Who will get the money from the Cranbourne windfall?

More than 70 years ago, Jewish golfers founded the Cranbourne Country Club at a time when Jews were largely excluded from Victoria’s private clubs. Today, following the club’s closure, its legacy is poised to make an even greater contribution to Jewish life.

The former Cranbourne Golf Club land was sold for $190 million, with a significant part of that sum now being invested back into the community. Established in early 2024, the Cranbourne Foundation will direct the funds to organisations and initiatives focused on increasing participation in Jewish life and helping secure its future for generations to come.

The first round of applications opened this month, with the funding focused on five key pillars: Jewish Education, Youth Enrichment, Impactful Israel Experiences, Young Adult Connection, and Community Thriving.

“We spent time looking at the research on Jewish identity formation and developed a considered strategy, which we will revise and update over time,” says Cranbourne Foundation’s CEO Jayne Josem. “These pillars represent areas that we felt could be prioritised for funding in order to move the dial for young people in the community in the longer term.”

“We have been slow and deliberate in defining these areas – scoping the landscape, meeting with a lot of community organisations and leaders, speaking to younger members of the community and digesting all the incredible research on this topic.”

The funding pillars cover a wide range of initiatives. Jewish Education will support formal and informal learning, including opportunities for families who face financial barriers or sit outside the Jewish day-school system. Youth Enrichment will focus on programs that engage young people through culture, arts, religion and heritage.