people should dream big, think freely, and explore without constraint. Creativity is curiosity with possibility; unlocking it is the first step toward a more inclusive, exciting future. The Blackbird Foundation uses three pillars: Giving, Backing, and Storytelling, which are combined through direct grant making, indirect grant making, and storytelling.

The Protostars program fuels young dreamers. The Foundation gives $1000 microgrants to young people, 18–25 years old in Australia and New Zealand, to explore their passion projects. Projects are only limited by imagination. Science, art, technology, or culture, so long as it tells a story. To give you an example, some of the projects the foundations have seen come to life include:

• A community garden breathing life into urban spaces
• A metaverse art exhibition exploring digital identity
• A battle bot build that brought engineering to life
• A queer comedy show redefining inclusive performance

Then there are the Believers: The foundation backs organisations with $50K per year for 3-5 projects.
So far, these grants have believed in:

• National robotics competitions
• STEM roadshows in remote schools
• Creative school camps focused on invention and inclusion

Not bad for an organisation that only started in 2022.

Joel Connelly is the creative director at Blackbird Ventures and heads up the Blackbird Foundation, splitting his time between the two. “My passion for the foundation trickles into my job at Blackbird Ventures. The ideas, energy, and sense of making the world a better place that the young people bring are infectious. It rekindles what community means, which is what our business model was initially built on. Running the foundation is more than a passion, but I’ve never been deeply immersed in the numbers. The team at Accounting For Good fills the gap. Their advice is invaluable, and their knowledge of governance, the regulatory frameworks, and most importantly, the financial strategy they impart, ensures I can keep the balls in the air.”

We feel privileged to work with many amazing Not-for-Profits and Charities all over Australia. While our role is financial and we use our skills to ensure they can continue to keep their mission alive, we firmly believe in what our clients do, making the world a better place for those they support.

At Accounting For Good, we work with NFP organisations with a turnover of $1M or more.

Contact us for a free consultation if your organisation needs expert financial guidance. Let us handle your accounting needs so you can focus on what matters most—serving your community and driving positive change.