Supporter spotlight – Gill and Chris Lee
A conversation with SVA supporters Gill and Chris Lee
Gill and Chris have supported SVA for more than two decades, bringing backgrounds in civil engineering and clinical psychology to their approach to giving. In this conversation, they reflect on how their thinking on philanthropy has evolved, what they value in SVA’s approach and why trust plays such an important role in their giving.
What first drew you to SVA?
Chris: We discovered SVA by chance. I had left the consulting company where I worked, and we had some money freed up from selling shares. I was thinking about what to do with it and spoke to a cousin of mine who had been involved in the early stages of SVA.
He said it was a group focused on building small, good ideas into larger organisations and systems, and spreading their impact to tackle inequity. Coming from a consulting background – and originally trained as a civil engineer, having worked in construction across different countries – I was naturally drawn to that kind of structured, analytical approach to tackling problems. So we got involved and have stayed connected since, as SVA has continued to do what we think is a good job in Australia.
Gill: For me, it was also the idea that SVA focused on outcomes and evaluation. A lot of organisations we’d been involved with were very passionate, but when it came to understanding how effective they were, that wasn’t always as strong. That emphasis within SVA really stood out and was something that attracted us.
What continues to resonate with you today?
Gill: I think there’s a real sense of trust for me. We do get busy and involved in other projects and ideas, and in the background, I feel reassured that SVA is doing the right thing – finding good projects, supporting them and maintaining that strong ethos of evaluation. That trust also means we don’t feel the need to tie our support to a specific project.
Chris: Over time, I became quite focused on how to improve the performance of not-for-profits. Coming from a commercial background, I felt many weren’t very well focused. What really resonated with me was SVA’s emphasis on measuring outcomes and understanding what actually works. We could see there were good people focused on the right things, and we trusted them to get on with the job and do it well, focusing on what matters most.
“We don’t feel the need to tie our support to a specific project – we trust SVA to use it where it’s most needed.” – Gill
How do conversations about philanthropy happen in your family?
Gill: Over dinner – usually.
Chris: We’re actually pretty unstructured. Over time, we’ve settled into what feels right focusing on a small number of organisations we feel strongly about, including SVA, while supporting a range of others in a smaller way.
Gill: I think we reached a point where it all felt quite overwhelming – all the requests coming through the letterbox. So we made a decision to focus on a smaller number of organisations we’ve really looked into, which comes back to trust.
Chris: We don’t talk about it that much anymore. We’ve found an approach that works for us, and with SVA in particular, there’s that trust – we know they’re doing a good job, so we don’t feel the need to be closely involved.
Have your views on giving evolved over time?
Gill: I think our views on giving have changed, partly through our involvement with Impact 100. Each year we’re exposed to a wide range of organisations and ideas, which gives us a good sense of what’s happening in the world and how people are trying to address different challenges. That’s been a really valuable way of staying informed and reflecting on what feels most effective.
Chris: Yes, and being part of that assessment process reinforces something for me – that many organisations are doing very good work, but often focus on symptoms rather than underlying causes. Over time, I’ve become much more interested in approaches that tackle root causes and aim for systemic change, even though that’s much harder.
“Over time, I’ve become much more interested in approaches that tackle root causes rather than symptoms.” – Chris
Gill: That’s also what originally drew me to SVA’s work in education. Having worked as a clinical psychologist, I’ve focused closely on supporting children and families at an individual level – which is why SVA’s emphasis on what works at a grassroots level really resonated with me. I’m particularly drawn to how those initiatives, with the right leadership, can ripple out into broader systemic change.
SVA’s focus on grassroots approaches – and how they scale into systemic change – really resonates with me.” – Gill
What stands out to you about the way SVA approaches complex social challenges?
Chris: For me, it’s the rigour and the thinking behind it. There’s a real focus on understanding how the system works and then figuring out how to influence it – through experimentation, experience and advocacy. And that focus extends across someone’s life journey, particularly those who are struggling – from early years to education, supporting those who fall behind at school, through to helping young people into useful, constructive and satisfying work through Employment. That’s a really compelling logic.
Gill: I also really like the way SVA looks across the landscape – understanding who is doing what, what’s working and where the real gaps are. There can be a lot of duplication in the sector, so that broader perspective feels important. It’s not about doing everything, but about identifying strengths and backing them in a thoughtful way.
What gives you both hope when you think about the future of social impact in Australia?
Gill: I think it’s organisations like SVA that give me hope – those that aren’t beholden to political cycles or party allegiances, and can step back and look at social needs more objectively. When people are prepared to invest in that kind of work, there’s real potential for meaningful change.
Chris: I also think most Australians are decent people who genuinely want the best for others. We sometimes hear a lot from a small number of less impressive voices, but day to day, people generally want things to improve. The challenge is having really good ideas about what to do and how to do it. That’s where organisations like SVA play an important role – trying to figure out what works and how to make it happen, so it can eventually influence policy and create lasting change.
