MyState Foundation
Building a brighter future for young Tasmanians
Applications for our 2026 grant round and our community Foundation partnerships are now open!
MyState Foundation grants
Each year, the MyState Foundation grants between $1,000 and $10,000 to eligible youth‑focused organisations delivering developmental programs that support young people across Tasmania to learn, grow and thrive.
MyState Foundation partnerships
This year the MyState Foundation is offering two community partnerships, the Education Partnership and the Social Connection Partnership, providing up to $100,000 over two years to eligible youth‑focused organisations creating meaningful opportunities for young Tasmanians.
Purpose, mission & vision
We believe it’s the little ideas, local organisations and small acts that can help make a big difference in people’s lives and help build a richer Tasmanian community.
Purpose
To help young Tasmanians reach their full potential
Mission
Provide young Tasmanians with greater opportunities
Vision
To make a genuine difference to young Tasmanians
When your life’s still under construction, the right tools can really help you build a bright future. That’s why the MyState Foundation has been proudly supporting programs and organisations that help young Tasmanians reach their full potential for more than 20 years.
Our volunteering program
The MyState Foundation volunteering program provides the MyState team with dedicated time out of the workplace to give back to the local communities in which we operate. We offer our team members at least one day of volunteering leave per year. So far our team has contributed volunteering hours to support our Foundation grant recipients including Tassie Mums, Home Base and Edmund Rice.
If your Tasmanian not-for-profit organisation needs support through volunteering, please get in touch with us by emailing volunteering@mystate.com.au.
We support local initiatives that are good for the community and the economy.
We live in a vibrant state, where dedicated, talented people in the community achieve great things every day. We’re privileged to support and encourage them through our many community projects and initiatives.
We're here for good
The MyState Foundation has been helping to educate, nurture and support the young people of Tasmania since 2001.
We're giving back
We have awarded over $2.9 million in grants to 149 not-for-profit organisations, supporting 389 initiatives.
We're for you
We help young people access opportunities they might not otherwise have access to by supporting a range of charitable programs and activities.
Our Board
The MyState Community Foundation Limited (Foundation) Board comprises five non-executive Directors. In accordance with the company Constitution, three Board members are Directors MyState Bank Limited (MSB), including the Managing Director and CEO. Two Board members, selected from the community based on their business experience, are appointed by MSB and must not be Directors or employees of MSB.
Our current Board Members are:
Robert Gordon. Chairman
In addition to his role as Chairman of the MyState Foundation, Bob is the current President of the Institute of Foresters of Australia (IFA) and President of Football Federation Tasmania as well as being involved with a number of other charitable causes in Tasmania. He has been a company director for 20 years, including six years as Chairman of antecedent Credit Union, Connect Financial.
Magdalena Lane. Director
Magdalena is an Advancement Manager at the University of Tasmania, where she manages cultural philanthropy and is in her final year of a Masters in Writing at Deakin University. She has managed the development of cultural projects including Tasmania’s first cultural policy for State Government and for local cultural organisation, Detached. Magdalena is a previous board member of the Tasmanian Early Years Foundation, Contemporary Art Tasmania and the Festival of Voices.
Brett Morgan. Director
Brett Morgan is the Managing Director and CEO of MyState Limited. Brett is an experienced banking and fintech executive, having spent more than 6 years with successful Australian fintech, InLoop and more than 15 years in executive and senior roles with ING in Australia and India. Brett says MyState is proud to continue supporting the Tasmanian community through these grants, especially those focussed on youth health and wellbeing.
Vaughn Richtor. Director
Vaughn joined the MyState Limited Board as a non-executive Director in September 2019 and was Chairman from 1 April 2022 until implementation of the merger with Auswide Bank Limited on 19 February 2025. Vaughn was appointed as a non-executive Director of MyState Community Foundation Limited in October 2024.
He has held CEO roles in Asia and is the former CEO of ING DIRECT Australia and CEO Challenger and Growth Countries – Asia, ING Group after joining ING in London in 1991 as Deputy General Manager UK and Ireland.
Vaughn is a non-executive Director of Rest Super and also a current adviser to Rhizome and Spriggy. He is a prior Board member of TMB Bank in Thailand, ING Vysya Bank in India, Kookmin Group in Korea, and a non-executive Director, and later Chairman, of Ratesetter Australia. He was previously an advisor to the Strategy Implementation Institute in Singapore and Wyvern Health and has written and spoken extensively on leadership, corporate culture, customer centricity and digital banking.
Frequently Asked Questions
For the 2026 grant round, the MyState Foundation is excited to offer two community partnerships: the MyState Foundation Education Partnership and the MyState Foundation Social Connection Partnership.
MyState Foundation partnerships provide up to $100,000 over 2 years to youth-focused programs focused on either education or social connection.
MyState Foundation grants are offered over a maximum period of one year to deliver a program or initiative supporting youth. Funding for grants is from $1,000 up to $10,000 per year. Only not-for-profit organisations with a gross annual income of $2 million or less can apply for a grant.
MyState Foundation Partnerships are offered over a maximum period of two years to deliver an initiative supporting youth in a focus area of either education or social connection. Funding for partnerships is up to $100,000 over the 2 years.
Once applications have closed on the 1st of May 2026, successful grant and partnership applicants will be determined by the MyState Foundation Board based on the eligibility criteria and alignment with the Foundation’s purpose.
Those shortlisted for a partnership may be required to complete a short presentation to the MyState Foundation team and Board prior to the Board assessment to further demonstrate the impact of the program and answer any questions.
Yes - eligible organisations can apply for both a grant and a partnership in the 2026 round. Two separate applications will need to be completed addressing the eligibility criteria.
Please keep in mind that only not-for-profits with a gross annual income of $2 million or less are eligible to apply for a Foundation grant.
All applicants will be informed of the outcome in late June 2026 and funding for successful grants and partnerships will be distributed by early July.
