Paul Ramsay Foundation: Investment Policy Statement

For the Paul Ramsay Foundation (PRF), the mission to break cycles of disadvantage isn't just about the grants they give; it’s about how they manage their money. In late 2025, PRF approved a revised Investment Policy Statement (IPS) that moves them closer to a "Total Impact" model, ensuring their massive endowment aligns with their mission rather than working against it.

The PRF has updated its Investment Policy Statement (IPS), marking a significant milestone in its shift toward a "Total Impact" approach. In 2023, PRF moved away from treating "impact investing" as a small, separate bucket of money. Instead, they adopted a Total Impact Approach. This means sustainability and social impact are now embedded across the entire portfolio. The 2025 update builds on this by making the policy more practical, transparent, and ambitious.

PRF notes that, while global peers have been quick to align their assets with their missions, the Australian philanthropic sector has been slower to follow suit. By sharing their IPS publicly, PRF aims to provide a roadmap for others.

As PRF CEO Kristy Muir has suggested, the goal is to ensure that the "engine room" of the foundation (the endowment) is pulling in the same direction as the "front window" (the grant-making).

Read the Investment Policy Statement (IPS) to find out what’s new in the policy, why this matters for the Australian sector, and key takeaways for leaders and trustees.