09/2011: The Hon. Alan Brown has been inducted to the Australian Community Philanthropy Hall of Fame receiving the 2011 Award for Excellence and Achievement for his work in the development of Australian community foundations.

A Member of Parliament in Victoria for 18 years, ongoing involvement with community foundations for 9 years, and the Chair of the Inner North Community Foundation and the Bass Coast Community Foundation, Alan has certainly grabbed our imaginations and attention.

His contribution to both of the foundations has been invaluable as he gives freely of his time, knowledge, and vast experience. Alan was also instrumental in gaining the support of the Inner North Community Foundation’s key founding donor, Inner Northern Group Training, gaining a pledge of $5 million over ten years to build the corpus fund of the Foundation.

The impact on the community, with Alan’s contribution through the Inner North Community Foundation, has been the distribution of nearly half $1 million to local organisations and projects supporting community engagement, social inclusion, and pathways to employment.

Further testament to Alan’s commitment to public life and involvement in the community is his recent appointment of the Chair of the Victorian Bushfire Appeal Fund Community Advisory Committee which will provide advice on how to distribute $16 million in affected regions.

Mr. Brown accepted both the Hall of Fame induction and Award for Excellence with great enthusiasm at the annual Community Foundations Forum and expressed that the results really do speak for themselves when you hear all the great stories that emerge from the work that’s being done in our local communities.