What does it mean to create a truly shared future? On Thursday 15 May 2025, hundreds of parents, grandparents, Old Melburnians, staff and community members, both quietly and publicly helped answer that question in their support of Melbourne Grammar School’s first-ever Giving Day.
For 24 hours the goal was simple: to raise $1.25 million to help grow the School’s First Nations Scholarship fund. The response was overwhelming. Over the course of the day, and the following week, 579 donors helped surpass the target, raising a total $1,305,966.
“Throughout the day, I had the privilege of witnessing an outpouring of goodwill from our community,” says Headmaster Philip Grutzner.
“Every gift, large and small, truly reflected the School’s values and carried with it a profound message of belief in the potential of our First Nations students, and the role Melbourne Grammar School plays in shaping the future.”
Since 2006, the School’s First Nations Program has become an indelible part of Melbourne Grammar’s ethos in creating extraordinary possibilities for talented and deserving young people.
Now in its twentieth year, more than 60 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students have been able to access an exceptional education and chart success on their own terms, uplifting the communities they work and live in.
“Our First Nations Scholarship Program has so many rich, reciprocal benefits to our whole School, helping our students grow into confident and compassionate individuals,” says the Headmaster.
“These scholarships not only provide an exceptional education to students who might not otherwise have access to Melbourne Grammar – they also enrich the experience of all of our students by fostering deeper understanding, cultural connections, and new ways of thinking.”
Old Melburnians and students added their voices to the fundraising effort, and more than 30 volunteers worked on the day to make and receive calls for donations.
“I saw how support from all corners of our community lifted spirits – especially those of our students and our First Nations Program Manager, Shane Evans – who now stand with even greater confidence and assurance that they are genuinely valued and embraced,” says the Headmaster.
“This is what should be celebrated, and this is what we will continue to build upon.”
