The Macquarie Foundation is the philanthropic arm of the Macquarie Group, an international financial services organization headquartered in Sydney, Australia. Established as a 501(c)(3) entity, the Macquarie Foundation contributes to issues such as environmentalism, social equity, and global health. ¹

The foundation has contributed grants to initiatives such as the World Mosquito Program, the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute’s World Scabies Program, and the Bullard Center for Environmental and Climate Justice’s program to fund a new HBCU (Historically Black College or University) Climate Corps at Texas Southern University. ²

Founding and History

The Macquarie Foundation was established in 1985 and was founded as part of Macquarie Group’s commitment to corporate social responsibility. Over the years, it has supported educational scholarships, health initiatives, and community development programs. The foundation operates both in Australia and internationally. ³

As of 2024, Alex H. Harvey is chairman of the Police-Citizens Youth Club and holds dual roles as CFO and head of the Financial Management Group at Macquarie Group. ⁴ He is also the executive chairman of Macquarie Capital (Hong Kong) Ltd. and the global head of the Principal Transactions Group, both of which are subsidiaries of Macquarie Group Ltd. Additionally, Harvey is a board member of High Resolves and a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia. He received both his undergraduate and graduate degrees from The University of Sydney. ⁵

Grants and Contributions

In December of 2023, the Macquarie Foundation announced a $2.75 million commitment to Pursuit, a social impact organization focused on improving employment opportunities for low-income individuals. This marked the foundation’s first major social impact investment in the United States. The funding supports Pursuit’s efforts to provide technical and leadership training, aimed at helping participants secure their first tech jobs. ⁶

The Foundation reported contributing over $3 million AUD ($1.86 million USD) to organizations working to support humanitarian relief in Israel and the Palestinian territories in 2024. The Foundation also provided a further $1 million AUD (approximately $620,000 USD) in grant funding to Anera and IsraAID, which provide humanitarian aid. ²

In July of 2020, The Macquarie Racial Equity Fund (REF) was started to support left-of-center non-profit organizations that promote the left-wing principle of equity more. The fund supports direct relief programs, research and policy, education and economic equity initiatives that promote racial equity. To date, eight grants have been awarded to nonprofits advancing racial equity at the national and local levels, including in Houston, Texas; Jacksonville, Florida; New York City, New York; and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Three of these grants are for funding multi-year programs at the following organizations: Local Initiatives Support Corporation, Robin Hood Foundation, and YWCA. Staff nominate and vote for additional non-profit organizations to receive one-year, unrestricted grants for their racial justice programs. The Racial Equity Fund is funded by Macquarie in the Americas in partnership with the Macquarie Group Foundation and a cross-Group employee-led committee. ²

The Macquarie Group Foundation is also listed as a corporate funder of Philanthropy New York, a left-of-center anti-racist organization in the U.S. that supports equity programs. ⁷

1. “Macquarie 50th Anniversary Award: Year in Review.” Macquarie Group Foundation. Accessed August 16, 2024. https://www.macquarie.com/us/en/about/community/macquarie-group-foundation-2024-annual-review/macquarie-50-anniversary-award-year-in-review.html.
2. “Macquarie Group Foundation 2024 Annual Review.” Macquarie Group Foundation. Accessed August 16, 2024. https://www.macquarie.com/au/en/about/community/macquarie-group-foundation-2024-annual-review.html.
3. “History.” Macquarie Group. Accessed January 2, 2025. https://www.macquarie.com/au/en/about/history.html.
4. “Alex H. Harvey.” LinkedIn. Accessed August 16, 2024. https://www.linkedin.com/in/alex-harvey-29552335/?originalSubdomain=au.
5. ^[1] “Alex Harvey.” Marketscreener. Accessed August 16, 2024. https://www.marketscreener.com/insider/ALEX-HARVEY-A1FEBU/.
6. “Macquarie Donates $2.75 Million to Pursuit to Help People Get Their First Tech Jobs.” StreetInsider. December 20, 2023. Accessed August 16, 2024. https://www.streetinsider.com/Corporate+News/Macquarie+donates+$2.75+million+to+Pursuit+to+help+people+get+their+first+tech+jobs/22549616.html
7. “Macquarie Group Foundation.” Philanthropy New York. Accessed August 16, 2024. https://philanthropynewyork.org/redhen/org/920.