The Trusts and Foundations team at Sydney Children’s Hospitals Foundation have seen remarkable growth and success over the last 5 years.  

This success was only possible thanks to the trust we have established with our funding partners achieved through a combination of hard work, transparency, accountability and the clear impact that the many and varied programs at Sydney children’s Hospitals Network (SCHN) have had and will have into the future. 

Just a few of the major projects we have partnered with donors to support in the last year are: 

• The capital redevelopment at both Randwick and Westmead Hospitals 

• Back on Track program (educational support for children with cancer) 

• Oncology treatments and trials 

• Social work 

• Child Life Therapy 

• Physiotherapy 

• Research and many more.

From 2023 to 2024 our donor retention rate was 63% vs the industry standard of 40-45%. In the same year we acquired 14 new donors and reconnected with 15 lapsed donors. 

This high donor retention speaks to the trust we have earned with our partners through our willingness to work with them to achieve real impact in children’s health, and our commitment to deliver on reporting and stewardship, often going above and beyond what is required or asked of us. 

‘’We deeply value our long-standing partnership with the Sydney Children’s Hospital Foundation in helping us bring essential support services, positivity and some fun to kids diagnosed with cancer.    

Nothing is ever too much to ask of the team at SCHF. Their unwavering assistance in connecting us with hospital stakeholders and other health agency groups has been fundamental in supporting Camp Quality’s mission to support every child at every stage of their cancer journey.   

The partnership's success has been built on transparency and communication, all in the spirit of helping families and children impacted by cancer. We are very proud to work with the SCHF and fund essential Child Life Therapists at both Sydney Children’s Hospital, Randwick and The Children’s Hospital at Westmead.    

Thank you for your ongoing support of Camp Quality and the children, and their families, we have the privilege to help, together.” 

Damien Ragusa, General Manager-Services and Programs at Camp Quality 

This has resulted in long term and close partnerships with many organisations which has in turn led to several large multi-year pledges to support larger and multi-year projects at SCHN.  

This is only possible when we approach our relationships as a true partnership. We see ourselves as the facilitators, connecting funding partners whose goal is to have a positive impact on society and on children’s health with the clinicians and researchers working in our hospitals who have the knowledge and skills needed to deliver real and lasting change.  

Knowledge without the necessary resources achieves very little and funds achieve nothing at all if they cannot be applied to where they are needed. 

The key factor is that none of us can do this alone. 

Contact Caroline at caroline.ongleo@schf.org.au to learn more about why our funding partners stick with us and why so many are so engaged and have pledged ongoing support, and what we can achieve together if we trust one another. 

There is still so much more to do, we can help you to realise the impacts that you want to achieve on children’s health.