Felton Bequest Logo

The Felton Bequest supports the development of ideas and catalytic projects that have the potential to enhance the physical and emotional health of women, children and young people in Victoria. Major and small grants are given to projects that:

  • Assist vulnerable or disadvantaged children or young people at risk
  • Assist women in need
  • Support the health care of women or children or their access to health care
  • Assist the elderly, including accommodation needs and homelessness amongst the elderly
  • Tackle early intervention or prevention and the causes of disadvantage
  • Have the potential for wider adoption and broader impact in the future
  • For an organisation, new or existing program which currently does not attract government funding and requires seed funding to get started, build momentum and/or build organisational capacity 

2025 Felton Bequest Small Grants Round - Opens 20 January 2025 and closes 12 March 2025

The Felton Bequest Small Grants round is now open and  offers grants of up to $25,000 for a one-year period only to Victorian initiatives and projects. A total funding pool of up to $150,000 is usually available

Guidelines will be available here soon 

2024 Small Grants Outcomes

  • Blind Sports & Recreation Victoria- A vision for improved womens health, wellbeing and connection.
  • Footscape -Childrens Orthotic Project
  • HerSpace Ltd-HerPathway holistic mental health and wellbeing interventions for women survivors of modern slavery in Australia
  • Kids’ Own Publishing- More Children More Communities More Books
  • North Carlton Railway Station Neighbourhood House- Kids on the Move
  • Operation Stitches - Rise Up Reach Out; Empowering Families Transforming Lives
  • Southport Community Centre Inc-Getting Connected
  • The Community Grocer Flemington- Community Pop-Up Markets
  • Whitehorse Emergency Relief and Support Inc- Empowering the Disadvantaged

Download the 2024 Felton Bequest Annual Report.

ABOUT ALFRED FELTON

Alfred Felton was born in England and came to Australia in 1853. He was a partner in a successful pharmaceutical company and was an avid art collector. He never married, living for many years in rooms crammed with his personal art collection at the Esplanade Hotel, St Kilda.

When Felton died in 1904, he left the bulk of his fortune to the creation of a charitable foundation known as the Felton Bequest. 

The Felton Bequest has been responsible for donating 80% of the finest artworks in the National Gallery of Victoria. These are currently valued over $2 billion. These gifts have contributed to establishing the National Gallery of Victoria as an institution of international significance.

Over the past five years, funding of flagship grants has impacted on the number of smaller grants available. As a result, the Bequest directs funds towards projects that may not appear on the radar of other types of funders.

The Bequests’ committee believes that philanthropy is more than monies given. Members actively explore how they might apply their individual and collective influence, time and expertise towards a higher level of support for their community partners’ aspirations.

The Felton Bequest welcomes approaches from community organisations with Victorian-based projects.

Philanthropy