Partnerships for Local Action and Community Empowerment

Introduction

On 30 October 2024, a new national organisation known as Partnerships for Local Action and Community Empowerment (PLACE) was publicly announced. 

PLACE is a joint initiative of: 

• the Australian Government  
• the Minderoo Foundation 
• the Paul Ramsay Foundation 
• the Bryan Foundation 
• Dusseldorp Forum  
• the Ian Potter Foundation.  

PLACE is a national organisation established to support community-led, place-based approaches to address social and economic challenges in communities and disrupt entrenched disadvantage. 

The Australian Government will contribute $19.31 million over 5 years to the organisation, with the philanthropic partners also contributing $19.31 million to support the centre. 

PLACE was established following consideration of the prospectus for a National Centre for Place-Based Collaboration, or Nexus Centre. The prospectus set out the value and need for having a national entity for place-based change, and options for establishing such an entity. The prospectus was prepared by a consortium (the Foundation Partner) including University of Queensland, the Australia and New Zealand School of Government (ANZSOG) and not-for-profit Collaboration for Impact.

About PLACE

PLACE will support communities across the country to build local partnerships and strengthen their place-based capabilities. 

Specifically, the organisation will have the following purposes: 

• undertaking activities to build the skills and capabilities of the workforce involved in the delivery of place-based approaches 
• promoting the exchange of research, tools and practices relating to place-based approaches 
• supporting collaborative solutions and helping stakeholders identify and seek resolutions to systemic challenges that have a significant or national impact 
• promoting strengthened data practices to provide support to place-based initiatives in effectively accessing and utilising the data required to make an impact 
• promoting the development of policy and funding approaches that support place-based approaches 
• enabling communities to accelerate progress on the things that matter most to them through the adoption of place-based approaches. 

Current status of PLACE

It is anticipated that PLACE will be fully established and operational by mid-2025 and a Community Council will be established to advise the Board and management team directly on issues that need to be considered from the perspective of communities. 

Background on the establishment of PLACE

Over the last few years, stakeholders have identified a need for a national entity to advocate for and facilitate place-based collaboration in Australian communities, with preliminary consultations we undertook on the concept in 2022. 

The department undertook initial consultations with communities, philanthropic experts, the Australian Government, and state and territory governments. A discussion paper was developed based on these consultations outlining the broad requirements for a grants process to engage a Foundation Partner. 

In March 2023, the department engaged a Foundation Partner to further explore the concept. The Foundation Partner was a consortium including the University of Queensland (primary grantee), the Australia and New Zealand School of Government and not-for-profit Collaboration for Impact. 

Throughout April to September 2023, the Foundation Partner engaged a diverse range of stakeholders in place-based change in a national consultation and design process to ascertain the value and need for such an entity. 

Consultation on the design of PLACE

The Foundation Partner undertook a design and consultation process from April to September 2023 to determine the value and need for having a national identity for place-based change. This process informed the prospectus delivered to government on 11 December 2023 for consideration on whether and how to fund a national entity for place-based change.

Over 200 consultations were conducted as part of this process via a range of opportunities including: 

• one-on-one interview style conversations 
• larger group meetings and workshops 
• written submissions. 

A diverse range of stakeholders with an interest or stake in place-based change were represented in the consultations including: 

• community representatives 
• people with lived experience 
• backbone teams 
• First Nations representatives 
• Aboriginal Community-Controlled Organisations 
• Community organisations 
• Non-government organisations 
• Philanthropic foundations 
• Peak bodies 
• Service providers 
• Place-based change practitioners and intermediaries 
• Australian, state, territory and local government representatives 
• Corporate sector organisations 
• Academics and researchers. 

The Foundation Partner grant activity ended on 30 June 2024. As such, the role of the Foundation Partner in undertaking foundational work and exploring the concept of a national entity for place-based change has ended.

Visit the PLACE organisation's website for more information.